Retiree Benefits - Roll Forwards of Assets Measured At Fair Value Using Level 3 Inputs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Oct. 30, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$ 1,073,023	$ 1,052,654
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	1,034,543	1,073,023
Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	662,141	638,590
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	610,856	662,141
Level 3 \| U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	2,391
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	3,033	2,391
Level 3 \| Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	115
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	34	115
Level 3 \| Equity securities \| U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	0	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases	0	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	0	0
Level 3 \| Equity securities \| Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	114	258
Unrealized gains (losses)	(29)	69
Realized gains (losses)	0	(47)
Sales and settlements	(110)	(274)
Purchases	59	108
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	34	114
Level 3 \| Fixed Income Securities \| U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	2,391	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	57	(49)
Sales and settlements	(2,460)	(108)
Purchases	2,741	2,548
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	2,729	2,391
Level 3 \| Fixed Income Securities \| Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	0	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Realized gains (losses)	0	0
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases	0	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	0	0
Level 3 \| Other Plan Assets \| U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	0	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases	329	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	329	0
Level 3 \| Other Plan Assets \| Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	0	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Realized gains (losses)	0	0
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases	0	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$ 0	$ 0

This element represents purchases of level 3 plan assets of defined benefit plans for the period.

No definition available.

Name:	joy_DefinedBenefitPlanPurchases
Namespace Prefix:	joy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the realized gains (losses) on level 3 plan assets of defined benefit plans for the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	joy_DefinedBenefitPlanRealizedGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	joy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents sales of level 3 plan assets of defined benefit plans for the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	joy_DefinedBenefitPlanSales
Namespace Prefix:	joy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the unrealized gains (losses) on level 3 plan assets of defined benefit plans for the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	joy_DefinedBenefitPlanUnrealizedGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	joy_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanChangeInFairValueOfPlanAssetsRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Assets, usually stocks, bonds, and other investments, that have been segregated and restricted (usually in a trust) to provide benefits, at their fair value as of the measurement date. Plan assets include amounts contributed by the employer (and by employees for a contributory plan) and amounts earned from investing the contributions, less benefits paid. If a plan has liabilities other than for benefits, those non-benefit obligations may be considered as reductions of plan assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 30
-Section 35
-Paragraph 50
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49178875&loc=d3e12355-114930

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
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Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=joy_OtherPlanAssetsMember
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