Supplemental information - Summary of Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Nov. 30, 2020	Aug. 31, 2020	Nov. 30, 2019	Aug. 31, 2019
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,111	$ 516
Restricted cash (included in other current assets)	228	230
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$ 1,339	$ 746	$ 1,000	$ 1,207

Amount of cash and cash equivalents restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Cash includes, but is not limited to, currency on hand, demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, and other accounts with general characteristics of demand deposits. Cash equivalents include, but are not limited to, short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(2))
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Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Name:	us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant