General (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Jan. 23, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position of Patterson Companies, Inc. (referred to herein as "Patterson" or in the first person notations "we," "our," and "us") as of January 23, 2021, and our results of operations and cash flows for the periods ended January 23, 2021 and January 25, 2020. Such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended January 23, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any other interim period or for the year ending April 24, 2021. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements included in our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on June 24, 2020. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the assets and liabilities of PDC Funding Company, LLC ("PDC Funding"), PDC Funding Company II, LLC ("PDC Funding II"), PDC Funding Company III, LLC ("PDC Funding III") and PDC Funding Company IV, LLC ("PDC Funding IV"), which are our wholly owned subsidiaries and separate legal entities formed under Minnesota law. PDC Funding and PDC Funding II are fully consolidated special purpose entities established to sell customer installment sale contracts to outside financial institutions in the normal course of their business. PDC Funding III and PDC Funding IV are fully consolidated special purpose entity established to sell certain receivables to unaffiliated financial institutions. The assets of PDC Funding, PDC Funding II, PDC Funding III and PDC Funding IV would be available first and foremost to satisfy the claims of its creditors. There are no known creditors of PDC Funding, PDC Funding II, PDC Funding III or PDC Funding IV.
Fiscal Year End	Fiscal Year End We operate with a 52-53 week accounting convention with our fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in April. The third quarter of fiscal 2021 and 2020 represents the 13 weeks ended January 23, 2021 and the 13 weeks ended January 25, 2020, respectively. The nine months ended January 23, 2021 and January 25, 2020 each included 39 weeks. Fiscal 2021 will include 52 weeks and fiscal 2020 included 52 weeks.
Comprehensive Income	Comprehensive IncomeComprehensive income is computed as net income including certain other items that are recorded directly to stockholders’ equity. Significant items included in comprehensive income are foreign currency translation adjustments and the effective portion of cash flow hedges, net of tax. Foreign currency translation adjustments do not include a provision for income tax because earnings from foreign operations are considered to be indefinitely reinvested outside the U.S.
Revenue Recognition	Revenue Recognition Revenues are generated from the sale of consumable products, equipment and support, software and support, technical service parts and labor, and other sources. Revenues are recognized when or as performance obligations are satisfied. Performance obligations are satisfied when the customer obtains control of the goods or services. Consumable, equipment, software and parts sales are recorded upon delivery, except in those circumstances where terms of the sale are FOB shipping point, in which case sales are recorded upon shipment. Technical service labor is recognized as it is provided. Revenue derived from equipment and software support is recognized ratably over the period in which the support is provided. In addition to revenues generated from the distribution of consumable products under arrangements (buy/sell agreements) where the full market value of the product is recorded as revenue, we earn commissions for services provided under agency agreements. The agency agreement contrasts to a buy/sell agreement in that we do not have control over the transaction, as we do not have the primary responsibility of fulfilling the promise of the good or service and we do not bill or collect from the customer in an agency relationship. Commissions under agency agreements are recorded when the services are provided. Estimates for returns, damaged goods, rebates, loyalty programs and other revenue allowances are made at the time the revenue is recognized based on the historical experience for such items. The receivables that result from the recognition of revenue are reported net of related allowances. We maintain a valuation allowance based upon the expected collectability of receivables held. Estimates are used to determine the valuation allowance and are based on several factors, including historical collection data, current and forecasted economic trends and credit worthiness of customers. Receivables are written off when we determine the amounts to be uncollectible, typically upon customer bankruptcy or non-response to continuous collection efforts. The portions of receivable amounts that are not expected to be collected during the next twelve months are classified as long-term. Net sales do not include sales tax as we are considered a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax. Contract Balances Contract balances represent amounts presented in our condensed consolidated balance sheets when either we have transferred goods or services to the customer or the customer has paid consideration to us under the contract. These contract balances include accounts receivable, contract assets and contract liabilities.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326),” which requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. We adopted the new guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, and it did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain prior period amounts in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

General (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Jan. 23, 2021

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position of Patterson Companies, Inc. (referred to herein as "Patterson" or in the first person notations "we," "our," and "us") as of January 23, 2021, and our results of operations and cash flows for the periods ended January 23, 2021 and January 25, 2020. Such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended January 23, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any other interim period or for the year ending April 24, 2021. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements included in our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on June 24, 2020.

