Nature of Business	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of Business	Nature of Business Fair Isaac Corporation Incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, Fair Isaac Corporation (“FICO”) is a provider of analytic, software and data management products and services that enable businesses to automate, improve and connect decisions. FICO provides a range of analytical solutions, credit scoring and credit account management products and services to banks, credit reporting agencies, credit card processing agencies, insurers, retailers, telecommunications providers, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, public agencies and organizations in other industries. In these condensed consolidated financial statements, Fair Isaac Corporation is referred to as “FICO,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Company.” Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation We have prepared the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and the applicable accounting guidance. Consequently, we have not necessarily included in this Form 10-Q all information and footnotes required for audited financial statements. In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-Q reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, except as otherwise indicated) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position and results of operations. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto presented in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2016. The interim financial information contained in this report is not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any other interim period or for the entire fiscal year. The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FICO and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Use of Estimates We make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the disclosures made in the accompanying notes. For example, we use estimates in determining the collectibility of accounts receivable; the appropriate levels of various accruals; labor hours in connection with fixed-fee service contracts; the amount of our tax provision and the realizability of deferred tax assets. We also use estimates in determining the remaining economic lives and carrying values of acquired intangible assets, property and equipment, and other long-lived assets. In addition, we use assumptions to estimate the fair value of reporting units and share-based compensation. Actual results may differ from our estimates. New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Effective October 1, 2016, we early adopted ASU No. 2016-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. As a result of the adoption, we recognized $3.6 million and $20.9 million of excess tax benefits related to share-based payments in our provision for income taxes for the quarter and six months ended March 31, 2017, respectively. These items were historically recorded as additional paid-in capital. We elected to apply the change retrospectively in presentation to our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows and no longer classified the excess tax benefits from employee stock plans as a reduction from operating cash flows, which resulted in increases to both net cash provided by operating activities and net cash used in financing activities of $14.0 million for the six months ended March 31, 2016. Our adoption of ASU 2016-09 also impacted the calculation of diluted weighted-average shares under the treasury stock method as we no longer increase or decrease the assumed proceeds from an employee vesting in, or exercising, a share-based payment award by the amount of excess tax benefits or deficiencies taken to additional paid-in capital. For the quarter and six months ended March 31, 2017, the impact was immaterial. Given our historical practice of including employee withholding taxes paid within financing activities in the statement of cash flows, no prior period reclassifications are required by the clarifications on classification provided by ASU 2016-09. Furthermore, we elected to continue to estimate expected forfeitures of employee equity awards to determine the amount of compensation expense to be recognized in each period. Effective October 1, 2016, we retrospectively adopted ASU No. 2015-03, “Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance” (“ASU 2015-03”). ASU 2015-03 requires an entity to present debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability, other than those relating to line-of-credit arrangements, in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. As a result of the adoption, at March 31, 2017, the amount of debt issuance costs reflected as a deduction of long-term debt was $0.3 million. At September 30, 2016, the amount of debt issuance costs reclassified from other assets to a deduction of long-term debt was $0.4 million. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. ASU 2014-09 will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles when it becomes effective and permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The guidance also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, “Deferral of the Effective Date” (“ASU 2015-14”), which defers the effective date for ASU 2014-09 by one year. For public entities, the guidance in ASU 2014-09 will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (including interim reporting periods within those periods), which means it will be effective for our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted to the original effective date of December 15, 2016 (including interim reporting periods within those periods). In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, “Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue versus Net)” (“ASU 2016-08”), which clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations in the new revenue recognition standard. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing” (“ASU 2016-10”), which reduces the complexity when applying the guidance for identifying performance obligations and improves the operability and understandability of the license implementation guidance. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12 “Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients” (“ASU 2016-12”), which amends the guidance on transition, collectability, noncash consideration and the presentation of sales and other similar taxes. In December 2016, the FASB further issued ASU 2016-20, “Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2016-20”), which makes minor corrections or minor improvements to the Codification that are not expected to have a significant effect on current accounting practice or create a significant administrative cost to most entities. The amendments are intended to address implementation issues that were raised by stakeholders and provide additional practical expedients to reduce the cost and complexity of applying the new revenue standard. These amendments have the same effective date as the new revenue standard. Preliminarily, we plan to adopt Topic 606 in the first quarter of our fiscal 2019 using the retrospective transition method, and are continuing to evaluate the impact our pending adoption of Topic 606 will have on our consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory” (“ASU 2016-16”). ASU 2016-16 requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017, which means it will be effective for our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018. ASU 2016-16 should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings at the beginning of the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted in the first interim period of an entity's annual financial statements. We are currently evaluating the timing of our adoption and the impact that the updated standard will have on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”), which requires lessees to put most leases on their balance sheets but recognize the expenses on their income statements in a manner similar to current practice. ASU 2016-02 states that a lessee would recognize a lease liability for the obligation to make lease payments and a right-to-use asset for the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, which means it will be effective for our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the timing of our adoption and the impact that the updated standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Nature of Business

Fair Isaac Corporation

Incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, Fair Isaac Corporation (“FICO”) is a provider of analytic, software and data management products and services that enable businesses to automate, improve and connect decisions. FICO provides a range of analytical solutions, credit scoring and credit account management products and services to banks, credit reporting agencies, credit card processing agencies, insurers, retailers, telecommunications providers, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, public agencies and organizations in other industries.

