Complying with the Revenue Recognition Standard

This session is the beginning of a series on the new revenue recognition standard. The standard outlines five steps for proper compliance. On the surface, these steps seem simplistic. However, there are many considerations that should be considered within each step based on your process and industry. This course is designed to provide an overview of the technical guidance and outline the five steps involved in the revenue recognition model. We also explore some concepts to consider within each step and then evaluate some challenges that specific industries may have when complying with the standard. Future courses will further delve into each step and provide examples and scenarios that should be considered to properly apply the step.

On May 28, 2014, the FASB completed its Revenue Recognition project. It issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The guidance establishes principles to report useful information to users of financial statements about the nature, timing, and uncertainty of revenue from contracts with customers.

The standard affects all entities (public, private, and not-for-profit) that have contracts with customers. Exclusions include:
• Leases accounted for under FASB ASC 840, Leases;
• Insurance contracts accounted for under FASB ASC 944, Financial Services—Insurance;
• Most financial instruments, and guarantees (other than product or service warranties).

Transaction and industry-specific revenue recognition guidance are eliminated. It is replaced with a principle-based approach for determining revenue recognition. The new standard requires significantly more disclosure than previous GAAP.

Resources Consulted:
• ASC 606-10-32-15 to 32-20, 55-244 to 55-246.
• ASU 2014-09: “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” BC229-BC247.
• Croner-I, “A14 Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” (2019). Section 7.4.2-2 and 7.4.2-2.
• FASB, ”Revenue Recognition Implementation Q&As.” January 2020). Questions 31-37.
• FASB TRG Memo 20: “Significant Financing Components.” 26 January 2015.
• FASB TRG Memo 30: “Significant Financing Components.” 30 March 2015.
• EY, Financial Reporting Developments: “Revenue from contracts with customers.”January 2020. Section 5.5.
• KPMG, Handbook: “Revenue Recognition.”December 2019. Section 5.5.
• PWC, “Revenue from contracts with customers” March 2020. Section 4.4.
• https://www.revenuehub.org/

Field of Study: Accounting