Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 509,074us-gaap_Revenues	$ 199,770us-gaap_Revenues	$ 777,288us-gaap_Revenues	$ 461,305us-gaap_Revenues
Cost of revenues	394,678us-gaap_CostOfRevenue	349,665us-gaap_CostOfRevenue	814,101us-gaap_CostOfRevenue	752,978us-gaap_CostOfRevenue
Selling, general and administrative	189,547	174,448	384,126	365,237
Total operating expenses	584,225us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	524,113us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	1,198,227us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses	1,118,215us-gaap_CostsAndExpenses
Other expense, net	6,666us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingExpense	9,610us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingExpense	9,629us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingExpense	13,295us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingExpense
Interest expense on borrowings	9,048us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	13,872us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	36,686us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	41,476us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(90,865)	(347,825)	(467,254)	(711,681)
Income tax benefit	(55,554)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(135,074)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(209,865)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(282,645)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net loss from continuing operations	(35,311)	(212,751)	(257,389)	(429,036)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(1,637)	(1,960)	(7,789)	(5,805)
Net income (loss)	(36,948)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(214,711)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(265,178)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(434,841)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Other comprehensive loss	(7,840)	(6,239)	(6,440)	(15,326)
Comprehensive loss	(44,788)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	(220,950)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	(271,618)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	(450,167)us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Block Financial Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	62,482	54,455	107,233	102,840
Cost of revenues	43,405	41,871	66,063	80,777
Selling, general and administrative	3,401	10,346	12,598	25,753
Total operating expenses	46,806	52,217	78,661	106,530
Other expense, net	1,216	(232)	(180)	(1,938)
Interest expense on borrowings	8,952	13,763	36,388	41,148
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	5,508	(11,293)	(7,636)	(42,900)
Income tax benefit	(9,823)	7,602	(19,486)	(3,999)
Net loss from continuing operations	15,331	(18,895)	11,850	(38,901)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(2,615)	(2,118)	(11,458)	(4,834)
Net income (loss)	12,716	(21,013)	392	(43,735)
Other comprehensive loss	3,504	(3,052)	7,765	(9,668)
Comprehensive loss	16,220	(24,065)	8,157	(53,403)
Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	448,444	146,755	672,000	360,095
Cost of revenues	353,125	309,234	749,978	673,831
Selling, general and administrative	186,146	164,102	371,533	339,484
Total operating expenses	539,271	473,336	1,121,511	1,013,315
Other expense, net	(6,198)	9,842	12,878	15,233
Interest expense on borrowings	96	109	298	328
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(84,725)	(336,532)	(462,687)	(668,781)
Income tax benefit	(51,626)	(142,676)	(190,858)	(278,646)
Net loss from continuing operations	(33,099)	(193,856)	(271,829)	(390,135)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	978	158	3,669	(971)
Net income (loss)	(32,121)	(193,698)	(268,160)	(391,106)
Other comprehensive loss	(7,840)	(3,187)	(6,440)	(5,658)
Comprehensive loss	(39,961)	(196,885)	(274,600)	(396,764)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other expense, net	31,053	214,711	264,699	434,841
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0	0	0
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(31,053)	(214,711)	(264,699)	(434,841)
Income tax benefit	5,895		479
Net loss from continuing operations	(36,948)	(214,711)	(265,178)	(434,841)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0		0
Net income (loss)	(36,948)	(214,711)	(265,178)	(434,841)
Other comprehensive loss	(7,840)	(6,239)	(6,440)	(15,326)
Comprehensive loss	(44,788)	(220,950)	(271,618)	(450,167)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	(1,852)	(1,440)	(1,945)	(1,630)
Cost of revenues	(1,852)	(1,440)	(1,940)	(1,630)
Selling, general and administrative			(5)
Total operating expenses	(1,852)	(1,440)	(1,945)	(1,630)
Other expense, net	(19,405)	(214,711)	(267,768)	(434,841)
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0	0	0
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	19,405	214,711	267,768	434,841
Net loss from continuing operations	19,405	214,711	267,768	434,841
Net income (loss)	19,405	214,711	267,768	434,841
Other comprehensive loss	4,336	6,239	(1,325)	15,326
Comprehensive loss	$ 23,741	$ 220,950	$ 266,443	$ 450,167

Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income and other comprehensive income, attributable to parent entity. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

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

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The aggregate cost of goods produced and sold and services rendered during the reporting period.

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Total costs of sales and operating expenses for the period.

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Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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Amount of income (loss) from a disposal group, net of income tax before extraordinary items allocable to noncontrolling interests. Includes, net of tax, income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense for debt.

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The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

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The change in other comprehensive income during the reporting period, net of tax, for an item that is not separately disclosed.

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No definition available.

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The aggregate amount of other expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating expense recognized during the period. Such amounts may include: (a) unusual costs, (b) loss on foreign exchange transactions, (c) losses on securities (net of profits), and (d) miscellaneous other expense items.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

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