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(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund)  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading

What is the Fund's investment objective?

Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund seeks maximum total return, consistent with reasonable risk.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading

What are the Fund's fees and expenses?

Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales-charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Delaware Investments® Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in the Fund's prospectus under the section entitled "About your account," and in the Fund's statement of additional information (SAI) under the section entitled "Purchasing Shares."

Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts You may qualify for sales-charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Delaware Investments® Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary, in the Fund's prospectus under the section entitled "About your account," and in the Fund's statement of additional information (SAI) under the section entitled "Purchasing Shares."
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 100,000
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption

Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption

Annual fund operating expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination May 1, 2017
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading

Example

Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and reflects the applicable Distributor's expense waiver for the 1-year contractual period and the total operating expenses without waivers for years 2 through 10. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading

Portfolio turnover

Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 94% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 94.00%
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading

What are the Fund's principal investment strategies?

Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in investment grade fixed income securities, including, but not limited to, fixed income securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and by U.S. corporations (80% policy). Investment grade fixed income securities are securities rated BBB- or higher by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC (S&P) and Baa3 or higher by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's), or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO), or those that are deemed to be of comparable quality. The Fund will maintain an average effective duration from one to three years. The Fund's investment manager, Delaware Management Company (Manager), will determine how much of the Fund's assets to allocate among the different types of fixed income securities in which the Fund may invest based on the Manager's evaluation of economic and market conditions and its assessment of the returns and potential for appreciation that can be achieved from various sectors of the fixed income market.

The corporate debt obligations in which the Fund may invest include bonds, notes, debentures, and commercial paper of U.S. companies and, subject to the limitations described below, non-U.S. companies. The Fund may also invest in a variety of securities that are issued or guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the U.S. government, and by various agencies or instrumentalities, which have been established or are sponsored by the U.S. government, and, subject to the limitations described below, securities issued by foreign governments.

Additionally, the Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, government-sponsored corporations, and mortgage-backed securities issued by certain private, nongovernment entities. The Fund may also invest in securities that are backed by assets such as receivables on home equity and credit card loans, automobile, mobile home, recreational vehicle and other loans, wholesale dealer floor plans, and leases.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in below-investment-grade securities (also known as high yield or "junk" bonds).

The Fund may also invest up to 30% of its net assets in foreign securities, including up to 10% of its net assets in securities of issuers located in emerging markets. The Fund's total non-U.S. dollar currency exposure will be limited, in the aggregate, to no more than 10% of its net assets.

The Fund may use a wide range of derivatives instruments, typically including options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and swaps. The Fund will use derivatives for both hedging and nonhedging purposes. For example, the Fund may invest in: futures and options to manage duration and for defensive purposes, such as to protect gains or hedge against potential losses in the portfolio without actually selling a security, or to stay fully invested; forward foreign currency contracts to manage foreign currency exposure; interest rate swaps to neutralize the impact of interest rate changes; credit default swaps to hedge against bond defaults, to manage credit exposure, or to enhance total return; and index swaps to enhance return or to effect diversification. The Fund will not use derivatives for reasons inconsistent with its investment objective and will limit its investments in derivatives instruments to 20% of net assets.

The Fund's 80% policy is nonfundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. Fund shareholders would be given at least 60 days' notice prior to any such change.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading

What are the principal risks of investing in the Fund?

Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

Investing in any mutual fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio. Principal risks include:

Market risk — The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain market — such as the stock or bond market — will decline in value because of factors such as adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, investor confidence, or heavy institutional selling.

Interest rate risk — The risk that securities will decrease in value if interest rates rise. This risk is generally associated with bonds.

Credit risk — The risk that an issuer of a debt security, including a governmental issuer or an entity that insures a bond, may be unable to make interest payments and repay principal in a timely manner.

High yield (junk bond) risk — The risk that high yield securities, commonly known as "junk bonds," are subject to reduced creditworthiness of issuers; increased risk of default and a more limited and less liquid secondary market; and greater price volatility and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher-rated securities. High yield bonds are sometimes issued by municipalities that have less financial strength and therefore have less ability to make projected debt payments on the bonds.

Prepayment risk — The risk that the principal on a bond that is held by a portfolio will be prepaid prior to maturity at a time when interest rates are lower than what that bond was paying. A portfolio may then have to reinvest that money at a lower interest rate.

Liquidity risk — The possibility that securities cannot be readily sold within seven days at approximately the price at which a portfolio has valued them.

Derivatives risk — Derivatives contracts, such as futures, options, and swaps, may involve additional expenses (such as the payment of premiums) and are subject to significant loss if a security, or a securities index to which a derivatives contract is associated, moves in the opposite direction from what the portfolio manager anticipated.

Counterparty risk — The risk that a counterparty to a derivatives contract (such as a swap, futures, or options contract) or a repurchase agreement may fail to perform its obligations under the contract or agreement due to, among other reasons, financial difficulties (such as a bankruptcy or reorganization).

Foreign risk — The risk that foreign securities (particularly in emerging markets) may be adversely affected by political instability, changes in currency exchange rates, inefficient markets and higher transaction costs, foreign economic conditions, the imposition of economic or trade sanctions, or inadequate or different regulatory and accounting standards.

Forward foreign currency risk — The use of forward foreign currency exchange contracts may substantially change a portfolio's exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to a fund if currencies do not perform as the portfolio manager expects. The use of these investments as a hedging technique to reduce a portfolio's exposure to currency risks may also reduce its ability to benefit from favorable changes in currency exchange rates.

