Supplementary financial information - assets and liabilities included in consolidated balance sheet captions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Aug. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2016
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
Accrued salaries and wages	$ 1,228	$ 1,398
Other	4,245	4,086
Accrued expenses and other liabilities, Total	$ 5,473	$ 5,484

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the obligations incurred through that date and payable for employees' services provided. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6911-107765

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6935-107765

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Current Liabilities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6509677

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedSalariesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant