Kinaxis Inc. – Annual report – 31 December 2021
Industry: software
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
(Expressed in thousands of USD, except share and per share amounts)
3. Significant accounting policies: (extract)
(b) Revenue recognition:
Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of products or services to customers at an amount that reflects the transaction price the Company expects to receive in exchange for the products or services. The Company’s contracts with customers often include the delivery of multiple products and services, which are generally capable of being distinct and accounted for as separate performance obligations. The accounting for a contract or contracts with a customer that contain multiple performance obligations requires the Company to allocate the contract or contracts’ transaction price to the identified distinct performance obligations.
The Company’s hosted software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) application, which allows customers to use hosted software over the contract period without taking possession of the software, is provided on a subscription basis, and revenue is recognized ratably over the contract period, commencing on the date an executed contract exists and the customer has the right-to-use and access to the platform.
On-premise, fixed term subscription licenses and hybrid software subscriptions (where the customer has the option to take the hosted software on-premise) provide the customer with a right-to-use the software as it exists when made available to the customer. Revenue from distinct on-premise subscription licenses is recognized upfront at the point in time when the software is made available to the customer and the right to use the software has commenced. On-premise subscription licenses and hybrid subscriptions are bundled with software maintenance and support services and/or hosting over the term. The license component and maintenance and support/hosting components are each allocated revenue using their relative estimated SSP. Revenue allocated to the bundled maintenance and support and hosting is recognized ratably over the term of the maintenance and support services. Professional services are provided for implementation and configuration of software licenses and SaaS, as well as ongoing technical services and training.
Professional services are typically billed on a time and material basis and revenue is recognized over time as the services are performed. For professional services contracts billed on a fixed price basis, revenue is recognized over time based on the proportion of services performed.
Maintenance and support services provided to customers on legacy perpetual software licenses is recognized ratably over the term of the maintenance and support services.
The Company recognizes an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if it expects the costs to be recoverable, and has determined that certain sales incentive programs meet the requirements to be capitalized. Capitalized contract acquisition costs are amortized consistent with the pattern of transfer to the customer for the goods and services to which the asset relates. The amortization period includes specifically identifiable contract renewals where there is no substantive renewal commission. The expected customer renewal period is estimated based on the historical life of our customers, which the Company has determined to be six years. The Company applies the practical expedient available under IFRS 15 and does not capitalize incremental costs of obtaining contracts if the amortization period is one year or less.
The timing of revenue recognition often differs from contract payment schedules, resulting in revenue that has been earned but not billed. These amounts are included in unbilled receivables. Amounts billed in accordance with customer contracts, but not yet earned, are recorded and presented as part of deferred revenue.
The Company has elected to apply the practical expedient to not adjust the total consideration over the contract term for the effect of a financing component if the period between the transfer of services to the customer and the customer’s payment for these services is expected to be one year or less.
2. Basis of preparation: (extract)
(f) Use of estimates and judgments: (extract)
Allocation of the transaction price to multiple performance obligations in contracts with customers
Contracts with customers often include promises to deliver multiple products and services. Determining whether such bundled products and services are considered i) distinct performance obligations that should be separately recognized, or ii) non-distinct and therefore should be combined with another good or service and recognized as a combined unit of accounting may require judgment. In general, the Company’s professional services are capable of being distinct as they could be performed by third party service providers and do not involve significant customization of the licensed software.
The allocation of the transaction price requires significant judgment and estimates relating to the determination of the standalone selling price (“SSP”) for each distinct performance obligation. The methodology used to determine the SSP depends on the nature of the products and services and how they are priced in contracts with customers. This allocation affects the amount and timing of revenue recognized for each performance obligation. In order to determine the SSP of promised products or services, the Company conducts a regular analysis to determine whether various products or services have an observable SSP. If the Company does not have an observable SSP for a particular product or service, then SSP for that particular good or service is estimated using reasonably available information and maximizing observable inputs with approaches including historical pricing, cost plus a margin, adjusted market assessment, and the residual approach. The Company uses a range of amounts to estimate SSP when it sells each of the products and services separately and needs to determine whether there is a discount that needs to be allocated based on the relative SSP of the various products and services. In general, SSP for maintenance and support bundled in on-premise and hybrid subscription arrangements is established as a percentage of the subscription license fee as supported by third party evidence and internal analysis of similar vendor contracts. SSP for hosting and professional services is established based on observable prices for the same or similar services when sold separately, or estimated using a cost plus margin approach.
Revenue recognition on fixed price contracts
For professional services contracts billed on a fixed price basis, revenue is recognized over time based on the proportion of services performed. The Company determines this based on the actual labour hours incurred relative to the total forecasted hours. This requires the Company to estimate the labour hours required to complete the contract at the reporting date, the uncertainty inherent in which will not be resolved until the contract is completed.
17. Revenue:
The following table presents revenue expected to be recognized in the future related to performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) at December 31, 2021:
Accounts examples 