Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and six months ended April 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2019. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to conform to current year classifications, which included the reclassification of amounts as a result of the realignment of our operating segments. Refer to Note 11 for details on our operating segments.
Basis of Consolidation	Basis of consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Nordson Corporation and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. Investments in affiliates and joint ventures in which our ownership is 50% or less or in which we do not have control but have the ability to exercise significant influence, are accounted for under the equity method. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates	Use of estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements. Actual amounts could differ from these estimates.
Revenue Recognition	Revenue recognition. A contract exists when it has approval and commitment from both parties, the rights of the parties are identified, payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectability of the consideration is probable. Revenue is recognized when performance obligations under the terms of the contract with a customer are satisfied. Generally, our revenue results from short-term, fixed-price contracts and primarily is recognized as of a point in time when the product is shipped or at a later point when the control of the product transfers to the customer. Revenue for undelivered items is deferred and included within Accrued liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Revenues deferred as of April 30, 2020 and 2019 were not material. However, for certain contracts related to the sale of customer-specific products within our Advanced Technology Solutions segment, revenue for these contracts is recognized over time as we satisfy performance obligations because of the continuous transfer of control to the customer. The continuous transfer of control to the customer occurs as we enhance assets that are customer controlled and we are contractually entitled to payment for work performed to date plus a reasonable margin. As control transfers over time for these products or services, revenue is recognized based on progress toward completion of the performance obligations. The selection method to measure progress towards completion requires judgment and is based on the nature of the products or services to be provided. We have elected to use the input method – costs incurred for these contracts because it best depicts the transfer of products or services to the customer based on incurring costs on the contract. Under this method, revenues are recorded proportionally as costs are incurred. Contract assets recognized are recorded in Prepaid expenses and other current assets and contract liabilities are recorded in Accrued liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets and were not material at April 30, 2020 and October 31, 2019. Revenue recognized over time is not material to our overall Consolidated Financial Statements. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring products or services. Sales, value add, and other taxes we collect concurrently with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue. As a practical expedient, we may exclude the assessment of whether goods or services are performance obligations, if they are immaterial in the context of the contract, and combine these with other performance obligations. While payment terms and conditions vary by contract type, we have determined that our contracts generally do not include a significant financing component. We have elected to apply the practical expedient to treat all shipping and handling costs as fulfillment costs as a significant portion of these costs are incurred prior to transfer of control to the customer. We have also elected to apply the practical expedient to expense sales commissions as they are incurred as the amortization period resulting from capitalizing the costs is one year or less. These costs are recorded within Selling, general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Income. We offer assurance type warranties on our products as well as separately sold warranty contracts. Revenue related to warranty contracts that are sold separately is recognized over the life of the warranty term. Certain arrangements may include installation, installation supervision, training, and spare parts, which tend to be completed in a short period of time, at an insignificant cost, and utilizing skills not unique to us, and, therefore, are typically regarded as inconsequential or not material. We disclose disaggregated revenues by operating segment and geography in accordance with the revenue standard and on the same basis used internally by the chief operating decision maker for evaluating performance of operating segments and for allocating resources. Refer to Note 11 for details on our operating segments.
Earnings Per Share	Earnings per share. Basic earnings per share are computed based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during each year, while diluted earnings per share are based on the weighted-average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding. Common share equivalents consist of shares issuable upon exercise of stock options computed using the treasury stock method, as well as restricted shares and deferred stock-based compensation. Options with an exercise price higher than the average market price are excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because the effect would be anti-dilutive. Options excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended April 30, 2020 were 360. No options were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended April 30, 2019. Options excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share for the six months ended April 30, 2020 and 2019 were 180 and 352, respectively.

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2020

Basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and six months ended April 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2019. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to conform to current year classifications, which included the reclassification of amounts as a result of the realignment of our operating segments. Refer to Note 11 for details on our operating segments.

Basis of Consolidation

Basis of consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Nordson Corporation and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. Investments in affiliates and joint ventures in which our ownership is 50% or less or in which we do not have control but have the ability to exercise significant influence, are accounted for under the equity method. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

Use of estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements. Actual amounts could differ from these estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue recognition. A contract exists when it has approval and commitment from both parties, the rights of the parties are identified, payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectability of the consideration is probable. Revenue is recognized when performance obligations under the terms of the contract with a customer are satisfied. Generally, our revenue results from short-term, fixed-price contracts and primarily is recognized as of a point in time when the product is shipped or at a later point when the control of the product transfers to the customer. Revenue for undelivered items is deferred and included within Accrued liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Revenues deferred as of April 30, 2020 and 2019 were not material.

However, for certain contracts related to the sale of customer-specific products within our Advanced Technology Solutions segment, revenue for these contracts is recognized over time as we satisfy performance obligations because of the continuous transfer of control to the customer. The continuous transfer of control to the customer occurs as we enhance assets that are customer controlled and we are contractually entitled to payment for work performed to date plus a reasonable margin.

As control transfers over time for these products or services, revenue is recognized based on progress toward completion of the performance obligations. The selection method to measure progress towards completion requires judgment and is based on the nature of the products or services to be provided. We have elected to use the input method – costs incurred for these contracts because it best depicts the transfer of products or services to the customer based on incurring costs on the contract. Under this method, revenues are recorded proportionally as costs are incurred. Contract assets recognized are recorded in Prepaid expenses and other current assets and contract liabilities are recorded in Accrued liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets and were not material at April 30, 2020 and October 31, 2019. Revenue recognized over time is not material to our overall Consolidated Financial Statements.

Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring products or services. Sales, value add, and other taxes we collect concurrently with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue. As a practical expedient, we may exclude the assessment of whether goods or services are performance obligations, if they are immaterial in the context of the contract, and combine these with other performance obligations. While payment terms and conditions vary by contract type, we have determined that our contracts generally do not include a significant financing component. We have elected to apply the practical expedient to treat all shipping and handling costs as fulfillment costs as a significant portion of these costs are incurred prior to transfer of control to the customer. We have also elected to apply the practical expedient to expense sales commissions as they are incurred as the amortization period resulting from capitalizing the costs is one year or less. These costs are recorded within Selling, general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Income.

We offer assurance type warranties on our products as well as separately sold warranty contracts. Revenue related to warranty contracts that are sold separately is recognized over the life of the warranty term.

Certain arrangements may include installation, installation supervision, training, and spare parts, which tend to be completed in a short period of time, at an insignificant cost, and utilizing skills not unique to us, and, therefore, are typically regarded as inconsequential or not material.

We disclose disaggregated revenues by operating segment and geography in accordance with the revenue standard and on the same basis used internally by the chief operating decision maker for evaluating performance of operating segments and for allocating resources. Refer to Note 11 for details on our operating segments.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share. Basic earnings per share are computed based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during each year, while diluted earnings per share are based on the weighted-average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding. Common share equivalents consist of shares issuable upon exercise of stock options computed using the treasury stock method, as well as restricted shares and deferred stock-based compensation. Options with an exercise price higher than the average market price are excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because the effect would be anti-dilutive. Options excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended April 30, 2020 were 360. No options were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share for the three months ended April 30, 2019. Options excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share for the six months ended April 30, 2020 and 2019 were 180 and 352, respectively.