BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	6 Months Ended
BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	Oct. 28, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Recently Issued and Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements	In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2017-09, "Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting." The amendments in this update provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. The amendments are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The standard will be effective for us in fiscal years beginning April 29, 2018. This ASU is not expected to have a material effect on Methode's financial statements. If, in the future, Methode makes modifications to its existing share-based payment awards, those modifications will need to be evaluated based on the criteria detailed in this ASU and accounted for accordingly. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) - Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” The amendments in this update provide guidance on eight specific cash flow presentation issues that have developed due to diversity in practice. The issues include, but are not limited to, debt prepayment or extinguishment costs, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, and proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims. The amendments in this ASU, where practicable, are to be applied retrospectively. The standard will be effective for us in fiscal years beginning April 29, 2018. Earlier adoption is permitted. We do not believe this pronouncement will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” The core principle is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting revenue gross versus net)," which clarifies gross versus net revenue reporting when another party is involved in the transaction. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, "Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing," which amends the revenue guidance on identifying performance obligations and accounting for licenses of intellectual property. The standard will be effective for us in the fiscal years beginning April 29, 2018. Earlier adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. We continue to progress with our evaluation utilizing third-party consultants who are assisting in the process. We have established a project management team to analyze the impact of this standard by reviewing our current accounting policies and practices and our customer contracts and arrangements to identify potential differences that would result from the application of this standard. The main types of provisions currently being evaluated which could impact the allocation and timing of revenue include contractually guaranteed price reductions and over-time recognition of revenue. The contractually guaranteed price reductions could result in revenue being deferred as it relates to those material rights, which is a change from current practice. Also, the over-time revenue recognition could result in accelerated recognition of revenue for products where revenue is currently being recognized upon shipment. There are two transition methods available under the new standard, either full retrospective or modified retrospective. We expect to adopt the standard utilizing the modified retrospective method and expect enhanced disclosure requirements post-adoption. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, "Leases (ASC 842)," which sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e. lessees and lessors). The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases and operating leases. The new standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase by the lessee. This classification will determine whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases today. ASC 842 supersedes the previous leases standard, ASC 840 Leases. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, which is our fiscal 2020, beginning on April 28, 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, "Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities." The new standard requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income, requires public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes, requires separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset, and eliminates the requirement for public business entities to disclose the method(s) and significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value that is required to be disclosed for financial instruments measured at amortized cost. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, which is our fiscal 2019, beginning on April 29, 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350).” The amendments in this ASU simplify goodwill impairment testing by removing the requirement of Step 2 to determine the implied fair value of the goodwill of a business which fails Step 1. The effects of this update result in the amount by which a carrying amount exceeds the business' fair value to be recognized as an impairment charge in the period identified. The standard is effective for us for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning May 3, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company has adopted this ASU on a prospective basis effective as of April 30, 2017 and has concluded that this pronouncement has no material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business.” The amendments in this update clarify the definition of a business, with the objective of assisting entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The clarified definition requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. To be considered a business, an asset must include, at a minimum, an input and a substantive process that together significantly contribute to the ability to create output. The amendments are effective for us in fiscal years beginning April 29, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company has adopted this ASU effective as of April 30, 2017 on a prospective basis and has concluded that this pronouncement has no material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, "Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting." ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 impacts the timing of when excess tax benefits are recognized by eliminating the delay in the recognition of a tax benefit until the tax benefit is realized through a reduction to income taxes payable. The amendments in this update are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, which is our fiscal 2018, which began on April 30, 2017. The Company applied the modified retrospective transition method and recognized an increase to deferred tax assets and retained earnings of $2.7 million as of April 30, 2017 to recognize excess tax benefits that had been previously delayed. On a prospective basis, all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies are recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the statement of operations. As a result of applying the modified retrospective transition method, prior periods were not adjusted. Further, the Company will continue to estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest. In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-16, "Business Combinations Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments." The standard requires that an acquirer recognize measurement-period adjustments in the period in which the adjustments are determined. The income effects of such measurement-period adjustments are to be recorded in the same period’s financial statements but calculated as if the accounting had been completed as of the acquisition date. The impact of measurement-period adjustments to earnings that relate to prior period financial statements are to be presented separately on the income statement or disclosed by line item. The Company has adopted this ASU effective April 30, 2017 on a prospective basis. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, "Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory." This ASU requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value, rather than at the lower of cost or market. The Company has adopted this ASU effective April 30, 2017 on a prospective basis. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	We review our goodwill and other intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of these assets may not be recoverable, and at least annually in accordance with ASC No. 350, "Intangibles — Goodwill and Others." The values assigned to goodwill and intangible assets are normally based on estimates and judgments regarding expectations for the success and life cycle of products and technologies acquired. A severe decline in expectations could result in significant impairment charges, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Net Income Per Share	Basic net income per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the applicable period. Diluted net income per share is calculated after adjusting the denominator of the basic net income per share calculation for the effect of all potentially dilutive stock compensation awards outstanding during the period.
Segment Information	The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 29, 2017. We allocate resources to segments based on operating income. Transfers between segments are recorded using internal transfer prices set by us.
Contingencies	Certain litigation arising in the normal course of business is pending against us. We are, from time-to-time, subject to various legal actions and claims incidental to our business, including those arising out of alleged defects, breach of contracts, employment-related matters, environmental matters and intellectual property matters. We consider insurance coverage and third-party indemnification when determining required accruals for pending litigation and claims. Although the outcome of potential legal actions and claims cannot be determined, it is our opinion, based on the information available, that we have adequate reserves for these liabilities.