Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Dec. 30, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies Business Symantec Corporation (“Symantec,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and the “Company” refer to Symantec Corporation and all of its subsidiaries) is a global leader in cybersecurity. On August 1, 2016 (the “close date”), we completed our acquisition of Blue Coat, Inc. (“Blue Coat”). Blue Coat’s results of operations have been included in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations beginning August 1, 2016. See Note 3 for more information on the Blue Coat acquisition. Basis of presentation The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States of America (“U.S.”) for interim financial information. In the opinion of management, the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring items, except as otherwise noted, necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the interim periods. These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying Notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 1, 2016. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended December 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the entire fiscal year. We have a 52/53-week fiscal year ending on the Friday closest to March 31. Unless otherwise stated, references to three and nine month ended periods in this report relate to fiscal periods ended December 30, 2016 and January 1, 2016. The three and nine months ended December 30, 2016 and January 1, 2016 both consisted of 13 and 39 weeks, respectively. Our 2017 fiscal year consists of 52 weeks and ends on March 31, 2017. Certain prior year period amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current fiscal year presentation. There have been no material changes in our significant accounting policies as compared to those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 1, 2016, except as noted below. Stock-based compensation The acquisition of Blue Coat has significantly increased the number of outstanding Symantec stock options, unvested restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and unvested performance-based restricted stock units (“PRUs”). Stock-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. No compensation cost is ultimately recognized for awards for which employees do not render the requisite service and are forfeited. We estimate forfeitures based on historical experience. Our granted stock-based awards principally consist of RSUs. The fair value of each RSU and PRU that does not contain a market condition is equal to the market value of our common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of each PRU that contains a market condition is estimated using the Monte Carlo simulation option pricing model. The fair values of RSUs and PRUs are not discounted by the dividend yield because our RSUs and PRUs include dividend-equivalent rights. We use the Black-Scholes model to determine the fair value of stock options which incorporates various subjective variables, including our expected stock price volatility over the expected life of the options, actual and projected employee stock option exercise and forfeiture behaviors, risk-free interest rates, and expected dividends. Recent accounting guidance not yet adopted In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new authoritative guidance for revenue from contracts with customers. The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that the company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In doing so, companies will need to use more judgment and make more estimates than under current guidance. These may include identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price, and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation. In March 2016, the FASB clarified implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations. In April 2016, the FASB issued guidance related to identifying performance obligations and licensing which reduces the cost and complexity of applying certain aspects of the guidance both at implementation and on an ongoing basis. As currently issued and amended, the new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 but we do not intend to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on financial instruments. The new guidance enhances the reporting model for financial instruments, which includes amendments to address aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure. The new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted under limited circumstances. Early adoption is permitted but we do not intend to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on lease accounting which will require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on their balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by operating leases and will also require disclosures designed to give users of financial statements information on the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. We do not expect that the adoption of the new guidance will have a material impact on our operating results. The new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted but we do not plan to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early. In March 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on accounting for employee stock-based compensation, which requires all income tax effects of awards to be recognized in the income statement when the awards vest or are settled, as well as revising guidance related to classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, accounting for forfeitures and classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows. We believe the most significant impacts of this standard will be increased volatility in our effective tax rate and a change in the classification of excess tax benefits on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2018. Early adoption is permitted but we do not intend to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early. In June 2016, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on credit losses which changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For trade receivables and other instruments, we will be required to use a new forward-looking “expected loss” model. Additionally, for available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, we will measure credit losses in a manner similar to today, except that the losses will be recognized as allowances rather than reductions in the amortized cost of the securities. The standard will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2021. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance that requires entities to immediately recognize the tax consequences of intercompany asset transfers, excluding inventory, at the transaction date, rather than deferring the tax consequences under current U.S. GAAP. The standard will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2019, and requires a modified retrospective transition method. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.

Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

Business

Symantec Corporation (“Symantec,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and the “Company” refer to Symantec Corporation and all of its subsidiaries) is a global leader in cybersecurity.

On August 1, 2016 (the “close date”), we completed our acquisition of Blue Coat, Inc. (“Blue Coat”). Blue Coat’s results of operations have been included in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations beginning August 1, 2016. See Note 3 for more information on the Blue Coat acquisition.

Basis of presentation

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States of America (“U.S.”) for interim financial information. In the opinion of management, the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring items, except as otherwise noted, necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the interim periods. These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying Notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 1, 2016. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended December 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the entire fiscal year.

We have a 52/53-week fiscal year ending on the Friday closest to March 31. Unless otherwise stated, references to three and nine month ended periods in this report relate to fiscal periods ended December 30, 2016 and January 1, 2016. The three and nine months ended December 30, 2016 and January 1, 2016 both consisted of 13 and 39 weeks, respectively. Our 2017 fiscal year consists of 52 weeks and ends on March 31, 2017.

Certain prior year period amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current fiscal year presentation.

There have been no material changes in our significant accounting policies as compared to those described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 1, 2016, except as noted below.

Stock-based compensation

The acquisition of Blue Coat has significantly increased the number of outstanding Symantec stock options, unvested restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and unvested performance-based restricted stock units (“PRUs”). Stock-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the respective award. No compensation cost is ultimately recognized for awards for which employees do not render the requisite service and are forfeited. We estimate forfeitures based on historical experience. Our granted stock-based awards principally consist of RSUs. The fair value of each RSU and PRU that does not contain a market condition is equal to the market value of our common stock on the date of grant. The fair value of each PRU that contains a market condition is estimated using the Monte Carlo simulation option pricing model. The fair values of RSUs and PRUs are not discounted by the dividend yield because our RSUs and PRUs include dividend-equivalent rights. We use the Black-Scholes model to determine the fair value of stock options which incorporates various subjective variables, including our expected stock price volatility over the expected life of the options, actual and projected employee stock option exercise and forfeiture behaviors, risk-free interest rates, and expected dividends.

Recent accounting guidance not yet adopted

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new authoritative guidance for revenue from contracts with customers. The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that the company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In doing so, companies will need to use more judgment and make more estimates than under current guidance. These may include identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price, and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation. In March 2016, the FASB clarified implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations. In April 2016, the FASB issued guidance related to identifying performance obligations and licensing which reduces the cost and complexity of applying certain aspects of the guidance both at implementation and on an ongoing basis. As currently issued and amended, the new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 but we do not intend to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on financial instruments. The new guidance enhances the reporting model for financial instruments, which includes amendments to address aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure. The new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted under limited circumstances. Early adoption is permitted but we do not intend to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on lease accounting which will require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on their balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by operating leases and will also require disclosures designed to give users of financial statements information on the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. We do not expect that the adoption of the new guidance will have a material impact on our operating results. The new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted but we do not plan to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early.

In March 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on accounting for employee stock-based compensation, which requires all income tax effects of awards to be recognized in the income statement when the awards vest or are settled, as well as revising guidance related to classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, accounting for forfeitures and classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows. We believe the most significant impacts of this standard will be increased volatility in our effective tax rate and a change in the classification of excess tax benefits on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The new guidance will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2018. Early adoption is permitted but we do not intend to adopt the provisions of the new guidance early.

In June 2016, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance on credit losses which changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments. For trade receivables and other instruments, we will be required to use a new forward-looking “expected loss” model. Additionally, for available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, we will measure credit losses in a manner similar to today, except that the losses will be recognized as allowances rather than reductions in the amortized cost of the securities. The standard will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2021. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued new authoritative guidance that requires entities to immediately recognize the tax consequences of intercompany asset transfers, excluding inventory, at the transaction date, rather than deferring the tax consequences under current U.S. GAAP. The standard will be effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal 2019, and requires a modified retrospective transition method. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on our Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.