Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	$ 433	$ 523
Total revenues	137,718	133,586
Cost of revenues	213,508	197,726
Selling, general and administrative	98,192	97,200
Total operating expenses	311,700	294,926
Interest expense on borrowings	(8,575)	(13,795)
Other income	(4,985)	(1,204)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(187,109)	(175,816)
Income tax benefit	(90,604)	(66,965)
Net loss from continuing operations	(96,505)	(108,851)
Net loss from discontinued operations	(3,154)	(7,381)
Net loss	(99,659)	(116,232)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(9,974)	306
Comprehensive loss	(109,633)	(115,926)
Block Financial Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	495	1,006
Total revenues	24,767	23,860
Cost of revenues	11,755	11,808
Selling, general and administrative	4,376	3,343
Total operating expenses	16,131	15,151
Interest expense on borrowings	(8,436)	(13,693)
Other income	(468)	(1,842)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	227	(5,820)
Income tax benefit	3,286	(2,643)
Net loss from continuing operations	(3,059)	(3,177)
Net loss from discontinued operations	(3,154)	(7,209)
Net loss	(6,213)	(10,386)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,187)	(121)
Comprehensive loss	(7,400)	(10,507)
Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	554	659
Total revenues	113,044	109,809
Cost of revenues	201,846	185,998
Selling, general and administrative	93,816	93,860
Total operating expenses	295,662	279,858
Interest expense on borrowings	(139)	(102)
Other income	(12,255)	(1,730)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(194,458)	(171,222)
Income tax benefit	(91,865)	(61,561)
Net loss from continuing operations	(102,593)	(109,661)
Net loss from discontinued operations		(172)
Net loss	(102,593)	(109,833)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(9,974)	306
Comprehensive loss	(112,567)	(109,527)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	909	1,226
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0
Other income	(102,593)	(120,219)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(101,684)	(118,993)
Income tax benefit	(2,025)	(2,761)
Net loss from continuing operations	(99,659)	(116,232)
Net loss from discontinued operations	0
Net loss	(99,659)	(116,232)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(9,974)	306
Comprehensive loss	(109,633)	(115,926)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	(1,525)	(2,368)
Total revenues	(93)	(83)
Cost of revenues	(93)	(80)
Selling, general and administrative		(3)
Total operating expenses	(93)	(83)
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0
Other income	110,331	122,587
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	108,806	120,219
Net loss from continuing operations	108,806	120,219
Net loss	108,806	120,219
Other comprehensive income (loss)	11,161	(185)
Comprehensive loss	$ 119,967	$ 120,034