Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Sep. 29, 2017
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, we completed our acquisition of Blue Coat, Inc. (“Blue Coat”). On February 9, 2017, we completed our acquisition of LifeLock, Inc. (“LifeLock”). These acquisitions have been included in our consolidated results of operations since their respective acquisition dates. See Note 6 for more information on our acquisitions. On August 2, 2017, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell our website security and public key infrastructure (“WSS and PKI”) solutions to Thoma Bravo, LLC’s (“Thoma Bravo”) portfolio company DigiCert Parent Inc. (“DigiCert”). As a result, in the second quarter of fiscal 2018, the related assets and liabilities have been classified as held for sale on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The transaction closed on October 31, 2017, subsequent to our second quarter of fiscal 2018. See Note 13 and Note 14 for more information on our held for sale classification and related disposition. 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 March 31, 2017. The results of operations for the three and six months ended September 29, 2017, 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 six month periods in this report relate to fiscal periods ended September 29, 2017 and September 30, 2016. The six months ended September 29, 2017 and September 30, 2016 each consisted of 26 weeks. Our 2018 fiscal year consists of 52 weeks and ends on March 30, 2018. Recently adopted authoritative guidance Employee Stock-Based Compensation. In the first quarter of fiscal 2018, we adopted new guidance to simplify accounting for share-based payment transactions. Prior to adoption, excess tax benefits resulting from the difference between the deduction for tax purposes and the compensation costs recognized for financial reporting were not recognized until the deduction reduced taxes payable. As a result of the new guidance, we now recognize excess tax benefits or deficiencies in the period in which the award vests. We elected to continue to estimate forfeitures rather than record the forfeitures as they occur. We adopted the change in recognizing excess tax benefits using the modified retrospective method. We also elected to retrospectively apply the change in presentation of excess tax benefits recognized related to stock-based compensation expense in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows from financing activities to operating activities. The cumulative effect of adopting the new accounting guidance was not material. There have been no other material changes in our significant accounting policies as of and for the six months ended September 29, 2017, as compared to the significant accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017.

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, we completed our acquisition of Blue Coat, Inc. (“Blue Coat”). On February 9, 2017, we completed our acquisition of LifeLock, Inc. (“LifeLock”). These acquisitions have been included in our consolidated results of operations since their respective acquisition dates. See Note 6 for more information on our acquisitions.

On August 2, 2017, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell our website security and public key infrastructure (“WSS and PKI”) solutions to Thoma Bravo, LLC’s (“Thoma Bravo”) portfolio company DigiCert Parent Inc. (“DigiCert”). As a result, in the second quarter of fiscal 2018, the related assets and liabilities have been classified as held for sale on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The transaction closed on October 31, 2017, subsequent to our second quarter of fiscal 2018. See Note 13 and Note 14 for more information on our held for sale classification and related disposition.

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 March 31, 2017. The results of operations for the three and six months ended September 29, 2017, 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 six month periods in this report relate to fiscal periods ended September 29, 2017 and September 30, 2016. The six months ended September 29, 2017 and September 30, 2016 each consisted of 26 weeks. Our 2018 fiscal year consists of 52 weeks and ends on March 30, 2018.

Recently adopted authoritative guidance

Employee Stock-Based Compensation. In the first quarter of fiscal 2018, we adopted new guidance to simplify accounting for share-based payment transactions. Prior to adoption, excess tax benefits resulting from the difference between the deduction for tax purposes and the compensation costs recognized for financial reporting were not recognized until the deduction reduced taxes payable. As a result of the new guidance, we now recognize excess tax benefits or deficiencies in the period in which the award vests. We elected to continue to estimate forfeitures rather than record the forfeitures as they occur. We adopted the change in recognizing excess tax benefits using the modified retrospective method. We also elected to retrospectively apply the change in presentation of excess tax benefits recognized related to stock-based compensation expense in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows from financing activities to operating activities. The cumulative effect of adopting the new accounting guidance was not material.

There have been no other material changes in our significant accounting policies as of and for the six months ended September 29, 2017, as compared to the significant accounting policies described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017.