Sales - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 27, 2019	Jun. 28, 2019	Mar. 29, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 28, 2018	Jun. 29, 2018	Mar. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales	$ 2,002.4	$ 1,860.0	$ 1,864.7	$ 1,592.9	$ 1,757.5	$ 1,601.2	$ 1,601.8	$ 1,492.2	$ 7,320.0	$ 6,452.7	$ 5,756.1
Distributors
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									3,158.4	3,136.8	2,877.8
Retail fueling
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,903.6	1,777.5	1,637.8
Industrial & Manufacturing
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									448.1	445.1	314.9
Vehicle repair
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									574.7	581.5	569.3
Utilities & Power
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									199.6	172.3	228.2
Medical (a)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									934.2	393.7	233.9
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,586.9	1,379.3	1,261.3
Total direct sales
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									5,647.1	4,749.4	4,245.4
Distributors
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,672.9	1,703.3	1,510.7
Products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									6,396.9	5,755.0	5,173.3
Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									923.1	697.7	582.8
Professional tools and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									5,014.7	4,690.7	4,211.3
Industrial automation, controls and sensors
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									484.1	504.0	481.5
Franchise distribution
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									637.9	640.0	626.2
Medical technologies
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									934.2	393.7	233.9
All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									249.1	224.3	203.2
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									4,427.8	3,655.1	3,139.1
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Retail fueling
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									0.0	0.0	0.0
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Industrial & Manufacturing
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									390.8	384.5	265.8
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Vehicle repair
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									0.0	0.0	0.0
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Utilities & Power
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									199.6	171.0	227.3
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Medical (a)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									927.4	386.3	228.9
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,312.5	1,074.9	965.3
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Total direct sales
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,830.3	2,016.7	1,687.3
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Distributors
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,597.5	1,638.4	1,451.8
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									3,792.8	3,215.2	2,813.2
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									635.0	439.9	325.9
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Professional tools and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,880.8	2,663.1	2,338.7
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Industrial automation, controls and sensors
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									370.5	381.4	368.3
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Franchise distribution
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									0.0	0.0	0.0
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | Medical technologies
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									927.4	386.3	228.9
Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									249.1	224.3	203.2
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,892.2	2,797.6	2,617.0
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Retail fueling
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,903.6	1,777.5	1,637.8
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Industrial & Manufacturing
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									57.3	60.6	49.1
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Vehicle repair
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									574.7	581.5	569.3
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Utilities & Power
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									0.0	1.3	0.9
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Medical (a)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									6.8	7.4	5.0
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									274.4	304.4	296.0
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Total direct sales
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,816.8	2,732.7	2,558.1
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Distributors
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									75.4	64.9	58.9
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Products
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,604.1	2,539.8	2,360.1
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									288.1	257.8	256.9
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Professional tools and equipment
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,133.9	2,027.6	1,872.6
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Industrial automation, controls and sensors
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									113.6	122.6	113.2
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Franchise distribution
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									637.9	640.0	626.2
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | Medical technologies
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									6.8	7.4	5.0
Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments | All other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									0.0	0.0	0.0
United States
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									4,206.5	3,539.6	3,148.7
United States | Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,354.9	1,829.6	1,486.0
United States | Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,851.6	1,710.0	1,662.7
China
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									592.0	569.0	498.4
China | Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									487.3	459.5	416.7
China | Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									104.7	109.5	81.7
All other (each country individually less than 5% of total sales)
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									2,521.5	2,344.1	2,109.0
All other (each country individually less than 5% of total sales) | Professional Instrumentation | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									1,585.6	1,366.0	1,236.4
All other (each country individually less than 5% of total sales) | Industrial Technologies | Operating Segments
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Sales									$ 935.9	$ 978.1	$ 872.6