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Global Multi-Strategy Fund (Prospectus Summary) | Global Multi-Strategy Fund
Global Multi-Strategy Fund
Objective:
The Fund seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation with an emphasis on positive
total returns and relatively low volatility.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold
shares of the Fund. Information about discounts is available from your financial
professional and in "Choosing a Share Class and The Costs of Investing" beginning
on page 38 of the Fund's prospectus and "Multiple Class Structure" beginning on
page 59 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Shareholder Fees
Global Multi-Strategy Fund
Class C
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of dollars subject to charge) 1.00%
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
Global Multi-Strategy Fund
Class C
Management Fees 1.60%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees 1.00%
Dividend and Interest Expense on Short Sales [1] 1.56%
Remainder of Other Expenses [1] 0.45%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 4.61%
Expense Reimbursement [2] 0.30%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Expense Reimbursement 4.31%
[1] Other Expenses are estimated for the year ending August 31, 2012
[2] Principal Management Corporation ("Principal"), the investment advisor, has contractually agreed to limit the Fund's expenses attributable to Class C shares and, if necessary, pay expenses normally payable by the Fund, excluding interest expense and dividend and interest expense on short sales, through the period ending December 31, 2013. The expense limit will maintain a total level of operating expenses (expressed as a percent of average net assets on an annualized basis) not to exceed 2.75% for Class C shares. It is expected that the expense limit will continue through the period disclosed; however, Principal Funds, Inc. and Principal, the parties to the agreement, may agree to terminate the expense limit prior to the end of the period.
Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund
with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
  
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods
indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The
Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that
the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may
be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example (USD $)
Expense Example, With Redemption, 1 Year
Expense Example, With Redemption, 3 Years
Global Multi-Strategy Fund Class C
532 1,364
You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:
Expense Example, No Redemption (USD $)
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years
Global Multi-Strategy Fund Class C
432 1,364
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells
securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate
may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund
shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in
annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance.
This is a new Fund and does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate to disclose.
Principal Investment Strategies
Principal Management Corporation ("Principal"), the Fund's investment adviser,
allocates the Fund's assets among one or more of the investment strategies
described below, which are executed by one or more of the Fund's sub-advisors.
In making these allocations, Principal seeks to combine the strategies of the
sub-advisors efficiently and systematically so that the Fund generates, through
a diversified set of investment strategies, a positive total return with
relatively low volatility and low sensitivity or correlation to market indices.
By allocating the Fund's assets among a variety of investment strategies, which
will vary from time-to-time, the Fund seeks to lessen risk and reduce volatility.
Principal may also direct a sub-advisor to reduce or omit its investment in certain
assets or asset classes in an effort to achieve its desired combination of the
Fund's strategies.

In pursuing its strategies, the Fund invests in a broad range of instruments
including, but not limited to, equities, bonds, currencies, convertible
securities and derivatives such as futures, options, swaps (including, for
example, credit default, interest rate, and currency swaps) and forwards. The
Fund intends to engage in many derivative transactions to gain exposure to a
variety of securities or attempt to reduce risk. The Fund intends to invest in
securities that are tied economically to a number of countries throughout the
world, including the U.S.; however, the Fund has no requirements as to the
amount of its net assets that it invests in foreign securities. The Fund is
considered non-diversified, which means it can invest a higher percentage of
assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund. The Fund
may actively trade securities.
  
Some of the strategies take long and/or short positions. When taking a short
position, the Fund may sell an instrument that it does not own and then borrow
to meet its settlement obligations. The Fund may take short positions in
futures, forwards or swaps. A short position will benefit from a decrease in
price of the underlying instrument and will lose value if the price of the
underlying instrument increases. Long positions will profit if the value of
the instrument increases. Simultaneously engaging in long investing and short
selling reduces the net exposure of the overall portfolio to general market
movements. Relative value positions may be taken as well in the various
strategies. Relative value strategies capitalize on price differences between
similar securities or relative value among securities of the same company.
  
