XML 55 R35.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Apr. 03, 2015
Mar. 28, 2014
Mar. 29, 2013
Oct. 09, 2014
company
Rebate reserves $ 59,000,000symc_RebateReserves $ 68,000,000symc_RebateReserves    
Net foreign currency transaction losses 3,000,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax 6,000,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax 6,000,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax  
Maximum borrowing capacity under revolving loans 1,000,000,000.0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity      
Depreciation 280,000,000us-gaap_Depreciation 281,000,000us-gaap_Depreciation 283,000,000us-gaap_Depreciation  
Advertising costs and other promotional costs $ 330,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense $ 451,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense $ 594,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense  
Minimum        
Useful lives of intangible assets 1 year      
Maximum        
Useful lives of intangible assets 11 years      
Computer hardware and software | Minimum        
Property, plant, equipment useful life 3 years      
Computer hardware and software | Maximum        
Property, plant, equipment useful life 5 years      
Buildings | Minimum        
Property, plant, equipment useful life 20 years      
Buildings | Maximum        
Property, plant, equipment useful life 30 years      
Office furniture and equipment | Minimum        
Property, plant, equipment useful life 3 years      
Office furniture and equipment | Maximum        
Property, plant, equipment useful life 5 years      
Tax-free distribution        
Planned number of independent companies       2symc_PlannedNumberofIndependentCompanies
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= symc_TaxfreeDistributionMember
Tax-free distribution | Security        
Planned number of independent companies       1symc_PlannedNumberofIndependentCompanies
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= symc_TaxfreeDistributionMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= symc_SecurityMember
Tax-free distribution | Information Management        
Planned number of independent companies       1symc_PlannedNumberofIndependentCompanies
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= symc_TaxfreeDistributionMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= symc_InformationManagementMember