Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 26, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Preparation	Basis of Presentation and Preparation Our fiscal year is reported on a 52- or 53-week year ending on the last Friday in April. An additional week is included in the first fiscal quarter approximately every six years to realign fiscal months with calendar months. Fiscal years 2018 and 2017, ending on April 27, 2018, and April 28, 2017, respectively, are each 52-week years, with 13 weeks in each of their quarters. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company, and reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income and cash flows for the interim periods presented. The statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) for interim financial information. Accordingly, these statements do not include all information and footnotes required by GAAP for annual consolidated financial statements, and should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended April 28, 2017 contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended January 26, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results to be expected for the full fiscal year or future operating periods. The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Such estimates include, but are not limited to, revenue recognition, reserves and allowances; inventory valuation and purchase order accruals; valuation of goodwill and intangibles; restructuring reserves; product warranties; employee compensation and benefit accruals; stock-based compensation; loss contingencies; valuation of investment securities; income taxes and fair value measurements. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. There have been no significant changes in our significant accounting policies as of and for the nine months ended January 26, 2018, as compared to the significant accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 28, 2017.
Accounting Standards on Transfers of Financial Assets	We account for the sales of these receivables as “true sales” as defined in the accounting standards on transfers of financial assets, as we are considered to have surrendered control of these financing receivables. Provided all other revenue recognition criteria have been met, we recognize product revenues for these arrangements, net of any payment discounts from financing transactions, upon product acceptance. We sold $62 million and $142 million of receivables during the nine months ended January 26, 2018 and January 27, 2017, respectively.
Revenue Recognition	Where we provide a guarantee for recourse leases, we defer revenues subject to the industry-specific software revenue recognition guidance and recognize revenues for non-software deliverables in accordance with our multiple deliverable revenue arrangement policy. In connection with certain recourse financing arrangements, we receive advance payments associated with undelivered elements that are subject to customer refund rights.
Debt	The portion of the financial arrangement that represents unearned services revenue is included in deferred revenue and financed unearned services revenue in our condensed consolidated balance sheets.