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the assets and liabilities of PDC Funding Company, LLC ("PDC Funding"), PDC Funding Company II, LLC ("PDC Funding II"), PDC Funding Company III, LLC ("PDC Funding III") and PDC Funding Company IV, LLC ("PDC Funding IV"), which are our wholly owned subsidiaries and separate legal entities formed under Minnesota law. PDC Funding and PDC Funding II are fully consolidated special purpose entities established to sell customer installment sale contracts to outside financial institutions in the normal course of their business. PDC Funding III and PDC Funding IV are fully consolidated special purpose entity established to sell certain receivables to unaffiliated financial institutions. The assets of PDC Funding, PDC Funding II, PDC Funding III and PDC Funding IV would be available first and foremost to satisfy the claims of its creditors. There are no known creditors of PDC Funding, PDC Funding II, PDC Funding III or PDC Funding IV.

Fiscal Year End

We operate with a 52-53 week accounting convention with our fiscal year ending on the last Saturday in April. The third quarter of fiscal 2021 and 2020 represents the 13 weeks ended January 23, 2021 and the 13 weeks ended January 25, 2020, respectively. The nine months ended January 23, 2021 and January 25, 2020 each included 39 weeks. Fiscal 2021 will include 52 weeks and fiscal 2020 included 52 weeks.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive IncomeComprehensive income is computed as net income including certain other items that are recorded directly to stockholders’ equity. Significant items included in comprehensive income are foreign currency translation adjustments and the effective portion of cash flow hedges, net of tax. Foreign currency translation adjustments do not include a provision for income tax because earnings from foreign operations are considered to be indefinitely reinvested outside the U.S.

Revenue Recognition

Revenues are generated from the sale of consumable products, equipment and support, software and support, technical service parts and labor, and other sources. Revenues are recognized when or as performance obligations are satisfied. Performance obligations are satisfied when the customer obtains control of the goods or services.

Consumable, equipment, software and parts sales are recorded upon delivery, except in those circumstances where terms of the sale are FOB shipping point, in which case sales are recorded upon shipment. Technical service labor is recognized as it is provided. Revenue derived from equipment and software support is recognized ratably over the period in which the support is provided.

In addition to revenues generated from the distribution of consumable products under arrangements (buy/sell agreements) where the full market value of the product is recorded as revenue, we earn commissions for services provided under agency agreements. The agency agreement contrasts to a buy/sell agreement in that we do not have control over the transaction, as we do not have the primary responsibility of fulfilling the promise of the good or service and we do not bill or collect from the customer in an agency relationship. Commissions under agency agreements are recorded when the services are provided.

Estimates for returns, damaged goods, rebates, loyalty programs and other revenue allowances are made at the time the revenue is recognized based on the historical experience for such items. The receivables that result from the recognition of revenue are reported net of related allowances. We maintain a valuation allowance based upon the expected collectability of receivables held. Estimates are used to determine the valuation allowance and are based on several factors, including historical collection data, current and forecasted economic trends and credit worthiness of customers. Receivables are written off when we determine the amounts to be uncollectible, typically upon customer bankruptcy or non-response to continuous collection efforts. The portions of receivable amounts that are not expected to be collected during the next twelve months are classified as long-term.

Net sales do not include sales tax as we are considered a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales tax.

Contract Balances

Contract balances represent amounts presented in our condensed consolidated balance sheets when either we have transferred goods or services to the customer or the customer has paid consideration to us under the contract. These contract balances include accounts receivable, contract assets and contract liabilities.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326),” which requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. We adopted the new guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, and it did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.

Reclassifications

Certain prior period amounts in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.