Autodesk 2010 Annual Report Download - page 180

AUTODESK, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS—(Continued)
AEC software products help to improve the way building, civil infrastructure, process plant and construction
projects are designed, built and managed. A broad portfolio of solutions enables greater efficiency, accuracy and
sustainability across the entire project lifecycle. Autodesk AEC solutions include advanced technology for
building information modeling (“BIM”), AutoCAD-based design and documentation productivity software, and
sustainable design analysis applications, and collaborative project management solutions. BIM, an integrated
process for building and infrastructure design, analysis, documentation and construction, uses consistent,
coordination information to improve communication and collaboration between the extended project team. AEC
provides a comprehensive portfolio of BIM solutions that help customers deliver projects faster and more
economically, while minimizing environmental impact. AEC’s revenue primarily includes revenue from the sales
of licenses of Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD Civil 3D, AutoCAD Architecture and AutoCAD Map 3D products.
MFG provides the manufacturers in automotive and transportation, industrial machinery, consumer products
and building products with comprehensive digital prototyping solutions that brings together design data from all
phases of the product development process to develop a single digital model created in Autodesk Inventor
software. Autodesk’s solutions for digital prototyping enable a broad group of manufacturers to realize benefits
with minimal disruption to existing workflows. MFG’s revenue primarily includes revenue from the sales of
licenses of Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD Mechanical and Autodesk Moldflow products.
M&E is comprised of two product groups: Animation, including design visualization, and Advanced
Systems. Animation products, such as Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya, provide tools for digital sculpting,
modeling, animation, effects, rendering, and compositing, for design visualization, visual effects and games
production. Advanced Systems products provide editing, finishing and visual effects design and color grading.
All of Autodesk’s reportable segments distribute their respective products primarily through authorized
resellers and distributors and, to a lesser extent, through direct sales to end-users.
The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in Note 1, “Business and
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.” Autodesk evaluates each segment’s performance on the basis of
gross profit. Autodesk currently does not separately accumulate and report asset information by segment, except
for goodwill, which is disclosed in Note 1, “Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.”
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