Revenue recognition standard: The Five step model

Five step model for revenue recognition:

(Reference taken from: INDAS115.pdf (mca.gov.in))

       I.         Identifying of Contract – Defines a contract and a customer and lays down five mandatory criteria to be met for identification of a contract. Depending on the parties’ local practices; a contract can be oral, written or implied.

a.      The parties have approved the contract (whether in writing or orally) and have committed to discharging their respective obligation.

b.      Each party’s right in relation to the transfer of good or services are identifiable.

c.      The payment terms in relation to the transfer of good and service can be identified.

d.      Economic benefit from the contract can be derived by both the parties respectively.

e.      An entity may collect the full consideration or may collect a lower price than that stated in the contract if a discount has been offered to the customer (discussed in detail in ‘Determining the transfer price’). Probability of receiving payment from the customer is to be evaluated solely by customer’s ability and intention to pay.

f.       Combination of contracts – An entity may combine two or more contracts with the same customer at the time of inception or at a late date if:

                                                i.     The contracts were negotiated as a package and have a unified commercial objective.

                                               ii.     The consideration to be paid in one contract depends on the consideration or performance of the other contract.

                                              iii.     The good or service, whole or in part, promised in the contracts can be identified as a single performance obligation for the seller.

g.      Contract modification

                                                i.     A contract modification is a change in the scope or price or both of a contract and should be approved by the parties.

                                               ii.     In case of dispute where the parties do not agree on the change in either scope or price or both a contract modification may still exist.

                                              iii.     Where modified contract is to be treated as a separate contract if:

1.      The scope of contract increases because of addition to promised goods or services.

2.      Increase in consideration of the contract reflects the entity’s standalone selling prices for the additional good or service promised in the modification.

                                             iv.     Where modified contract is not to be treated as a separate contract if:

1.      If the remaining goods or service are distinct from the those transferred up to the date of modification. The new consideration to be allocated to the remaining performance obligation is the sum of:

a.      The consideration promised by the customer, including amounts already received, that had been included in the transaction price but hasn’t been recognized as revenue.

b.      The consideration promised as part of the modification

2.      If the remaining goods or services are not distinct and, therefore, form part of a single performance obligation that is partially satisfied at the date of the contract modification. The effect of contract modification should be on the transaction price.

3.      If the remaining goods or services are a combination of items (1) and (2), then the entity shall account for the effects of the modification on the unsatisfied (including partially unsatisfied) performance obligations in the modified contract.

      II.         Identifying performance obligations – Sets out the criteria to access and identify the goods and services promised and identify each promise to transfer good or service to the customer as a performance obligation.

a.      A good or service or a bundle of goods or service that is distinct, or

b.      A series of distinct good and service that are substantially the same and that have the same pattern of transfer to the customer 

c.      The performance obligation may not be explicitly stated in a contract, it may be based on the business practices, published policies or specific statements.

d.      Performance obligation do not include any activities that do not result in of transfer goods or services.

e.      Definition of distinct goods or service

                                                i.     Sale goods produced by an entity (sale of manufactured goods)

                                               ii.     Resale of goods produced by an entity (Retail sale)

                                              iii.     Resale of rights to a goods or services purchased by an entity (Sale of ticket bas an entity acting as the principal)

                                             iv.     Performing a contractually agreed upon task for a customer

                                              v.     Providing a service of standing by to deliver goods or service (customer support)

                                             vi.     Providing service of arranging for another party to deliver goods or service (acting as someone’s agent)

                                            vii.     Granting rights to goods or services that the customer can then resell to its customer

                                           viii.     Constructing, manufacturing or developing an asset on behalf of a customer

                                             ix.     Granting licenses

                                              x.     Granting options to purchase additional goods or services

f.        Two criteria need to be met for a good or service to be considered a distinct obligation:

                                                i.     The customer can benefit from the goods or services either on its own or grouped with other goods or services readily available with them

                                               ii.     The promise to transfer goods or services to the customer is separately identifiable from other such goods or services stated in the contract.

g.      Goods or services can be identified separately if:

                                                i.     The entity is not using the goods or services as an input to produce/deliver goods or services promised in the contract

                                               ii.     The good or service do not significantly modify another good or service

                                              iii.     The good or service is not dependent on another good or service promised in the contract

    III.         Determine transaction price – The entity shall consider the contract and its customary business practices in determining the transaction price. The consideration promised the contract may include fixed price, variance price or both.

a.      Variable consideration

                                                i.     The seller may estimate the amount of consideration its entitled to.

