Note 1 - Description of Business	6 Months Ended
Note 1 - Description of Business	Mar. 31, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]	1. Description of Business Overview Bridgeline Digital, The Digital Engagement Company™, helps customers maximize the performance of their full digital experience from - websites and intranets to online stores and campaigns. Bridgeline’s iAPPS® platform deeply integrates Web Content Management, eCommerce, eMarketing, Social Media management, and Web Analytics to help marketers deliver digital experiences that attract, engage and convert their customers across all channels. Bridgeline’s iAPPS platform combined with its digital services assists customers in maximizing on-line revenue, improving customer service and loyalty, enhancing employee knowledge, and reducing operational costs. The iAPPSds (“distributed subscription”) product is a platform that empowers franchise and large dealer networks with state-of-the-art web engagement management while providing superior oversight of corporate branding. iAPPSds deeply integrates content management, eCommerce, eMarketing and web analytics and is a self-service web platform that is offered to each authorized franchise or dealer for a monthly subscription fee. Our iAPPSdsr platform, released in 2015, targets the growing multi-unit organizations with 10-500 locations providing them with powerful web engagement tools while maintaining corporate brand control and consistency. The iAPPS platform is delivered through a cloud-based SaaS (“Software as a Service”) multi-tenant business model, whose flexible architecture provides customers with state of the art deployment providing maintenance, daily technical operation and support; or via a traditional perpetual licensing business model, in which the iAPPS software resides on a dedicated server in either the customer’s facility or Bridgeline’s co-managed hosting facility. The iAPPS Platform is an award-winning application. Our teams of Microsoft Gold© certified developers have won over 100 industry related awards. In 2015, the SIIA (Software and Information Industry Association) awarded iAPPS Content Manager, the 2015 SIIA CODiE Award for Best Web Content Management Platform. Also in 2015, EContent magazine named iAPPS Digital Engagement Platform to its Trendsetting Products list. The list of 75 products and platforms was compiled by EContent’s editorial staff, and selections were based on each offering’s uniqueness and importance to digital publishing, media, and marketing. Bridgeline was also recognized in 2015 as a strong performer by Forrester Research, Inc in its independence report, “The Forrester Wave ™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation Platforms, Q3 2015.” In recent years, iAPPS Content Manager and iAPPS Commerce products were selected as finalists for the 2014, 2013, and 2012 CODiE Awards for Best Content Management Solution and Best Electronic Commerce Solution, globally. In 2015, the SIIA (Software and Information Industry Association) awarded iAPPS Content Manager the 2015 SIIA CODiE Award for Best Web Content Management Platform. In 2014 and 2013, Bridgeline Digital won twenty-five Horizon Interactive Awards for outstanding development of web applications and websites. Also in 2013, the Web Marketing Association sponsored Internet Advertising Competition honored Bridgeline Digital with three awards for iAPPS customer websites and B2B Magazine selected Bridgeline Digital as one of the Top Interactive Technology companies in the United States . KMWorld Magazine Editors selected Bridgeline Digital as one of the 100 Companies That Matter in Knowledge Management and also selected iAPPS as a Trend Setting Product in 2013. Bridgeline Digital was incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware on August 28, 2000. Locations The Company’s corporate office is located north of Boston, Massachusetts. The Company maintains regional field offices serving the following geographical locations: Boston, MA; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; New York, NY; San Luis Obispo, CA; and Tampa, FL. The Company has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Bridgeline Digital Pvt. Ltd. located in Bangalore, India. Reverse Stock Split On May 4, 2015, the Company’s Shareholders and the Board of Directors approved a reverse stock split pursuant to which all classes of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock at the close of business on such date were combined and reconstituted into a smaller number of shares of common stock in a ratio of 1 share of common stock for every 5 shares of common stock (“1-for-5 reverse stock split”). The 1-for-5 reverse stock split was effective as of close of business on May 7, 2015 and the Company’s stock began trading on a split-adjusted basis on May 8, 2015. The reverse stock split reduced the number of shares of the Company’s common stock currently outstanding from approximately 22 million shares to approximately 4.4 million shares. Proportional adjustments have been made to the conversion and exercise prices of the Company’s outstanding convertible preferred stock, warrants, restricted stock awards, convertible notes and stock options, and to the number of shares issued and issuable under the Company’s Amended and Restated Stock Incentive Plan. Upon the effectiveness of the 1-for-5 reverse stock split, each five shares of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock were automatically combined and converted into one issued and outstanding share of common stock, par value $0.001. The Company did not issue any fractional shares in connection with the reverse stock split. Instead, fractional share interests were rounded up to the next largest whole share. The reverse stock split does not modify the rights or preferences of the common stock. The number of authorized shares of the Company’s common stock remains at 50 million shares and the par value remains $0.001. The accompanying consolidated financial statements and footnotes have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the effects of the 1-for-5 reverse stock split. Liquidity The Company has incurred