Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	$ 3,055	$ 304	$ 13,993	$ 827
Total revenues	474,543	509,074	740,676	777,288
Cost of revenues	392,513	394,678	832,422	814,101
Selling, general and administrative	201,872	189,547	435,911	384,126
Total operating expenses	594,385	584,225	1,268,333	1,198,227
Interest expense on borrowings	(23,573)	(9,048)	(46,329)	(36,686)
Other income, net	(6,140)	(6,970)	(11,335)	(10,456)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(146,500)	(90,865)	(571,328)	(467,254)
Income tax benefit	(67,851)	(55,554)	(253,656)	(209,865)
Net loss from continuing operations	(78,649)	(35,311)	(317,672)	(257,389)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(3,080)	(1,637)	(8,723)	(7,789)
Net loss	(81,729)	(36,948)	(326,395)	(265,178)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,641)	(7,840)	(22,589)	(6,440)
Comprehensive loss	(86,370)	(44,788)	(348,984)	(271,618)
Block Financial Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	6,343	(1,306)	17,878	2,366
Total revenues	52,500	62,482	91,239	107,233
Cost of revenues	37,557	43,405	59,122	66,063
Selling, general and administrative	1,097	3,401	18,847	12,598
Total operating expenses	38,654	46,806	77,969	78,661
Interest expense on borrowings	(23,467)	(8,952)	(45,988)	(36,388)
Other income, net	(3,212)	90	(3,956)	(2,186)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(6,490)	5,508	(18,796)	(7,636)
Income tax benefit	(25,161)	(9,823)	(25,922)	(19,486)
Net loss from continuing operations	18,671	15,331	7,126	11,850
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(3,078)	(2,615)	(8,721)	(11,458)
Net loss	15,593	12,716	(1,595)	392
Other comprehensive income (loss)		3,504	(8,444)	7,765
Comprehensive loss	15,593	16,220	(10,039)	8,157
Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	3,278	953	4,734	1,373
Total revenues	423,610	448,444	651,125	672,000
Cost of revenues	356,521	353,125	774,985	749,978
Selling, general and administrative	200,657	186,146	413,532	371,533
Total operating expenses	557,178	539,271	1,188,517	1,121,511
Interest expense on borrowings	(106)	(96)	(341)	(298)
Other income, net	8,482	5,245	(16,939)	(14,251)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(121,914)	(84,725)	(549,938)	(462,687)
Income tax benefit	(45,691)	(51,626)	(225,694)	(190,858)
Net loss from continuing operations	(76,223)	(33,099)	(324,244)	(271,829)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(2)	978	(2)	3,669
Net loss	(76,225)	(32,121)	(324,246)	(268,160)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,641)	(7,840)	(22,589)	(6,440)
Comprehensive loss	(80,866)	(39,961)	(346,835)	(274,600)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	1	1,068	1,731	3,461
Selling, general and administrative	120		3,535
Total operating expenses	120		3,535
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0	0	0
Other income, net	(78,609)	(32,121)	(326,631)	(268,160)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(78,728)	(31,053)	(328,435)	(264,699)
Income tax benefit	3,001	5,895	(2,040)	479
Net loss from continuing operations	(81,729)	(36,948)	(326,395)	(265,178)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0	0
Net loss	(81,729)	(36,948)	(326,395)	(265,178)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,641)	(7,840)	(22,589)	(6,440)
Comprehensive loss	(86,370)	(44,788)	(348,984)	(271,618)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	(6,567)	(411)	(10,350)	(6,373)
Total revenues	(1,567)	(1,852)	(1,688)	(1,945)
Cost of revenues	(1,565)	(1,852)	(1,685)	(1,940)
Selling, general and administrative	(2)		(3)	(5)
Total operating expenses	(1,567)	(1,852)	(1,688)	(1,945)
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0	0	0
Other income, net	67,199	19,816	336,191	274,141
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	60,632	19,405	325,841	267,768
Net loss from continuing operations	60,632	19,405	325,841	267,768
Net loss	60,632	19,405	325,841	267,768
Other comprehensive income (loss)	4,641	4,336	31,033	(1,325)
Comprehensive loss	$ 65,273	$ 23,741	$ 356,874	$ 266,443