The Fund may use all or some of the following strategies to varying degrees,
depending on market conditions, and may add additional strategies. Principal
may allocate 0 to 100% of the Fund's assets to any of these strategies at any
time.
  
Credit Long/Short and Distressed Credit. This strategy utilizes a flexible
investment approach that allocates investments across a global range of
investment opportunities related to credit, currencies and interest rates, while
employing risk management strategies. This strategy invests in fixed income
securities and instruments and may invest in both investment-grade securities
and high yield, below-investment grade securities (sometimes called "junk bonds"
and are rated at the time of purchase BB+ or lower by S&P or rated Ba1 or lower
by Moody's or of equivalent rating as determined by the sub-advisor). This
strategy may also invest in the following securities: securities denominated in
foreign currencies and in U.S. dollar denominated securities of foreign issuers,
preferred securities, convertible securities, Rule 144A securities, mortgage or
asset-backed securities, floating rate debt (including bank loans), distressed
investments, emerging markets, equities and derivative instruments, such as
options, futures contracts, forwards or swap agreements. This strategy may
utilize derivative instruments in an effort to minimize volatility. Also, at
times, this strategy expects to gain its investment exposure substantially
through the use of derivatives. The notional value of this strategy's long and
short investment exposures may at times each reach 100% of the assets invested
in this strategy (excluding instruments used primarily for duration, yield
curve, and interest rate management and short-term investments), although these
exposures may be higher or lower at any given time. This strategy may purchase
or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment
basis and may engage in short sales. The strategy may, without limitation, seek
to obtain market exposure to the securities in which it primarily invests by
entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other
investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls).
  
Equity Long/Short. This strategy provides long and short exposure to a
diversified portfolio of equities which involves simultaneously investing in
equities (i.e., investing long) the sub-advisor expects to increase in value
(securities the sub-advisor believes are undervalued) and either selling
equities (i.e., short sales or short selling) the sub-advisor expects to
decrease in value (securities the sub-advisor believes are overvalued) or
hedging the equity exposure in another way. Long/short equity may maintain
overweights of industry exposures and also seeks to exploit pricing
inefficiencies between related equity securities. This strategy has available
two methods of analysis: fundamental analysis, a method of security analysis
that involves examining a company's financial statements and operations,
especially sales, earnings, products, management and competition and
quantitative analysis, a method of security analysis that involves use of
mathematical models to examine a company's measurable characteristics such
as revenue, earnings, margins and market share.

Equity Market Neutral. This strategy seeks to profit by exploiting pricing
inefficiencies between related equity securities and neutralizing exposure
to market risk by maintaining long and short positions. Equity market neutral
is not expected to have industry overweights.
  
Dedicated Short Bias. The dedicated short bias strategy seeks to profit by
shorting stocks that have negative market sentiment and neutralizing exposure to
market risk by maintaining long and short positions.
  
Global Macro. Global macro strategies seek to profit from movement in the prices
of securities that are highly sensitive to macroeconomic conditions, across a
broad spectrum of assets. This strategy provides long and short exposure to
developed country equities, currencies, and bonds markets.

Emerging Markets. This strategy seeks to profit from investing in equities,
bonds, and currencies of issuers in emerging markets. This strategy provides
long and short exposure to emerging country equity, debt, and currency markets,
and long and short exposure to a basket of liquid equity securities traded on
emerging and developed market exchanges.
  
Convertible Arbitrage. Convertible arbitrage strategies seek to profit from the
complexity of the pricing of convertible bonds (which contain elements of both a
fixed income security and an equity option) by structuring trades using multiple
securities within the capital structure of a convertible bond issuer. The Fund
may purchase the convertible bond of a given issuer and simultaneously sell
short the common stock of that same issuer to take advantage of a mispricing of
either security. This strategy takes positions in various global convertible
debt and preferred securities and an offsetting position in various global
equities directly linked to the convertible securities. In implementing this
strategy, the Fund may use derivatives to hedge against a decline in interest
rates or credit exposure.
  
