Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements fairly present the financial information contained therein. These statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10 -Q and Article 10 of Regulation S- X. In management ’s opinion, all necessary adjustments, consisting of normal, recurring and non-recurring adjustments, have been included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements to present fairly the financial position and operating results of QAD Inc. (“QAD” or the “Company”). The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements do not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10 -K for the year ended January 31, 2017. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the results of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending January 31, 2018.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements With the exception of those discussed below, there have been no recent changes in accounting pronouncements issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or adopted by the Company during the nine months ended October 31, 2017, that are of significance, or potential significance, to the Company. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014 - 09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers . The standard was issued to provide a single framework that replaces existing industry and transaction specific U.S. GAAP with a five -step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized. The accounting standard update will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015 - 14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606 ): Deferral of the Effective Date , to defer the effective date of ASU 2014 - 09 by one year. Therefore, ASU 2014 - 09 will become effective for the Company beginning in fiscal year 2019. The Company expects to adopt the requirements of the new standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, utilizing the modified retrospective method of transition. The Company anticipates this standard will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. Due to the complexity of some contracts, the actual revenue recognition treatment required under the new standard for these arrangement s may be dependent on contract-specific terms and vary in some instances. The Company has assigned internal resources and has hired third party consultants to assist in the evaluation of that impact. While the assessment of all potential revenue impacts of the standard is on-going, the Company currently believes the most significant revenue impact relates to accounting for software license revenue. The requirement to have vendor specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) for undelivered elements to enable the separation of revenue for the delivered software licenses is eliminated under the new standard. In addition, removal of current limitations on contingent revenue may result in revenue being recognized earlier for some contracts. The Company does not expect a material revenue impact related to subscription, maintenance and professional services and is still in the process of evaluating the impact of the new standard on these arrangements. The Company is evaluating the impact of the standard on recognition of costs related to obtaining customer contracts, primarily with respect to sales commissions, sales bonuses and sales agent fees. The Company is anticipating it will record a material adjustment related to the accounting of costs to fulfill a contract because the commission and sales bonuses accounting under the new standard is significantly different than the Company's current policy of expensing commissions and sales bonuses upfront. The new standard will require the Company to defer direct and incremental commission costs to obtain new subscription and maintenance contracts and amortize those costs over the expected period of benefit. We are still evaluating the period of benefit but expect it to be approximately five years . While the Company continues to assess the potential impacts and disclosure requirements of the new standard, the Company cannot reasonably estimate quantitative information related to the impact of the new standard on the financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 - 02, Leases (Topic 842 ). ASU 2016 - 02 requires companies to generally recognize on the balance sheet operating and financing lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets. ASU 2016 - 02 is effective for the Company in its first quarter of fiscal 2020 on a modified retrospective basis and earlier adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of ASU 2016 - 02 on its consolidated financial statements and expects that most of its operating lease commitments will be subject to the new standard and recognized as operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets upon adoption of ASU 2016 - 02. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 - 16, Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory which requires that entities recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. ASU 2016 - 16 will be effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning February 1, 2018. The standard requires application on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the accounting, transition, and disclosure requirements of the standard . In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017 - 04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350 ): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill to eliminate Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. In addition, it eliminates the requirements for any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform a qualitative assessment and, if that fails that qualitative test, to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. Therefore, the same impairment assessment applies to all reporting units. The amendments will be effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning February 1, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance is required to be applied on a prospective basis. The Company does not believe adoption of ASU 2017 - 04 will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017 - 01, Business Combinations: Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which provides a more robust framework to use in determining when a set of assets and activities is a business. The amendment will be effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning February 1, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance is required to be applied on a prospective basis. The effect of adoption of ASU 2017 - 01 will depend upon the nature of the Company's future acquisitions, if any.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

With the exception of those discussed below, there have been

recent changes in accounting pronouncements issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or adopted by the Company during the

nine

months ended

October 31, 2017,

that are of significance, or potential significance, to the Company.

May 2014,

the FASB issued ASU

2014

09,

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

. The standard was issued to provide a single framework that replaces existing industry and transaction specific U.S. GAAP with a

five

-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized. The accounting standard update will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. In

August 2015,

the FASB issued ASU

2015

14,

Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic

606

): Deferral of the Effective Date

, to defer the effective date of ASU

2014

one

year. Therefore, ASU

2014

will become effective for the Company beginning in fiscal year

2019.

The Company expects to adopt the requirements of the new standard in the

first

quarter of fiscal

2019,

utilizing the modified retrospective method of transition.

The Company anticipates this standard will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. Due to the complexity of some contracts, the actual revenue recognition treatment required under the new standard for these arrangement

may

be dependent on contract-specific terms and vary in some instances. The Company has assigned internal resources and has hired

third

party consultants to assist in the evaluation of that impact. While the assessment of all potential revenue impacts of the standard is on-going, the Company currently believes the most significant revenue impact relates to accounting for software license revenue. The requirement to have vendor specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) for undelivered elements to enable the separation of revenue for the delivered software licenses is eliminated under the new standard. In addition, removal of current limitations on contingent revenue

may

result in revenue being recognized earlier for some contracts. The Company does

not

expect a material revenue impact related to subscription, maintenance and professional services and is still in the process of evaluating the impact of the new standard on these arrangements.

The Company is evaluating the impact of the standard on recognition of

costs related to obtaining customer contracts, primarily with respect to sales commissions, sales bonuses and sales agent fees. The Company is anticipating it will record a material adjustment related to the accounting of costs to fulfill a contract because the commission and sales bonuses accounting under the new standard is significantly different than the Company's current policy of expensing commissions and sales bonuses upfront. The new standard will require the Company to defer direct and incremental commission costs to obtain new subscription and maintenance contracts and amortize those costs over the expected period of benefit. We are still evaluating the period of benefit but expect it to be approximately

five

years

While the Company continues to assess the potential impacts and disclosure requirements of the new standard, the Company cannot reasonably estimate quantitative information related to the impact of the new standard on the financial statements.

February 2016,

the FASB issued ASU

2016

02,

Leases (Topic

842

ASU

2016

requires companies to generally recognize on the balance sheet operating and financing lease liabilities and corresponding right-of-use assets. ASU

2016

is effective for the Company in its

first

quarter of fiscal

2020

on a modified retrospective basis and earlier adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of ASU

2016

on its consolidated financial statements and expects that most of its operating lease commitments will be subject to the new standard and recognized as operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets upon adoption of ASU

2016

02.

October 2016,

the FASB issued ASU

2016

16,

Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory

which requires that entities recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. ASU

2016

will be effective for the Company's fiscal year beginning

February 1, 2018.

The standard requires application on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the accounting, transition, and disclosure requirements of the standard

January 2017,

the FASB issued ASU

2017

04,

Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic

350

): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment,

which simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill to eliminate Step

from the goodwill impairment test. In addition, it eliminates the requirements for any reporting unit with a

zero

or negative carrying amount to perform a qualitative assessment and, if that fails that qualitative test, to perform Step

of the goodwill impairment test. Therefore, the same impairment assessment applies to all reporting units. The amendments will be effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning

February 1, 2020.

Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance is required to be applied on a prospective basis. The Company does

not

believe adoption of ASU

2017

will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

January 2017,

the FASB issued ASU

2017

01,

Business Combinations: Clarifying the Definition of a Business,

which provides a more robust framework to use in determining when a set of assets and activities is a business. The amendment will be effective for the Company’s fiscal year beginning

February 1, 2018.

Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance is required to be applied on a prospective basis. The effect of adoption of ASU

2017

will depend upon the nature of the Company's future acquisitions, if any.