Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Jul. 29, 2017
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements Goodwill In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-04, “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350).” ASU 2017-14 simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill impairment. The new guidance eliminates the two-step process that required identification of potential impairment and a separate measure of the actual impairment. Goodwill impairment charges, if any, would be determined by reducing the goodwill balance by the difference between the carrying value and the reporting unit’s fair value (impairment loss is limited to the carrying value). This standard is effective for annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company does not believe the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements Statement of Cash Flows In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (Topic 230).” ASU 2016-15 addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice for certain cash receipts and cash payments. The standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those years (Q1 fiscal 2019 for AstroNova), with early adoption permitted. The Company does not believe the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” ASU 2014-09 completes the joint effort by the FASB and International Accounting Standards Board to improve financial reporting by creating common revenue recognition guidance for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2014-09 applies to all companies that enter into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services. In August 2015, the FASB modified ASU 2014-09 to be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (Q1 fiscal 2019 for AstroNova), including interim periods within that reporting period. As modified, the FASB permits the adoption of the new revenue standard early, but not before annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Entities have the choice to apply ASU 2014-09 either retrospectively to each reporting period presented or by recognizing the cumulative effect of applying ASU 2014-09 at the date of initial application and not adjusting comparative information. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)—Principal versus Agent Consideration.” In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)—Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing.” In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-11,“Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)—Rescission of SEC Guidance Because of ASU 2014-09 and 2014-16” and ASU 2016-12, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)—Narrow Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients.” All of these ASUs do not change the core principle of the guidance in Topic 606 (as amended by ASU 2014-09), but rather provide further guidance to improve the operability and understandability of the implementation guidance included in ASU 2014-09. The effective date for all of these ASUs is the same as the effective date of ASU 2014-09 as amended by ASU 2015-14, for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those years (Q1 fiscal 2019 for AstroNova). The Company is currently evaluating the impact and method of adopting this guidance and while we do not expect that the adoption of these ASUs will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, we do expect the adoption to result in a change in timing of recognizing expense for commission earned on the sales of extended service contracts. The Company has not yet decided on the method of adoption to be applied when this new guidance becomes effective. Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” ASU 2016-02 supersedes current guidance related to accounting for leases and is intended to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring lessees to recognize assets and liabilities in the balance sheet for operating leases with lease terms greater than twelve months. The update also requires improved disclosures to help users of financial statements better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. ASU 2016-02 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years (Q1 fiscal 2020 for AstroNova), with early adoption permitted. At adoption, this update will be applied using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of this new guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Inventory In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330).” ASU 2015-11 requires inventory to be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value instead of at lower of cost or market. This guidance does not apply to inventory that is measured using last-in, first out (LIFO) or the retail inventory method but applies to all other inventory, including inventory measured using first-in, first-out (FIFO) or the average cost method. ASU 2015-11 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years (Q1 fiscal 2018 for AstroNova) and should be applied prospectively. Our adoption of this guidance at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2018 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. No other new accounting pronouncements, issued or effective during the first six months of the current year, have had or are expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Goodwill

In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-04, “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350).” ASU 2017-14 simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill impairment. The new guidance eliminates the two-step process that required identification of potential impairment and a separate measure of the actual impairment. Goodwill impairment charges, if any, would be determined by reducing the goodwill balance by the difference between the carrying value and the reporting unit’s fair value (impairment loss is limited to the carrying value). This standard is effective for annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company does not believe the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements

Statement of Cash Flows

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (Topic 230).” ASU 2016-15 addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice for certain cash receipts and cash payments. The standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those years (Q1 fiscal 2019 for AstroNova), with early adoption permitted. The Company does not believe the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” ASU 2014-09 completes the joint effort by the FASB and International Accounting Standards Board to improve financial reporting by creating common revenue recognition guidance for U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2014-09 applies to all companies that enter into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services. In August 2015, the FASB modified ASU 2014-09 to be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (Q1 fiscal 2019 for AstroNova), including interim periods within that reporting period. As modified, the FASB permits the adoption of the new revenue standard early, but not before annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Entities have the choice to apply ASU 2014-09 either retrospectively to each reporting period presented or by recognizing the cumulative effect of applying ASU 2014-09 at the date of initial application and not adjusting comparative information.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)—Principal versus Agent Consideration.” In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)—Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing.” In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-11,“Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)—Rescission of SEC Guidance Because of ASU 2014-09 and 2014-16” and ASU 2016-12, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)—Narrow Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients.” All of these ASUs do not change the core principle of the guidance in Topic 606 (as amended by ASU 2014-09), but rather provide further guidance to improve the operability and understandability of the implementation guidance included in ASU 2014-09. The effective date for all of these ASUs is the same as the effective date of ASU 2014-09 as amended by ASU 2015-14, for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those years (Q1 fiscal 2019 for AstroNova). The Company is currently evaluating the impact and method of adopting this guidance and while we do not expect that the adoption of these ASUs will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, we do expect the adoption to result in a change in timing of recognizing expense for commission earned on the sales of extended service contracts. The Company has not yet decided on the method of adoption to be applied when this new guidance becomes effective.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” ASU 2016-02 supersedes current guidance related to accounting for leases and is intended to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring lessees to recognize assets and liabilities in the balance sheet for operating leases with lease terms greater than twelve months. The update also requires improved disclosures to help users of financial statements better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. ASU 2016-02 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years (Q1 fiscal 2020 for AstroNova), with early adoption permitted. At adoption, this update will be applied using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of this new guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Inventory

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330).” ASU 2015-11 requires inventory to be measured at the lower of cost and net realizable value instead of at lower of cost or market. This guidance does not apply to inventory that is measured using last-in, first out (LIFO) or the retail inventory method but applies to all other inventory, including inventory measured using first-in, first-out (FIFO) or the average cost method. ASU 2015-11 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years (Q1 fiscal 2018 for AstroNova) and should be applied prospectively. Our adoption of this guidance at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal 2018 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

No other new accounting pronouncements, issued or effective during the first six months of the current year, have had or are expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.