Rental Income Operating

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130533-203044

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 270
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173487&loc=SL51747714-108306

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Publisher FASB
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130549-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
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-Section 45
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130532-203044

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913815&loc=SL49130531-203044

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously included in balance of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130549-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173487&loc=SL51747714-108306

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred revenue as of balance sheet date. Deferred revenue represents collections of cash or other assets related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 605
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 13.A.3)
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+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of deferred revenue recognized for transactions arising during the current reporting period. Deferred revenue is a liability as of the balance sheet date related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an Entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 605
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-Section S99
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65893310&loc=d3e214044-122780

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of a reclassification adjustment made to prior period financial statement amounts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

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).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
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+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=bned_ServiceandOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=bned_WholesaleProductMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=bned_DSSMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Oct. 27, 2018	Oct. 28, 2017	Oct. 27, 2018	Oct. 28, 2017	Apr. 28, 2018
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Prior Period Reclassification Adjustment				$ 8,846	$ 2,610
Revenues	$ 814,766	$ 886,861	$ 1,152,250	1,242,572
Rental income	58,593	66,790	78,232	87,532
Contract with Customer, Liability, Current	50,894		50,894
Contract with Customer, Asset, Net	0		0		0
Deferred Revenue	51,126	56,269	51,126	56,269	$ 20,144
Deferred Revenue, Additions			116,649
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized			(85,667)
BNC [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	702,870	757,301	948,045	1,007,278
Rental income	57,331	64,956	76,164	84,923
BNC [Member] \| Retail Product [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	634,587	681,461	851,733	902,525
BNC [Member] \| Service and Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	10,952	10,884	20,148	19,830
MBS [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	118,954	134,851	249,278	274,652
Rental income	1,262	1,834	2,068	2,609
MBS [Member] \| Retail Product [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	79,785	85,491	120,894	131,998
MBS [Member] \| Wholesale Product [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	37,907	47,526	126,316	140,045
DSS [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	4,934	4,486	10,611	4,486
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenues	$ (11,992)	$ (9,777)	$ (55,684)	$ (43,844)