New Accounting Guidance (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements
Sales of Machinery, Energy & Transportation		$ 12,150	$ 9,130
Cost of goods sold		8,566	6,801
Other operating (income) expenses		300	996
Total operating costs		10,751	9,442
Operating profit		2,108	380
Consolidated profit before taxes		2,134	289
Provision (benefit) for income taxes		472	90
Profit (loss) of consolidated companies		1,662	199
Profit of consolidated and affiliated companies		1,667	194
Profit	[1]	1,665	$ 192
Receivables - trade and other		7,894		$ 7,370	$ 7,436
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		1,856		2,099	1,772
Inventories		10,947		10,022	10,018
Property, plant and equipment - net		13,912		13,965	14,155
Noncurrent deferred and refundable income taxes		1,687		1,695	1,693
Accrued expenses		3,551		3,446	3,220
Customer advances		1,399		1,472	1,426
Other current liabilities		1,890		1,725	1,742
Other liabilities		3,942		3,887	4,053
Profit employed in the business		27,929		26,289	$ 26,301
Revenue recognition
New Accounting Pronouncements
Sales of Machinery, Energy & Transportation		5
Cost of goods sold		6
Other operating (income) expenses		(6)
Operating profit		5
Consolidated profit before taxes		5
Provision (benefit) for income taxes		1
Profit (loss) of consolidated companies		4
Profit of consolidated and affiliated companies		4
Profit		4
Receivables - trade and other		(13)		(66)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		288		327
Inventories		(9)		4
Property, plant and equipment - net				(190)
Noncurrent deferred and refundable income taxes		1		2
Accrued expenses		226		226
Customer advances		49		46
Other current liabilities				(17)
Other liabilities				(166)
Profit employed in the business		(8)		$ (12)
Previous Accounting Guidance
New Accounting Pronouncements
Sales of Machinery, Energy & Transportation		12,145
Cost of goods sold		8,560
Other operating (income) expenses		306
Operating profit		2,103
Consolidated profit before taxes		2,129
Provision (benefit) for income taxes		471
Profit (loss) of consolidated companies		1,658
Profit of consolidated and affiliated companies		1,663
Profit		1,661
Receivables - trade and other		7,907
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		1,568
Inventories		10,956
Noncurrent deferred and refundable income taxes		1,686
Accrued expenses		3,325
Customer advances		1,350
Profit employed in the business		$ 27,937

[1] 1 Profit attributable to common shareholders.