SEGMENT INFORMATION Profitability (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($) segment	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of operating segments | segment	3
Percentage of revenue from a single customer	Less than 10 percent	Less than 10 percent	Less than 10 percent
Select income statement components (Loss) [Abstract]
Total net revenue	$ 4,202	$ 4,038	$ 4,048
Income from operations	615	522	419
Depreciation expense	95	98	120
Share-based compensation	58	54	96
Life Sciences and Applied Markets
Select income statement components (Loss) [Abstract]
Total net revenue	2,073	2,046	2,078
Income from operations	429	380	369
Depreciation expense	36	27	29
Share-based compensation	29	27	29
Diagnostics and Genomics
Select income statement components (Loss) [Abstract]
Total net revenue	709	662	663
Income from operations	114	88	93
Depreciation expense	31	37	43
Share-based compensation	10	9	9
Agilent CrossLab
Select income statement components (Loss) [Abstract]
Total net revenue	1,420	1,330	1,307
Income from operations	316	299	301
Depreciation expense	28	34	33
Share-based compensation	21	18	18
Segment Total [Member]
Select income statement components (Loss) [Abstract]
Total net revenue	4,202	4,038	4,048
Income from operations	859	767	763
Depreciation expense	95	98	105
Share-based compensation	$ 60	$ 54	$ 56