Organization and partnership matters	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Organization and partnership matters	1. Organization and partnership matters: ATEL Cash Distribution Fund VI, L.P. (the “Partnership”) was formed under the laws of the State of California on June 29, 1994 for the purpose of engaging in the sale of limited liability investment units and acquiring equipment to engage in equipment leasing and sales activities, primarily in the United States. The Partnership may continue until December 31, 2015. The General Partner of the Partnership is ATEL Financial Services, LLC (“AFS”). Prior to converting to a limited liability company structure, AFS was formerly known as ATEL Financial Corporation. The Partnership conducted a public offering of 12,500,000 Limited Partnership Units (“Units”), at a price of $10 per Unit. Upon the sale of the minimum amount of Units of $1.2 million and the receipt of the proceeds thereof on January 3, 1995, the Partnership commenced operations in its primary business (acquiring equipment to engage in equipment leasing and sales activities). On November 23, 1996, subscriptions for 12,500,000 ($125 million) Limited Partnership Units had been received, in addition to the Initial Limited Partners’ Units, and the offering terminated. As of March 31, 2012, 12,478,676 Units were issued and outstanding. The Partnership’s principal objectives have been to invest in a diversified portfolio of equipment that (i) preserves, protects and returns the Partnership’s invested capital; (ii) generates regular distributions to the partners of cash from operations and cash from sales or refinancing, with any balance remaining after certain minimum distributions to be used to purchase additional equipment during the reinvestment period (“Reinvestment Period”) (defined as six full years following the year the offering was terminated), which ended December 31, 2002 and (iii) provides additional distributions following the Reinvestment Period and until all equipment has been sold. The Partnership is governed by its Limited Partnership Agreement (“Partnership Agreement”). Pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, AFS receives compensation for services rendered and reimbursements for costs incurred on behalf of the Partnership (Note 4). The Partnership is required to maintain reasonable cash reserves for working capital, the repurchase of Units and contingencies. The repurchase of Units is solely at the discretion of AFS. As of March 31, 2012, the Partnership is in the liquidation phase of its life cycle, as defined in the Partnership Agreement, and is generally making distributions on an annual basis or at the discretion of the General Partner. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto contained in the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Organization and partnership matters

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

1. Organization and partnership matters:

ATEL Cash Distribution Fund VI, L.P. (the “Partnership”) was formed under the laws of the State of California on June 29, 1994 for the purpose of engaging in the sale of limited liability investment units and acquiring equipment to engage in equipment leasing and sales activities, primarily in the United States. The Partnership may continue until December 31, 2015. The General Partner of the Partnership is ATEL Financial Services, LLC (“AFS”). Prior to converting to a limited liability company structure, AFS was formerly known as ATEL Financial Corporation.

The Partnership conducted a public offering of 12,500,000 Limited Partnership Units (“Units”), at a price of $10 per Unit. Upon the sale of the minimum amount of Units of $1.2 million and the receipt of the proceeds thereof on January 3, 1995, the Partnership commenced operations in its primary business (acquiring equipment to engage in equipment leasing and sales activities). On November 23, 1996, subscriptions for 12,500,000 ($125 million) Limited Partnership Units had been received, in addition to the Initial Limited Partners’ Units, and the offering terminated. As of March 31, 2012, 12,478,676 Units were issued and outstanding.

The Partnership’s principal objectives have been to invest in a diversified portfolio of equipment that (i) preserves, protects and returns the Partnership’s invested capital; (ii) generates regular distributions to the partners of cash from operations and cash from sales or refinancing, with any balance remaining after certain minimum distributions to be used to purchase additional equipment during the reinvestment period (“Reinvestment Period”) (defined as six full years following the year the offering was terminated), which ended December 31, 2002 and (iii) provides additional distributions following the Reinvestment Period and until all equipment has been sold. The Partnership is governed by its Limited Partnership Agreement (“Partnership Agreement”).

Pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, AFS receives compensation for services rendered and reimbursements for costs incurred on behalf of the Partnership (Note 4). The Partnership is required to maintain reasonable cash reserves for working capital, the repurchase of Units and contingencies. The repurchase of Units is solely at the discretion of AFS.

As of March 31, 2012, the Partnership is in the liquidation phase of its life cycle, as defined in the Partnership Agreement, and is generally making distributions on an annual basis or at the discretion of the General Partner.

These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto contained in the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 720

-SubTopic 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2122524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6921930&loc=d3e5614-111684

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6970148&loc=SL6228881-111685

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Publisher AICPA

-Number 94-6

-Paragraph 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 272

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6359566&loc=d3e326-107755

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS140-4/FIN46(R)-8

-Paragraph 8, C1, C7

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Publisher FASB

-Number 46R

-Paragraph 4, 14, 15

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 852

-SubTopic 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2209116

Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 275

-SubTopic 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2134480

Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)

-Number 51

-Paragraph 2-6

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 915

-SubTopic 235

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6472506&loc=d3e38932-110933

Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2122150

Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 205

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6359553&loc=d3e288-107754

Reference 15: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790

Reference 16: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197480

+ Details

ATEL CASH DISTRIBUTION FUND VI LP 10-Q