The write up either doesn't make sense or I am interpreting it incorrectly.
I would record maintenance contracts or other ""prepaid"" as follows:
Customer prepayment:
Debit cash
Credit deferred revenue
Revenue recognition (periodically):
Debit deferred revenue
Credit sales
Quote from the link: ""The accounts that are posted to are as follows: Debit to the Revenue Account for that Item's Product Line
Credit to the Adjustment Account for that Item's Product Line""
What????? A debit to revenue? Huh?
I see consulting $$$$$$$ trying to unravel that mess.
Also, It seems to me you could account for deferred revenue using a separate product line and using a repeating order.