                                               ii.     An amount of consideration can vary because of discounts, rebates, refunds, credits, price concessions, incentives, performance bonuses, or other similar items.

                                              iii.     The promised consideration can also vary if an entity’s entitlement to the consideration is contingent on the occurrence or non-occurrence of a future event.

                                             iv.     The seller may estimate the consideration due either by 1) The expected value or 2) The most likely amount, one of which is to be applied consistently throughout the contract term.

                                              v.     An entity shall recognise a refund liability if the entity receives consideration from a customer and expects to refund some or all of that consideration to the customer.

                                             vi.     Whole or part of variable consideration maybe be included in the transaction price on condition that a significant reversal will not occur when the uncertainty associate is resolved.

b.      Significant financing component

                                                i.     Transaction price to be adjusted for time value of money.

                                               ii.     Recognise revenue at an amount that reflects the price that a customer would have paid for the promised goods or services if the customer had paid cash for those goods or services when or as good or services are transferred to the customer.

                                              iii.     A contract does not have a significant financing component when:

1.      Customer paid for the goods or services in advance and the transfer is at the customer’s discretion.

2.      Consideration is variable and the amount or timing varies on the basis of a future event.

3.      The difference in promised consideration and cash value is due to reasons other than provision of finance.

                                             iv.     Not applicable for a period less than equal to 12 months.

                                              v.     Effects of financing to be presented separately than the revenue from contracts in financial statements

c.      Non-cash consideration

                                                i.     Where payment is to be made in a form other than cash, its should be at fair value of the mode of payment

                                               ii.     If fair value can’t be accessed accurately, standalone selling price of goods or services promised to the customer is to be used to measure the consideration.

d.      Consideration payable to the customer maybe cash or credit owed to the customer which can be applied against consideration owed by the customer.

 

    IV.         Allocate transaction price - The objective when allocating the transaction price is for an entity to allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation (or distinct good or service) in an amount that depicts the amount of consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for transferring the promised goods or services to the customer.

a.      Allocation based on stand-alone selling prices

                                                i.     Determine standalone selling price underlying performance obligation and allocate in proportion to each performance obligation of the standalone selling price.

                                               ii.     Suitable method to estimate standalone selling price:

1.      Adjusted market assessment approach

2.      Expected cost plus a margin approach

3.      Residual approach

b.      Allocation of discount - Customer receives a discount when the sum of standalone selling price is exceeds the selling price in the contract

c.       Allocation of variable consideration

                                                i.     Maybe attributable to the entire contract or a specific part of it.

                                               ii.     It may be allocated to an entire or a part of a performance obligation

d.      Changes in transaction price – Allocation of changed transaction price is to be similar to allocation of transaction price as at contract inception.

 

     V.         Satisfaction of performance obligation (Recognition of revenue) – An entity shall recognize revenue as and when the transfer of goods or service promised to the customer takes place and performance obligation is satisfied as promised in the contract. An asset (goods and service are assets) is considered transferred when the customer obtains control of that asset.

a.      Performance obligation maybe satisfied at a point in time or over time and transfer control to the customer.

b.      Control of an asset – Control refers to the ability to direct the use of and obtain all residual benefits from the assets, and preventing other entities’ from the same.

                                                i.     using the asset to produce goods or provide services

                                               ii.     using the asset to enhance the value of other assets

                                              iii.     using the asset to settle liabilities or reduce expenses

                                             iv.     selling or exchanging the asset

                                              v.     pledging the asset to secure a loan

                                             vi.     holding the asset.

c.      Performance obligation satisfied over time - When an entity transfers control of goods or service over time, it satisfies a performance obligation over time and recognizes revenue over time. (Concept of deferred revenue)

                                                i.     Recognise revenue over time by measuring the progress towards complete satisfaction of the performance obligation.

                                               ii.     An entity shall apply a single method of measuring progress for each performance obligation satisfied over time and the entity shall apply that method consistently to similar performance obligations and in similar circumstances. 

d.      Performance obligation at a point in time –  The point in time when the customer obtains control of assets refer (b) above. In addition points to consider but not limited to:

                                                i.     The entity has a right to payment for the asset

                                               ii.     The customer has legal title to the asset

                                              iii.     The entity has transferred physical possession of the asset

                                             iv.     The customer has significant risks and rewards of ownership of assets

                                              v.     The customer as accepted the asset

e.      Methods of measuring progress

                                                i.     An entity shall apply a single method of measuring progress for each performance obligation satisfied over time and the entity shall apply that method consistently to similar performance obligations and in similar circumstances. Also nature of goods and services to be considered when applying a certain method.

