Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Maturity, Percent of Principal

No definition available.

Name:	ayi_DebtInstrumentPeriodicPaymentMaturityPercentofPrincipal
Namespace Prefix:	ayi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Terms, Interest Coverage Ratio, Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ayi_LineOfCreditFacilityCovenantTermsInterestCoverageRatioMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	ayi_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Terms, Leverage Ratio, Maximum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ayi_LineOfCreditFacilityCovenantTermsLeverageRatioMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	ayi_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ayi_NewRevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ayi_PreviousCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=ayi_UnsecuredDelayedDrawTermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=ayi_EurocurrencyRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_BaseRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis=us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt and Lines of Credit - Lines of Credit (Details)	Jun. 29, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding letters of credit		$ 5,300,000
Lines of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility	$ 800,000,000
Minimum Interest Coverage Ratio	2.5
Maximum Leverage Ratio	3.5
Outstanding letters of credit		10,200,000
Lines of Credit \| Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commitment fees rate	0.125%
Lines of Credit \| Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Commitment fees rate	0.25%
Lines of Credit \| New Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility	$ 400,000,000
Borrowings outstanding under credit facility		0
Lines of Credit \| Previous Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowings outstanding under credit facility			$ 0
Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility	$ 400,000,000.0
Lines of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowings outstanding under credit facility			$ 0
Additional borrowing capacity under revolving credit facility		$ 794,700,000
Eurocurrency Rate \| Lines of Credit \| New Revolving Credit Facility \| Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	1.00%
Eurocurrency Rate \| Lines of Credit \| New Revolving Credit Facility \| Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	1.375%
Eurocurrency Rate \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan \| Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	0.875%
Eurocurrency Rate \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan \| Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	1.25%
Base Rate \| Lines of Credit \| New Revolving Credit Facility \| Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	0.00%
Base Rate \| Lines of Credit \| New Revolving Credit Facility \| Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	0.375%
Base Rate \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan \| Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	0.00%
Base Rate \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan \| Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Applicable margins as determined by leverage ratio	0.25%
Year one \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Maturity, Percent of Principal	2.50%
Year two \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Maturity, Percent of Principal	2.50%
Year three \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Maturity, Percent of Principal	5.00%
Year four \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Maturity, Percent of Principal	5.00%
Year five \| Lines of Credit \| Unsecured Delayed Draw Term Loan
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment, Maturity, Percent of Principal	7.50%