EARNINGS PER SHARE - Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2017	May 31, 2017	Feb. 28, 2017	Nov. 30, 2016	Aug. 31, 2016	May 31, 2016	Feb. 29, 2016	Nov. 30, 2015	Aug. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015
Basic Earnings per share
Net income attributable to Accenture plc		$ 932,453	$ 669,468	$ 838,752	$ 1,004,476	$ 1,069,226	$ 897,247	$ 1,326,520	$ 818,899	$ 3,445,149	$ 4,111,892	$ 3,053,581
Basic weighted average Class A ordinary shares (in shares)		617,515,125	619,436,804	621,999,948	621,569,764	622,555,642	623,725,913	626,523,793	626,463,124	620,104,250	624,797,820	626,799,586
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 1.51	$ 1.08	$ 1.35	$ 1.62	$ 1.72	$ 1.44	$ 2.12	$ 1.31	$ 5.56	$ 6.58	$ 4.87
Diluted Earnings per share
Net income attributable to Accenture plc		$ 932,453	$ 669,468	$ 838,752	$ 1,004,476	$ 1,069,226	$ 897,247	$ 1,326,520	$ 818,899	$ 3,445,149	$ 4,111,892	$ 3,053,581
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in Accenture Holdings plc and Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. (1)	[1]									149,131	195,560	178,925
Net income for diluted earnings per share calculation										$ 3,594,280	$ 4,307,452	$ 3,232,506
Basic weighted average Class A ordinary shares (in shares)		617,515,125	619,436,804	621,999,948	621,569,764	622,555,642	623,725,913	626,523,793	626,463,124	620,104,250	624,797,820	626,799,586
Class A ordinary shares issuable upon redemption/exchange of noncontrolling interests (1)	[1]									28,107,510	29,712,982	36,693,816
Diluted effect of employee compensation related to Class A ordinary shares										12,082,241	13,105,585	15,094,672
Diluted effect of share purchase plans related to Class A ordinary shares										169,226	153,887	168,996
Diluted weighted average Class A ordinary shares (in shares)		658,384,196	658,770,425	661,079,375	663,752,830	665,365,231	666,403,323	668,125,087	671,300,744	660,463,227	667,770,274	678,757,070
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 1.48	$ 1.05	$ 1.33	$ 1.58	$ 1.68	$ 1.41	$ 2.08	$ 1.28	$ 5.44	$ 6.45	$ 4.76

[1] Diluted earnings per share assumes the redemption of all Accenture Holdings plc ordinary shares owned by holders of noncontrolling interests and the exchange of all Accenture Canada Holdings Inc. exchangeable shares for Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares, on a one-for-one basis. The income effect does not take into account “Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests—other,” since those shares are not redeemable or exchangeable for Accenture plc Class A ordinary shares.