Managed Futures. Managed futures strategies seek to profit from the design and
implementation of quantitative selection models to help predict upcoming
movements in any combination of fixed income, currency, or equity markets. This
strategy provides long and short exposure to developed country equities, bonds
and currency markets and long and short exposure to emerging country equity and
currency markets.
  
Event Driven. Event driven strategies seek to profit from investing in the
securities of companies based not on a value or growth investment style but
rather on the basis that a specific event or catalyst will affect future prices.
This strategy attempts to capitalize on price discrepancies and returns
generated by corporate activity, such as merger arbitrage. In merger arbitrage,
the Fund will employ a diversified, disciplined strategy to attempt to capture
the returns from holding a long/short portfolio of stocks of companies involved
in mergers.
  
Fixed Income Arbitrage. Fixed income arbitrage seeks to profit from exploiting
mispricing of various, liquid fixed income or interest rate sensitive
securities. This strategy provides long and short exposure to developed country
bond and currency markets, long and short exposure to investment grade credit
markets and long and short exposure to forward mortgage-backed securities
trading in the to be announced ("TBA") market.
Principal Risks
The Fund may be an appropriate investment for investors who seek long-term
capital appreciation and who can accept the risks of investing in a variety of
global markets and a variety of instruments.

The value of your investment in the Fund changes with the value of the Fund's
investments. Many factors affect that value, and it is possible to lose money by
investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and
is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any
other government agency. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, in
alphabetical order, are:
   
Active Trading Risk. Actively trading portfolio securities may accelerate
realization of taxable gains and losses, lower fund performance and may result
in high portfolio turnover rates and increased brokerage costs.
  
Arbitrage Trading Risk. The underlying relationships between securities in which
the fund takes arbitrage investment positions may change in an adverse manner,
in which case the fund may realize losses.
  
Asset Allocation Risk. A fund's selection and weighting of asset classes may
cause it to underperform other funds with a similar investment objective.
  
Bank Loans Risk. Changes in economic conditions are likely to cause issuers of
bank loans (also known as senior floating rate interests) to be unable to meet
their obligations. In addition, the value of the collateral securing the loan
may decline, causing a loan to be substantially unsecured. Underlying credit
agreements governing the bank loans, reliance on market makers, priority of
repayment and overall market volatility may harm the liquidity of loans.
  
Basis Risk. A hedge using derivatives and/or securities could expose the fund to
basis risk. Basis risk could arise when the change in price of the hedge may not
match the change in price of the asset it hedges. In other words, the hedge
moves in a direction that does not match the asset it is trying to hedge.
  
Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty to a
derivatives contract or repurchase agreement, the borrower of a portfolio's
securities, or other obligation, will be unable or unwilling to make timely
principal, interest, or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its
obligations.
  
Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities can be bonds, notes,
debentures, preferred stock or other securities which are convertible into
common stock. Convertible securities are subject to both the credit and interest
rate risks associated with fixed income securities and to the stock market risk
associated with equity securities.
  
Derivatives Risk. Transactions in derivatives (such as options, futures, currency
contracts, and swaps) may increase volatility, cause the liquidation of portfolio
positions when not advantageous to do so and produce disproportionate losses.
  
Distressed Investments Risk. A fund's investment in instruments involving loans,
loan participations, bonds, notes, non-performing and sub-performing mortgage
loans, many of which are not publicly traded, may involve a substantial degree
of risk for the following reasons. These instruments may become illiquid and the
prices of such instruments may be extremely volatile. Valuing such instruments
may be difficult and a fund may lose all of its investment, or it may be
required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the fund's original
investment. Issuers of distressed securities are typically in a weak financial
condition and may default, in which case the fund may lose its entire
investment.
  
