CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2017	Feb. 29, 2016	Feb. 28, 2017	Feb. 29, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales	$ 29,446	$ 30,184	$ 57,947	$ 59,217
Cost of sales	21,885	22,317	43,270	43,931
Gross Profit	7,561	7,867	14,677	15,286
Selling, general and administrative expenses	6,124	6,007	11,810	11,958
Equity earnings in AmerisourceBergen	42	0	59	0
Operating Income	1,479	1,860	2,926	3,328
Other expense	(15)	(496)	(14)	(553)
Earnings Before Interest and Income Tax Provision	1,464	1,364	2,912	2,775
Interest expense, net	172	140	345	278
Earnings Before Income Tax Provision	1,292	1,224	2,567	2,497
Income tax provision	246	301	466	468
Post tax earnings from other equity method investments	16	9	28	20
Net Earnings	1,062	932	2,129	2,049
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	2	2	15	9
Net Earnings Attributable to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.	$ 1,060	$ 930	$ 2,114	$ 2,040
Net earnings per common share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.98	$ 0.86	$ 1.96	$ 1.88
Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.98	0.85	1.94	1.87
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.375	$ 0.3600	$ 0.750	$ 0.7200
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	1,079.7	1,080.2	1,080.9	1,084.6
Diluted (in shares)	1,085.5	1,088.4	1,086.9	1,093.5