operating losses and used cash in its operating activities for the past several years. Cash was used to fund acquisitions to broaden our geographic footprint, develop new products, and build infrastructure. The Company has issued debt instruments totaling $6 million and currently has an outstanding credit line with BridgeBank for $2.3 million. In order improve financial stability, the Company has instituted a strategic plan to reduce debt and attain positive Adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation charges and other one -time charges) . Expense Reductions Beginning in the second half of fiscal 2015, the Company initiated a restructuring plan that included a reduction of workforce and office space, which significantly reduced operating expenses. The total amount charged to restructuring in fiscal 2015 was $496. In the first two quarters of fiscal 2016, the Company recorded additional restructuring charges of $780 related to more office lease and workforce reductions. Debt Restructuring The Company maintains a bank financing agreement with BridgeBank, a division of Western Alliance Bank, which provides for up to $5 million of revolving credit advances. Borrowing is limited to the lesser of the $5 million or 80% of eligible receivables. Additionally, the Company can borrow up to $1 million in out of formula borrowings and a director/shareholder of the Company guarantees up to $2 million of the outstanding line of credit. As of March 31, 2016, the Company had an outstanding balance under the BridgeBank Loan Agreement of $2.3 million with a maturity date of March 31, 2017. However, on March 18, 2016, the Company signed a Term Sheet for a new bank financing agreement with a new bank, which is intended to replace the credit facility offered by BridgeBank. The financing agreement with the new bank provides for up to $3 million of revolving credit advances and has a more favorable interest rate of 5.25% compared to an interest rate of 8.25% charged by BridgeBank. In addition, the maturity date of the credit facility with the new bank will be two years (estimated May 2018) compared to the current maturity date of March 31, 2017 with BridgeBank. The Company expects to execute the new financing agreement with the new bank by the end of May 2016. On April 29, 2016, the shareholders of the Company approved several proposals aimed at restructuring the debt instruments it has issued over the past few years, namely the term notes issued to stockholders and convertible notes. First, the shareholders approved a proposal for the issuance of up to 4,700,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock upon conversion of outstanding term notes totaling $3 million. The Company and the holders of the outstanding term notes have agreed to amend the outstanding term notes to provide the Company with the option to convert all outstanding principal and accrued but unpaid interest due under such outstanding term notes into shares of Common Stock of the Company at a conversion price of $0.75 per share. Each of the shareholders have committed in writing to the conversion to equity, and as such, the Company has presented this debt as long-term in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. Also on April 29, 2016, the stockholders approved the issuance of up to 4,000,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock upon conversion of outstanding convertible notes. The conversion price of $0.75 per share was provided as an incentive to the holders of such convertible notes to convert the outstanding principal into shares of Common Stock. The Company has presented this debt as short-term, as the conversion feature is not mandatory. The Company expects to have a significant portion of this debt converted to equity by June 30, 2016. Lastly, on April 29, 2016, the stockholders approved the issuance of up to 2,666,667 shares of the Company’s Common Stock upon conversion of term notes to be issued in a private placement. An aggregate principal amount of up to $2 million in term notes may be offered to accredited investors in a private placement. On May 11, 2016, the Company issued 1,806,680 shares of common stock for net proceeds of $1.2 million for the first closing in connection with the conversion of these term notes. Management believes that the expense reduction measures, the debt restructuring, the debt conversion to equity, and the additional working capital of up to $2.0 million will provide sufficient cash flows to fund its operations in the ordinary course of business through at least the next twelve months. Management plans to contain operating expenses and remain fiscally responsible, however, there can be no assurances that these financial measures will be sufficient enough to compensate for any shortfalls in revenues. In addition, in order to sustain operations and cash flows, the Company must be successful in closing the new bank credit line, as well as, convert a significant portion of the convertible debt holders to equity. If the Company is not successful with its debt restructuring plan then it will not have sufficient cash flows to meet operations and it will have to cut expenses further and/or renegotiate outstanding debt lines or negotiate new debt instruments in order to meet cash flow expectations. The direct impact of these conditions is not fully known. However, there are no assurances that existing debt holders will be willing or able to renegotiate new terms or that new debt instruments will be available at favorable terms, if at all. Such potential adverse events may create substantial difficulties and could interrupt our normal course of business. If the Company is not successful in the debt restructuring described above they may have to look for other debt or equity financing to fund its operations. However, there can be no assurances that the Company would be able to secure additional financing, if needed, at terms or conditions that would be acceptable to the Company, if at all. In such case, the further reduction in operating expenses might need to be substantial in order for the Company to generate positive cash flow to sustain the operations of the Company.