Emerging Market Risk. Investments in emerging market countries may have more
risk than those in developed market countries because the emerging markets are
less developed and more illiquid. Emerging market countries can also be subject
to increased social, economic, regulatory, and political uncertainties and can
be extremely volatile.
  
Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities (common, convertible preferred stocks
and other securities whose values are tied to the price of stocks, such as
rights, warrants and convertible debt securities) could decline in value if the
issuer's financial condition declines or in response to overall market and
economic conditions. A fund's principal market segment(s), such as large cap,
mid cap or small cap stocks, or growth or value stocks, may underperform other
market segments or the equity markets as a whole. Investments in smaller
companies and mid-size companies may involve greater risk and price volatility
than investments in larger, more mature companies.
  
Event-Driven Trading Risk. Event-driven trading involves the risk that the
special situation may not occur as anticipated, if at all, and that the market
price of a stock declines.
  
Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are subject to interest
rate risk and credit quality risk. The market value of fixed-income securities
generally declines when interest rates rise, and an issuer of fixed-income
securities could default on its payment obligations.
  
Foreign Securities Risk. The risks of foreign securities include loss of value
as a result of: political or economic instability; nationalization, expropriation
or confiscatory taxation; changes in foreign exchange rates and foreign exchange
restrictions; settlement delays; and limited government regulation (including
less stringent reporting, accounting, and disclosure standards than are required
of U.S. companies).
  
High Yield Securities Risk. High yield fixed-income securities (commonly
referred to as "junk bonds") are subject to greater credit quality risk than
higher rated fixed-income securities and should be considered speculative.

Leverage Risk. Leverage created by borrowing or certain types of transactions or
investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities,
and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions,
or derivative instruments, may impair the fund's liquidity, cause it to liquidate
positions at an unfavorable time, increase volatility of the fund's net asset value,
or diminish the fund's performance.
  
Non-Diversification Risk. A non-diversified fund may invest a high percentage
of its assets in the securities of a small number of issuers and is more likely
than diversified funds to be significantly affected by a specific security's
poor performance.
  
Portfolio Duration Risk. Portfolio duration is a measure of the expected life
of a fixed-income security and its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The
longer a fund's average portfolio duration, the more sensitive the fund will be
to changes in interest rates.
  
Preferred Securities Risk. Preferred securities are junior subordinated
securities in a company's capital structure and therefore can be subject to
greater credit and liquidation risk. An issuer of preferred securities could
redeem the security prior to the stated maturity date and reduce the return of
the security.
  
Prepayment Risk. Unscheduled prepayments on mortgage-backed and asset-backed
securities may have to be reinvested at lower rates. A reduction in prepayments
may increase the effective maturities of these securities, exposing them to the
risk of decline in market value over time (extension risk).
  
Risk of Being an Underlying Fund. An underlying fund of a fund of funds may
experience relatively large redemptions or investments as the fund of funds
periodically reallocates or rebalances its assets. These transactions may cause
the underlying fund to sell portfolio securities to meet such redemptions, or to
invest cash from such investments, at times it would not otherwise do so, and
may as a result increase transaction costs and adversely affect underlying fund
performance.
  
Short Sale Risk. A short sale involves the sale by the fund of a security that
it does not own with the hope of purchasing the same security at a later date at
a lower price. A fund may also enter into a short derivative position through a
futures contract or swap agreement. If the price of the security or derivative
has increased during this time, then the fund will incur a loss equal to the
increase in price from the time that the short sale was entered into plus any
premiums and interest paid to the third party. Therefore, short sales involve
the risk that losses may be exaggerated, potentially losing more money than the
actual cost of the investment. Also, there is the risk that the third party to
the short sale may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss to the fund.
  
Value Stock Risk. The market may not recognize the intrinsic value of value
stocks for a long time, or they may be appropriately priced at the time of
purchase.
Performance
No performance information is shown because the Fund has not yet had a calendar
year of performance. The Fund's performance will be benchmarked against the HRFI
(Hedge Fund Research Inc.) Funds-of-Funds Composite Index.