The decrease in total license revenue was primarily driven by the timing and relative size of license and capacity events during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017.
Maintenance Revenue
Maintenance revenue decreased $0.7 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017. Total maintenance revenue was $2.1 million higher for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 due to the impact of foreign currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar. Excluding the impact of adopting ASC 606 and foreign currency, total maintenance revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, decreased $2.3 million, or 1%, compared to the same period in 2017.
Services Revenue
Services revenue increased $4.1 million, or 7%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017. Total services revenue was $0.5 million higher for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 due to the impact of foreign currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar. Excluding the impact of applying ASC 606 and foreign currency, total services revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, increased $3.7 million, or 7%, compared to the same period in 2017.
Operating Expenses
Total operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 decreased $40.9 million, or 6%, as compared to the same period in 2017.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, there was $46.7 million of expense recorded in relation to the Baldwin Hackett & Meeks, Inc. (“BHMI”) judgment. The application of ASC 606 resulted in a $4.7 million increase in total operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to the same period in 2017, which is primarily due to differences in the timing of expense recognition for sales commissions. Total operating expenses were $6.1 million higher for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to the same period in 2017 due to the impact of foreign currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar. Excluding the impact of the BHMI judgment, the impact of applying ASC 606 and foreign currency, operating expenses decreased $5.0 million, or 1%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, primarily because of lower cost of revenue, general and administrative expenses, and depreciation and amortization expenses, partially offset by higher sales and marketing expenses and research and development expenses.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue decreased $10.2 million, or 3%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, compared to the same period in 2017. Cost of revenue was $2.0 million higher due to the impact of foreign currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar. Excluding the impact of foreign currency, cost of revenue decreased $12.2 million, or 4%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 primarily due to lower personnel and related costs of $17.7 million, partially offset by a $5.5 million increase in interchange processing fees.
Research and Development
R&D expense increased $4.5 million, or 4%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017. R&D expense was $1.1 million higher due to the impact of foreign currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar. Excluding the impact of foreign currency, R&D expense increased $3.4 million, or 3%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 primarily due to an increase in personnel and related costs.
Selling and Marketing
Selling and marketing expense increased $12.1 million, or 15%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017. The application of ASC 606 resulted in a $4.7 million increase in selling and marketing expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017. Selling and marketing expense was $1.3 million higher for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 due to the impact of foreign currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar. Excluding the impact of applying ASC 606 and foreign currency, selling and marketing expense increased $6.2 million, or 7%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 due to an increase in personnel and related expenses primarily as the result of an increase in new bookings.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expense decreased $43.3 million, or 33%, during the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017. For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, there was $46.7 million of expense recorded in relation to the BHMI judgment. General and administrative expense was $0.9 million higher for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 due to the impact of foreign currencies strengthening against the U.S. dollar. Excluding the impact of the BHMI judgment and foreign currency, general and administrative expense increased $2.5 million, or 3%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, as compared to the same period in 2017 primarily due to an increase in personnel and related expenses.
36