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Description of Business, Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Standards (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for interim financial reporting. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). In the opinion of management, the financial information reflects all adjustments, consisting of adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of the Company for the periods presented. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or any future periods. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes for the year ended December 31, 2013, included in the Annual Report of Aspect Software Group Holdings Ltd. on Form 10-K (File No. 333-170936). The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include amounts of Aspect Software Parent, Inc. and its wholly and majority owned subsidiaries. On August 1, 2014, Aspect Software Parent Inc. (“Parent”) provided notice to the trustee of the 10 5/8% senior second lien notes due 2017 (the “Notes”) issued by Aspect Software, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Aspect”) and guaranteed by Parent, Aspect Software Group Holdings Ltd (“Holdings”) and certain subsidiaries of Aspect, that, as of June 30, 2014, Parent no longer intended to satisfy its reporting obligations under the indenture governing the Notes (the “Indenture”) by providing financial information relating to Holdings.  Accordingly, Holdings’ guarantee of the Notes was released pursuant to Section 10.05 of the Indenture. By virtue of the release of the guarantee, Holdings’ guarantee of the obligations under the Credit Agreement dated as of May 7, 2010, among Parent, Aspect, the lenders party thereto and the administrative agent and syndication agent (the “Credit Agreement”) is automatically released by its terms. In connection with the release of Holdings’ guarantee of the Notes, Holdings will no longer file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission to satisfy Parent’s reporting obligations under Section 4.03 of the Indenture.  Parent will comply with Section 4.03 by filing all quarterly, annual and current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC as if it were required to file such reports.  All intercompany amounts related to the Company's consolidated subsidiaries have been eliminated in consolidation.
Recent Accounting Standards
Recent Accounting Standards

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties About an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern, which provides guidance on determining when and how to disclose going-concern uncertainties in the financial statements.  The new standard requires management to perform interim and annual assessments of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date the financial statements are issued.  An entity must provide certain disclosures if conditions or events raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The ASU applies to all entities and is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted.
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASU 2014-09"). ASU 2014-09 outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. This new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2016; early adoption is not permitted. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified approach to adopt the guidance. This update could impact the timing and amounts of revenue recognized. The Company is currently evaluating the method of adoption and the effect that implementation of this update will have on its consolidated financial position and results of operations upon adoption.
In July 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists ("ASU 2013-11"). ASU 2013-11 clarifies guidance and eliminates diversity in practice on the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists at the reporting date. This new guidance is effective on a prospective basis for fiscal years and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company adopted the new guidance as of January 1, 2014. There has been no impact to the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
There were various updates recently issued, most of which represented technical corrections to the accounting literature or application to specific industries. None of the updates are expected to a have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Revenue Recognition
The Company derives its revenue from (i) product revenues, which typically include perpetual software licenses and hardware, (ii) service revenues, which include software license updates and product support, installation, consulting and education and (iii) hosting and managed services revenues, which include subscription fees for access to and use of our on-demand applications. Revenues from products and services have been derived from sales to end users through the Company's direct sales force, distributors and resellers.
The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of software licenses and hardware (the “Product”) when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the Product has been delivered, the fee is fixed or determinable and collection of the resulting receivable is probable. Revenue recognition for software licenses with multiple-element arrangements generally requires recognition of revenue using the residual method. Under the residual method, the portion of the total arrangement fee attributable to undelivered elements is deferred based upon its vendor-specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) of fair value, or the stated amount if higher, and subsequently recognized as the service is delivered. The difference between the total arrangement fee and the amount deferred for the undelivered elements is recognized as revenue related to the delivered elements, which is generally Product.
Certain of the Company's multiple-element arrangements include software and hardware components that function together to deliver the product's essential functionality. When these software and non-software elements are sold together, the Company believes the arrangements meet the scope exception in Accounting Standards Codification 985-605, Software Revenue Recognition, (“ASC 985-605") because of (i) the infrequency of the tangible product's sale without a software element, (ii) the degree of integration between the tangible product and the software element, which is considered significant and (iii) the non-software element of the tangible product's substantive contributions to the tangible product's essential functionality. For these multiple-element arrangements, the Company allocates the total arrangement fee to all deliverables based on a selling price hierarchy. The selling price for a deliverable is based on VSOE, if available, third party evidence (“TPE"), if VSOE is not available, or estimated selling price (“ESP”), if neither VSOE nor TPE is available. The Company generally expects that it will not be able to establish TPE due to the nature of the products sold and the markets in which it competes, and therefore relies upon VSOE or ESP in allocating the arrangement's fee. Once the arrangement fee has been allocated to each deliverable, revenue is recognized as each item is delivered.
VSOE generally exists only when the Company sells the deliverable separately and is the price actually charged by the Company for that deliverable. The Company has established VSOE for support and maintenance services, certain professional services, and education services.
ESP reflects the Company's best estimate of what the selling prices of elements would be if they were sold regularly on a standalone basis. ESP is based upon all reasonably available information including both market data and conditions and entity-specific factors. These factors include market trends and competitive conditions, product maturity, differences related to geography, distribution channel, deal size, and cumulative customer purchases. The Company has established ESP for software licenses, hardware and subscriptions and reviews them annually or more frequently when a significant change in the Company's business or selling practices occurs.
Delivery generally occurs when the Product is delivered to a common carrier at the Company's loading dock unless title and risk of loss transfers upon delivery to the customer. In sales transactions through a distributor or reseller, the Company generally recognizes revenues upon shipment to the distributor, reseller or identified end user, as applicable.
At the time of the Product sale, the Company assesses whether the fee associated with the revenue transaction is fixed or determinable and whether collection is probable. The assessment of whether the fee is fixed or determinable is based in part on the payment terms associated with the transaction. If any portion of a fee is due beyond the Company's normal payment terms, the Company evaluates the specific facts and circumstances to determine if the fee is fixed or determinable. If it is determined that the fee is not fixed or determinable, the Company recognizes revenue as the fees become due. If the Company determines that collection of a fee is not probable, then the Company will defer the entire fee and recognize revenue upon receipt of cash.
Product revenue for software licenses sold on a perpetual basis, along with hardware, is recognized at the inception of the arrangement, presuming all other relevant revenue recognition criteria are met. Product revenue for software sold on a non-perpetual basis (Rental or Term) is recognized ratably over the license term.
In connection with the sale of its software licenses, the Company sells support and maintenance services, which are recognized ratably over the term of the arrangement, typically one year. Under support and maintenance services, customers receive unspecified software product upgrades, maintenance and patch releases during the term, as well as internet and telephone access to technical support personnel.

Many of the Company's software arrangements also include professional services for consulting and implementation sold under separate agreements. Professional services revenue from these arrangements is generally accounted for separately from the software license because the services qualify as a separate element under ASC 985-605. The more significant factors considered in determining whether professional services revenue should be accounted for separately include (i) the nature of the services and whether they are essential to the functionality of the licensed product, (ii) the degree of risk, (iii) the availability of services from other vendors, (iv) the timing of payments and (v) the impact of milestones or acceptance criteria on the realizability of the software license fee. Professional services revenue under these arrangements, as well as when sold on a standalone basis, is generally recognized as the services are performed.
The Company recognizes revenue associated with education as these services are performed.
Hosting and managed services revenue reflects subscription and other recurring revenues which includes fees for access rights to software solutions offered under a subscription-based delivery model where the users do not take possession of the software. Under this model, the software applications are hosted by us or by a third party and the customer accesses and uses the software on an as-needed basis over the internet or via a dedicated line. The underlying arrangements typically (i) include a single fee for the service that is billed monthly, quarterly or annually, (ii) cover a period from 12 to 36 months and (iii) do not provide the customer with an option to take delivery of the software at any time during or after the subscription term. Hosting revenues are recognized ratably over the subscription term beginning on the commencement dates of each contract, which is the date the Company's hosting and managed services are made available to the customer. Professional services revenue for consulting or training services, when sold with hosted offerings, are accounted for separately if they have standalone value to the customer. The Company believes its professional services have standalone value because those services are sold separately by us and similar services are sold by other vendors. In addition, the Company’s hosted offerings have standalone value as such offerings are often sold separately. The deferred revenue balance on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet does not represent the total contract value of annual or multi-year, non-cancelable hosting agreements. Unbilled deferred revenue represents future billings under hosting agreements that have not been invoiced and, accordingly, are not recorded in deferred revenue. Typical contract length is between 12 and 36 months for the Company's hosting and managed services subscriptions.
Deferred revenues primarily represent payments received from customers for software licenses and updates, hardware, product support, installation services, educational services and hosting prior to satisfying the revenue recognition criteria related to those payments.The deferred revenue balance does not represent the total contract value of annual or multi-year, non-cancelable hosting and managed services agreements. Deferred revenue that will be recognized during the succeeding twelve month period is recorded as current deferred revenue and the remaining portion is recorded as noncurrent.
The Company records its estimate for customer returns or other customer allowances as a reduction in revenues. In determining the Company’s revenue reserve estimate, and in accordance with internal policy, the Company relies on historical data and known returned goods in transit. These factors, and unanticipated changes in the economic and industry environment, could cause the Company’s return estimates to differ from actual results.