In these condensed consolidated financial statements, Fair Isaac Corporation is referred to as “FICO,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Company.”

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

We have prepared the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and the applicable accounting guidance. Consequently, we have not necessarily included in this Form 10-Q all information and footnotes required for audited financial statements. In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-Q reflect all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, except as otherwise indicated) necessary for a fair presentation of our financial position and results of operations. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto presented in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2016. The interim financial information contained in this report is not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any other interim period or for the entire fiscal year.

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FICO and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

We make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the disclosures made in the accompanying notes. For example, we use estimates in determining the collectibility of accounts receivable; the appropriate levels of various accruals; labor hours in connection with fixed-fee service contracts; the amount of our tax provision and the realizability of deferred tax assets. We also use estimates in determining the remaining economic lives and carrying values of acquired intangible assets, property and equipment, and other long-lived assets. In addition, we use assumptions to estimate the fair value of reporting units and share-based compensation. Actual results may differ from our estimates.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Effective October 1, 2016, we early adopted ASU No. 2016-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. As a result of the adoption, we recognized $3.6 million and $20.9 million of excess tax benefits related to share-based payments in our provision for income taxes for the quarter and six months ended March 31, 2017, respectively. These items were historically recorded as additional paid-in capital. We elected to apply the change retrospectively in presentation to our condensed consolidated statements of cash flows and no longer classified the excess tax benefits from employee stock plans as a reduction from operating cash flows, which resulted in increases to both net cash provided by operating activities and net cash used in financing activities of $14.0 million for the six months ended March 31, 2016. Our adoption of ASU 2016-09 also impacted the calculation of diluted weighted-average shares under the treasury stock method as we no longer increase or decrease the assumed proceeds from an employee vesting in, or exercising, a share-based payment award by the amount of excess tax benefits or deficiencies taken to additional paid-in capital. For the quarter and six months ended March 31, 2017, the impact was immaterial. Given our historical practice of including employee withholding taxes paid within financing activities in the statement of cash flows, no prior period reclassifications are required by the clarifications on classification provided by ASU 2016-09. Furthermore, we elected to continue to estimate expected forfeitures of employee equity awards to determine the amount of compensation expense to be recognized in each period.

Effective October 1, 2016, we retrospectively adopted ASU No. 2015-03, “Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance” (“ASU 2015-03”). ASU 2015-03 requires an entity to present debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability, other than those relating to line-of-credit arrangements, in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. As a result of the adoption, at March 31, 2017, the amount of debt issuance costs reflected as a deduction of long-term debt was $0.3 million. At September 30, 2016, the amount of debt issuance costs reclassified from other assets to a deduction of long-term debt was $0.4 million.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. ASU 2014-09 will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles when it becomes effective and permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. The guidance also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, “Deferral of the Effective Date” (“ASU 2015-14”), which defers the effective date for ASU 2014-09 by one year. For public entities, the guidance in ASU 2014-09 will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (including interim reporting periods within those periods), which means it will be effective for our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted to the original effective date of December 15, 2016 (including interim reporting periods within those periods). In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, “Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue versus Net)” (“ASU 2016-08”), which clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations in the new revenue recognition standard. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing” (“ASU 2016-10”), which reduces the complexity when applying the guidance for identifying performance obligations and improves the operability and understandability of the license implementation guidance. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12 “Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients” (“ASU 2016-12”), which amends the guidance on transition, collectability, noncash consideration and the presentation of sales and other similar taxes. In December 2016, the FASB further issued ASU 2016-20, “Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2016-20”), which makes minor corrections or minor improvements to the Codification that are not expected to have a significant effect on current accounting practice or create a significant administrative cost to most entities. The amendments are intended to address implementation issues that were raised by stakeholders and provide additional practical expedients to reduce the cost and complexity of applying the new revenue standard. These amendments have the same effective date as the new revenue standard. Preliminarily, we plan to adopt Topic 606 in the first quarter of our fiscal 2019 using the retrospective transition method, and are continuing to evaluate the impact our pending adoption of Topic 606 will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory” (“ASU 2016-16”). ASU 2016-16 requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017, which means it will be effective for our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018. ASU 2016-16 should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings at the beginning of the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted in the first interim period of an entity's annual financial statements. We are currently evaluating the timing of our adoption and the impact that the updated standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”), which requires lessees to put most leases on their balance sheets but recognize the expenses on their income statements in a manner similar to current practice. ASU 2016-02 states that a lessee would recognize a lease liability for the obligation to make lease payments and a right-to-use asset for the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, which means it will be effective for our fiscal year beginning October 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the timing of our adoption and the impact that the updated standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.