Retiree Benefits - Roll Forwards of Assets Measured At Fair Value Using Level 3 Inputs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Oct. 28, 2016	Oct. 30, 2015
U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$ 1,034,543	$ 1,073,023
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	987,441	1,034,543
Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	610,856	662,141
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	607,228	610,856
Level 3 \| U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	3,033
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	0	3,033
Level 3 \| Non-U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	34
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	9	34
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
Realized gains (losses)	0	0
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases		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	34	114
Unrealized gains (losses)	(4)	(29)
Sales and settlements	(21)	(110)
Purchases		59
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	9	34
Level 3 \| Fixed Income Securities \| U.S. Pension Plans
Change in Plan Assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	2,705	2,391
Unrealized gains (losses)	1,577	57
Realized gains (losses)	(1,637)	(24)
Sales and settlements	(2,645)	(2,460)
Purchases		2,741
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	0	2,705
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
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases		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	328	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Realized gains (losses)	(328)	0
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases		328
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	0	328
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
Sales and settlements	0	0
Purchases		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

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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
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- Details

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

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