Loans and other indebtedness risk — The risk that the portfolio will not receive payment of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these investments and will depend primarily on the financial condition of the borrower and the lending institution. A portfolio's ability to sell its loans or to realize their full value upon sale may also be impaired due to the lack of an active trading market, irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, contractual restrictions, and extended trade settlement periods. In addition, certain loans in which a fund invests may not be considered securities. A fund therefore may not be able to rely upon the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws with respect to these investments.

Valuation risk — The risk that a less liquid secondary market may make it more difficult for a fund to obtain precise valuations of certain securities in its portfolio.

Government and regulatory risk — The risk that governments or regulatory authorities have, from time to time, taken or considered actions that could adversely affect various sectors of the securities markets and significantly affect fund performance.

Investments not guaranteed by Delaware Management Company (Manager) or its affiliates — Neither the Manager nor its affiliates noted in this document are authorized deposit-taking institutions for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL). MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities, unless noted otherwise.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney Investing in any mutual fund involves the risk that you may lose part or all of the money you invest. Over time, the value of your investment in the Fund will increase and decrease according to changes in the value of the securities in the Fund's portfolio.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

How has Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund performed?

Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual total returns for the 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods compare with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. The returns reflect any expense caps in effect during these periods. The returns would be lower without the expense caps. You may obtain the Fund's most recently available month-end performance by calling 800 523-1918 or by visiting our website at delawareinvestments.com/performance.

Effective Nov. 30, 2007, the Fund's investment objective, strategies, and policies were changed to permit the Fund to invest in a diversified portfolio of limited-term fixed income securities. These changes allowed the Fund to invest in a broader range of fixed income securities, including U.S. government securities, foreign government securities, and corporate and high yield securities of domestic and foreign issuers. Prior to Nov. 30, 2007, the Fund invested primarily in U.S. government securities. The returns prior to this time reflect the Fund's prior investment objective, strategies, and policies and may not be indicative of future returns.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading

Year-by-year total return (Class A)

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

During the periods illustrated in this bar chart, Class A's highest quarterly return was 4.76% for the quarter ended June 30, 2009, and its lowest quarterly return was -2.22% for the quarter ended June 30, 2013. The maximum Class A sales charge of 2.75%, which is normally deducted when you purchase shares, is not reflected in the highest/lowest quarterly returns or in the bar chart. If this fee were included, the returns would be less than those shown. The average annual total returns in the table below do include the sales charge.
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average annual total returns for periods ended December 31, 2015

Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

After-tax performance is presented only for Class A shares of the Fund. The after-tax returns for other Fund classes may vary. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's individual tax situation and may differ from the returns shown. After-tax returns are not relevant for shares held in tax-deferred investment vehicles such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). The after-tax returns shown are calculated using the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the periods presented and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate The after-tax returns shown are calculated using the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect during the periods presented and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred After-tax returns are not relevant for shares held in tax-deferred investment vehicles such as employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown After-tax performance is presented only for Class A shares of the Fund.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress delawareinvestments.com/performance
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone 800 523-1918
(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) | Barclays 1–3 Year U.S. Government/Credit Index (reflects no deductionfor fees, expenses, or taxes)  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.65%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.98%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.74%
(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) | Class A  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases as a percentage of offering price rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 2.75%
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) as apercentage of original purchase price or redemption price, whichever is lower rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.48%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.19%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.92%
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.10%) [1]
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.82%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 356
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 551
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 761
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,366
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 3.76%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 6.36%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 2.21%
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 12.89%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 3.70%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 2.78%
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 2.49%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 (1.81%)
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 1.28%
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 0.62%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel highest quarterly return was 4.76% for the quarter ended June 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 4.76%
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel lowest quarterly return was -2.22% for the quarter ended June 30, 2013
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (2.22%)
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2013
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.14%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.50%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.08%
(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) | Class A | return after taxes on distributions  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.79%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.16%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.02%
(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) | Class A | return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.21%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.15%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.00%
(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) | Class C  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases as a percentage of offering price rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) as apercentage of original purchase price or redemption price, whichever is lower rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice 1.00% [2]
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.48%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.19%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.67%
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.67%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 270
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 526
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 907
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,976
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 170
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 526
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 907
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,976
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.34%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.20%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.48%
(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) | Class R  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases as a percentage of offering price rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) as apercentage of original purchase price or redemption price, whichever is lower rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.48%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.50%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.19%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.17%
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.17%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 119
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 372
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 644
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,420
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.27%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.70%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.00%
(Delaware Limited-Term Diversified Income Fund) | Institutional Class  
Prospectus: rr_ProspectusTable  
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases as a percentage of offering price rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) as apercentage of original purchase price or redemption price, whichever is lower rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.48%
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.19%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.67%
Fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waivers and expense reimbursements rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.67%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 68
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 214
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 373
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 835
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.77%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.21%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.52%
[1] The Fund's distributor, Delaware Distributors, L.P. (Distributor), has contracted to limit the Fund's Class A shares' 12b-1 fees to no more than 0.15% of average daily net assets from April 29, 2016 through May 1, 2017. This waiver may be terminated only by agreement of the Distributor and the Fund.
[2] Class C shares redeemed within one year of purchase are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC).