Recent Accounting Standards (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2022
Accounting Standards Update and Change in Accounting Principle [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting	Throughout this report, when we refer to “Wiley,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us,” we are referring to John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and all our subsidiaries, except where the context indicates otherwise. Our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include all the accounts of the Company and our subsidiaries. We have eliminated all intercompany transactions and balances in consolidation. In the opinion of management, the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Condition, Results of Operations, Comprehensive Income and Cash Flows for the periods presented. Operating results for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year. All amounts are in thousands, except per share amounts, and approximate due to rounding. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the most recent audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 as filed with the SEC on June 24, 2022 (2022 Form 10-K). Our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with the interim reporting requirements of the SEC. As permitted under those rules, annual footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by US GAAP have been condensed or omitted. The preparation of our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.
Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Standards	Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Convertible Debt Instruments, Derivatives and EPS In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40)”. This ASU reduces the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock, as well as amend the guidance for the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity to reduce form-over-substance-based accounting conclusions. In addition, this ASU improves and amends the related earnings-per-share (EPS) guidance. We adopted ASU 2020-06 on May 1, 2022. The adoption did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements at the time of adoption. Recently Issued Accounting Standards Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers”. This ASU requires that an acquirer recognize, and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (Topic 606) as if it had originated the contracts. Generally, this would result in an acquirer recognizing and measuring the acquired contract assets and contract liabilities consistent with how they were recognized and measured in the acquiree’s financial statements if the acquiree prepared financial statements in accordance with US GAAP. This standard is effective for us on May 1, 2023, including interim periods within the fiscal year. Early adoption is permitted. The standard is applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the effective date of the amendments. The impact will be based on future business combinations after we adopt the standard.
Revenue from Contract with Customer	Research Research customers include academic, corporate, government, and public libraries, funders of research, researchers, scientists, clinicians, engineers and technologists, scholarly and professional societies, and students and professors. Research products are sold and distributed globally through multiple channels, including research libraries and library consortia, independent subscription agents, direct sales to professional society members, and other customers. Publishing centers include Australia, China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). The majority of revenue generated from Research products is recognized over time. Total Research revenue was $271.4 million and $546.3 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively. We disaggregated revenue by Research Publishing & Research Solutions to reflect the different type of products and services provided. Research Publishing Products Research Publishing products provide scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, as well as related content and services, to academic, corporate, and government libraries, learned societies, and individual researchers and other professionals. Research Publishing revenue was $232.6 million and $472.2 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and the majority is recognized over time. Research Publishing products generate approximately 87% in both the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, of its revenue from contracts with its customers from Journal Subscriptions (pay to read), Open Access (pay to publish) and Transformational Agreements (read and publish) and the remainder from Licensing, Reprints, Backfiles, and Other. Research Solutions Products and Services Research Solutions services include Atypon Systems, Inc (Atypon) a publishing software and service provider that enables scholarly and professional societies and publishers to deliver, host, enhance, market, and manage their content on the web through the Literatum platform. In addition, Research Solutions includes advertising, spectroscopy software and spectral databases, and job board software and career center services, which includes the products and services from the recent acquisitions of Madgex and Informatics. As well as product and service offerings related to recent acquisitions such as J&J and the EJP business. J&J is a publishing services company providing expert offerings in editorial operations, production, copyediting, system support and consulting. EJP is a technology platform company with an established journal submission and peer-review management system. Research Solutions revenue was $38.7 million and $74.1 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and the majority is recognized over time. Academic & Professional Learning Academic & Professional Learning provides Education Publishing and Professional Learning products and services including scientific, professional, and education print and digital books, digital courseware, and test preparation services to libraries, corporations, students, professionals, and researchers, as well as learning, development, and assessment services for businesses and professionals. Communities served include business, finance, accounting, workplace learning, management, leadership, technology, behavioral health, engineering/architecture, science and medicine, and education. Products are developed for worldwide distribution through multiple channels, including chain and online booksellers, libraries, colleges and universities, corporations, direct to consumer, web sites, distributor networks and other online applications. Publishing centers include Australia, Germany, India, the UK, and the US. Total Academic & Professional Learning revenue was $152.6 million and $285.6 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively. We disaggregated revenue by type of products provided. Academic & Professional Learning products are Education Publishing and Professional Learning. Academic & Professional Learning revenues are mainly recognized at a point in time. Education Publishing Products Education Publishing products revenue was $86.2 million and $149.3 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively. Education Publishing products generate approximately 57% and 64% in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, of its revenue from contracts with its customers from Education (print and digital) Publishing, which is recognized at a point in time, and 32% and 22% in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, from Digital Courseware which is recognized over time. The remainder of its revenues were from Test Preparation and Certification and Licensing and Other, which has a mix of revenue recognized at a point in time and over time. Professional Learning Products Professional Learning products revenue was $66.4 million and $136.3 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively. Professional Learning (print and digital) products generate approximately 54% and 56% in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, of revenue from contracts with its customers from Professional Publishing, and Licensing and Other, and both are mainly recognized at a point in time. Approximately 46% and 44% of Professional Learning products revenue in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, is from contracts with its customers from Corporate Training and Corporate Learning, which is recognized mainly over time. Education Services Education Services revenue was $90.8 million and $170.5 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and the majority is recognized over time. We disaggregated revenue by type of services provided, which are University Services and Talent Development Services. University Services University Services revenue was $57.8 million and $105.6 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and is mainly recognized over time. University Services primarily engages in the comprehensive management of online degree programs for universities and has grown to include a broad array of technology enabled service offerings that address our partner specific pain points. Increasingly, this includes delivering career credentialing education that advances specific careers with in-demand skills. Talent Development Services Talent Development Services revenue was $33.1 million and $65.0 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and is recognized at the point in time the services are provided to its customers. Talent Development Services is a talent placement provider that finds, trains and places job-ready technology talent in roles with leading corporations worldwide. Accounts Receivable, net and Contract Liability Balances When consideration is received, or such consideration is unconditionally due, from a customer prior to transferring goods or services to the customer under the terms of a contract, a contract liability is recorded. Contract liabilities are recognized as revenue when, or as, control of the products or services are transferred to the customer and all revenue recognition criteria have been met.

Recent Accounting Standards (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2022

Accounting Standards Update and Change in Accounting Principle [Abstract]

Throughout this report, when we refer to “Wiley,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” or “us,” we are referring to John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and all our subsidiaries, except where the context indicates otherwise.

Our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include all the accounts of the Company and our subsidiaries. We have eliminated all intercompany transactions and balances in consolidation. In the opinion of management, the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Condition, Results of Operations, Comprehensive Income and Cash Flows for the periods presented. Operating results for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year. All amounts are in thousands, except per share amounts, and approximate due to rounding. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the most recent audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 as filed with the SEC on June 24, 2022 (2022 Form 10-K).

Our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared in accordance with the interim reporting requirements of the SEC. As permitted under those rules, annual footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by US GAAP have been condensed or omitted. The preparation of our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.

Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Standards

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Convertible Debt Instruments, Derivatives and EPS

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging – Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40)”. This ASU reduces the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock, as well as amend the guidance for the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity to reduce form-over-substance-based accounting conclusions. In addition, this ASU improves and amends the related earnings-per-share (EPS) guidance. We adopted ASU 2020-06 on May 1, 2022. The adoption did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements at the time of adoption.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers”. This ASU requires that an acquirer recognize, and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (Topic 606) as if it had originated the contracts. Generally, this would result in an acquirer recognizing and measuring the acquired contract assets and contract liabilities consistent with how they were recognized and measured in the acquiree’s financial statements if the acquiree prepared financial statements in accordance with US GAAP. This standard is effective for us on May 1, 2023, including interim periods within the fiscal year. Early adoption is permitted. The standard is applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the effective date of the amendments. The impact will be based on future business combinations after we adopt the standard.

Revenue from Contract with Customer

Research

Research customers include academic, corporate, government, and public libraries, funders of research, researchers, scientists, clinicians, engineers and technologists, scholarly and professional societies, and students and professors. Research products are sold and distributed globally through multiple channels, including research libraries and library consortia, independent subscription agents, direct sales to professional society members, and other customers. Publishing centers include Australia, China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). The majority of revenue generated from Research products is recognized over time. Total Research revenue was $271.4 million and $546.3 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively.

We disaggregated revenue by Research Publishing & Research Solutions to reflect the different type of products and services provided.

Research Publishing Products

Research Publishing products provide scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, as well as related content and services, to academic, corporate, and government libraries, learned societies, and individual researchers and other professionals. Research Publishing revenue was $232.6 million and $472.2 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and the majority is recognized over time.

Research Publishing products generate approximately 87% in both the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, of its revenue from contracts with its customers from Journal Subscriptions (pay to read), Open Access (pay to publish) and Transformational Agreements (read and publish) and the remainder from Licensing, Reprints, Backfiles, and Other.

Research Solutions Products and Services

Research Solutions services include Atypon Systems, Inc (Atypon) a publishing software and service provider that enables scholarly and professional societies and publishers to deliver, host, enhance, market, and manage their content on the web through the Literatum platform. In addition, Research Solutions includes advertising, spectroscopy software and spectral databases, and job board software and career center services, which includes the products and services from the recent acquisitions of Madgex and Informatics. As well as product and service offerings related to recent acquisitions such as J&J and the EJP business. J&J is a publishing services company providing expert offerings in editorial operations, production, copyediting, system support and consulting. EJP is a technology platform company with an established journal submission and peer-review management system. Research Solutions revenue was $38.7 million and $74.1 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and the majority is recognized over time.

Academic & Professional Learning

Academic & Professional Learning provides Education Publishing and Professional Learning products and services including scientific, professional, and education print and digital books, digital courseware, and test preparation services to libraries, corporations, students, professionals, and researchers, as well as learning, development, and assessment services for businesses and professionals. Communities served include business, finance, accounting, workplace learning, management, leadership, technology, behavioral health, engineering/architecture, science and medicine, and education. Products are developed for worldwide distribution through multiple channels, including chain and online booksellers, libraries, colleges and universities, corporations, direct to consumer, web sites, distributor networks and other online applications. Publishing centers include Australia, Germany, India, the UK, and the US. Total Academic & Professional Learning revenue was $152.6 million and $285.6 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively.

We disaggregated revenue by type of products provided. Academic & Professional Learning products are Education Publishing and Professional Learning. Academic & Professional Learning revenues are mainly recognized at a point in time.

Education Publishing Products

Education Publishing products revenue was $86.2 million and $149.3 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively. Education Publishing products generate approximately 57% and 64% in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, of its revenue from contracts with its customers from Education (print and digital) Publishing, which is recognized at a point in time, and 32% and 22% in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, from Digital Courseware which is recognized over time. The remainder of its revenues were from Test Preparation and Certification and Licensing and Other, which has a mix of revenue recognized at a point in time and over time.

Professional Learning Products

Professional Learning products revenue was $66.4 million and $136.3 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively. Professional Learning (print and digital) products generate approximately 54% and 56% in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, of revenue from contracts with its customers from Professional Publishing, and Licensing and Other, and both are mainly recognized at a point in time. Approximately 46% and 44% of Professional Learning products revenue in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, is from contracts with its customers from Corporate Training and Corporate Learning, which is recognized mainly over time.

Education Services

Education Services revenue was $90.8 million and $170.5 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and the majority is recognized over time. We disaggregated revenue by type of services provided, which are University Services and Talent Development Services.

University Services

University Services revenue was $57.8 million and $105.6 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and is mainly recognized over time. University Services primarily engages in the comprehensive management of online degree programs for universities and has grown to include a broad array of technology enabled service offerings that address our partner specific pain points. Increasingly, this includes delivering career credentialing education that advances specific careers with in-demand skills.

Talent Development Services

Talent Development Services revenue was $33.1 million and $65.0 million in the three and six months ended October 31, 2022, respectively, and is recognized at the point in time the services are provided to its customers. Talent Development Services is a talent placement provider that finds, trains and places job-ready technology talent in roles with leading corporations worldwide.

Accounts Receivable, net and Contract Liability Balances

When consideration is received, or such consideration is unconditionally due, from a customer prior to transferring goods or services to the customer under the terms of a contract, a contract liability is recorded. Contract liabilities are recognized as revenue when, or as, control of the products or services are transferred to the customer and all revenue recognition criteria have been met.