Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	$ 2,968	$ 433
Total revenues	125,185	137,718
Cost of revenues	211,086	213,508
Selling, general and administrative	98,823	98,192
Total operating expenses	309,909	311,700
Interest expense on borrowings	(21,466)	(8,575)
Other income, net	(327)	(4,985)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(203,549)	(187,109)
Income tax benefit	(82,523)	(90,604)
Net loss from continuing operations	(121,026)	(96,505)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(2,647)	(3,154)
Net loss	(123,673)	(99,659)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(3,571)	(9,974)
Comprehensive loss	(127,244)	(109,633)
Block Financial Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	3,679	495
Total revenues	15,504	24,767
Cost of revenues	8,606	11,755
Selling, general and administrative	2,480	4,376
Total operating expenses	11,086	16,131
Interest expense on borrowings	(21,314)	(8,436)
Other income, net	(2,853)	(468)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(16,070)	227
Income tax benefit	(5,794)	3,286
Net loss from continuing operations	(10,276)	(3,059)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(2,646)	(3,154)
Net loss	(12,922)	(6,213)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(1,187)
Comprehensive loss	(12,922)	(7,400)
Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	4,684	554
Total revenues	109,800	113,044
Cost of revenues	202,599	201,846
Selling, general and administrative	96,343	93,816
Total operating expenses	298,942	295,662
Interest expense on borrowings	(152)	(139)
Other income, net	(14,314)	(12,255)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(198,924)	(194,458)
Income tax benefit	(75,740)	(91,865)
Net loss from continuing operations	(123,184)	(102,593)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	(1)
Net loss	(123,185)	(102,593)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(3,571)	(9,974)
Comprehensive loss	(126,756)	(112,567)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income		909
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0
Other income, net	(124,662)	(102,593)
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	(124,662)	(101,684)
Income tax benefit	(989)	(2,025)
Net loss from continuing operations	(123,673)	(99,659)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0
Net loss	(123,673)	(99,659)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(3,571)	(9,974)
Comprehensive loss	(127,244)	(109,633)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Nonoperating Income	(5,395)	(1,525)
Total revenues	(119)	(93)
Cost of revenues	(119)	(93)
Total operating expenses	(119)	(93)
Interest expense on borrowings	0	0
Other income, net	141,502	110,331
Loss from continuing operations before income tax benefit	136,107	108,806
Net loss from continuing operations	136,107	108,806
Net loss	136,107	108,806
Other comprehensive income (loss)	3,571	11,161
Comprehensive loss	$ 139,678	$ 119,967