Sale of Stock Percentage of Shares Ownership Sold

No definition available.

Name:	trmb_SaleofStockPercentageofSharesOwnershipSold
Namespace Prefix:	trmb_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of the gain (loss) recognized by the parent and included in its attributable portion of net income for the period due to deconsolidation of a subsidiary or derecognition of a group of assets. The gain (loss) recognized and included in the net income attributable to the parent for the period is generally computed as the difference between: (a) the aggregate of: (1) the fair value of any consideration received; (2) the fair value of any retained noncontrolling investment in the former subsidiary at the date the subsidiary was deconsolidated; and (3) the carrying amount of any noncontrolling interest in the former subsidiary (including any accumulated other comprehensive income attributable to the noncontrolling interest) at the date the subsidiary was deconsolidated and (b) the carrying amount of the former subsidiary's assets and liabilities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4582445-111684

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

In connection with deconsolidation of a subsidiary or derecognition of a group of assets, the portion of any gain (loss) recognized by the parent, during the period, which is related to the remeasurement of any retained investment in the former subsidiary or group of assets to its fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4582445-111684

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeconsolidationRevaluationOfRetainedInvestmentGainOrLossAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company after stock transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockPercentageOfOwnershipAfterTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company before stock transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockPercentageOfOwnershipBeforeTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis=trmb_VirtualSiteSolutionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Gain on Equity Sale (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Gain on Equity Sale (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Apr. 04, 2014	Jan. 01, 2016	Jan. 02, 2015	Jan. 03, 2014
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount	$ 15.1	$ 0.0	$ 15.1	$ 0.0
Remeasurement of Retained Interest in Joint Venture to Fair Value, Amount	$ 8.5
VirtualSite Solutions [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Percentage of ownership shares before transaction				65.00%
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners				35.00%
Percentage of Shares Ownership Sold	15.00%
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%
VirtualSite Solutions [Member] \| Corporate Joint Venture [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership after Transaction	50.00%