                                               ii.     The entity shall exclude such goods and services for which the control in not being transferred to the customer and include all goods and services for which control is being transferred for the purpose of measurement

                                              iii.     An entity may change the measure of satisfying a performance obligation over time based on change in circumstances

                                             iv.     An entity shall recognise revenue for a performance obligation satisfied over time only if the entity can reasonably measure its progress towards complete satisfaction of the performance obligation.

                                              v.     Where reasonable estimation of outcome of performance obligation is not possible, the entity can recognize revenue only to the extent of cost incurred.

    VI.         Contract cost - An entity shall recognise as an asset the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if the entity expects to recover those costs.

a.      Incremental costs are those costs that are incurred for obtaining a contract and would not have been incurred if the contract was not obtained.

b.      Any other cost incurred regardless of obtaining the contract are to be  expensed, unless they can be charged to the customer.

c.      If the amortization period of incremental cost in (a) is less than equal to 12 months it may be expensed.

   VII.         Costs to fulfil a contract

a.      If the costs incurred in fulfilling a contract are not within the scope of another standard (Inventory, PPE, etc.), it can be recognized as an asset if all the following conditions are met:

                                                i.     Cost relate directly to a contract or an anticipated contract

                                               ii.     The costs generate or enhance resources that will be used to satisfy performance obligation at a future date

                                              iii.     The cost is recoverable

b.      Cost that relate directly to a contract

                                                i.     Direct labour

                                               ii.     Direct material

                                              iii.     Allocations of costs that relate directly to the contract or to contract activities.

                                             iv.     Costs that are chargeable to the customer

                                              v.     Other costs incurred due to the existence of the contract

c.      Following costs are to be recognized as expenses when incurred

                                                i.     General and administrative

                                               ii.     Cost of wastage

                                              iii.     Costs that relate to satisfying performance (wholly or partly)

                                             iv.     Costs related to expenses that cannot be categorised if incurred for a satisfied performance obligation or not

 VIII.         Amortisation and impairment

a.      Costs recognised as incremental costs need to be amortized on a basis that is consistent with transfer of goods or services to which the cost relates

b.      Amortisation to be updated wo reflect any changes to the expected timing of the transfer of such goods or service

c.      Impairment loss can be recognised in the P&L to the amount - Carrying amount less remaining consideration the entity expects to receive less the costs that relate directly to providing those goods or services that have not been recognised as expenses.

d.      To determine the amount to consideration that is expected to be received the principle of determining the transaction price needs to be applied and adjusted for customer’s credit risk

e.      Prior to recognising impairment loss on asset under the standard, impairment loss related to the contract must be recognised.

f.       If the impairment conditions no longer exist the impairment loss recognised previous needs to be reversed. Carrying cost of the asset can not exceed the amount that would have been determined if no impairment had been recognized

    IX.         This standard does not apply to:

a.      Leases

b.      Insurance contracts

c.      Financial instruments

d.      Consolidated financial statements

e.      Joint arrangements

f.       Separate financial statements

g.      Investments in associates and joint ventures


Each to their own:

Ind AS 115 vs IFRS 15:

1.      Ind AS 115 sets the standard for penalties separately in paragraph 51AA while per paragraph 15 of IFRS consideration may vary due to a number of things including penalty.

2.      IND 115 has separately included paragraph 109AA for entities to include excise separately.

(Reference taken from: https://taxguru.in/chartered-accountant/ind-as-115-ifrs-15-revenue-contracts-customers.html)

ASC 606 vs IFRS 15:

1.      Contract cost: ASC 606 allows companies to capitalize certain incremental costs e.g. sales commission. IFRS insists that the capitalization of contract costs should generate future economic benefits, therefore is more stringent in this regard.

2.      Presentation of revenue: ASC 606 requires companies to present revenue that is consistent with transfer of control to the customers. IFRS requires companies to present revenue on a gross or net basis depending on whether they are acting as a principal or agent. Principal owns goods or services that will be transferred to the customer. An agent acts as an intermediatory between principal and customer.

(Reference taken from: https://stripe.com/in/resources/more/asc-606-and-ifrs-15

Disclaimer: This is purely an academic pursuit. The views/opinions expressed above are my own and does not reflect the views of my employer.

 

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