Revenues - Significant Movements in Contract Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Beginning balance	$ 315	$ 334
Revenues recognized during the period but not billed	266	252
Amounts reclassified to trade accounts receivable	229	247
Ending balance	$ 352	$ 339

Contract With Customer, Asset, Revenue Recognized But Not Billed

No definition available.

Name:	ctsh_ContractWithCustomerAssetRevenueRecognizedButNotBilled
Namespace Prefix:	ctsh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer, when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130533-203044

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerAssetGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of decrease in right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time from transfer to receivable due to right to consideration becoming unconditional.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerAssetReclassifiedToReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration