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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName GREAT-WEST FUNDS INC
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Apr. 30, 2018
Great-West Putnam Equity Income Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund Summary
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Fund seeks capital growth and current income.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. This table does not reflect the fees and expenses of any Permitted Account. If the fees and expenses imposed by a Permitted Account were reflected, the fees and expenses shown below would be higher.
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination April 30, 2019
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s turnover rate was 35% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 35.00%
Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text] rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates Other Expenses are estimated for Class L shares because the class has not yet commenced operations.
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example does not reflect the fees and expenses of any Permitted Account. If the fees and expenses of any Permitted Account were reflected, the fees and expenses in the Example would be higher.

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and applies whether you hold or redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The Example also assumes that the expense reimbursement is in place for the first year, that your investment has a 5% return each year, that all dividends and capital gains are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses are the amount shown in the fee table and remain the same for the years shown. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock The Fund will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. The Fund invests mainly in common stocks of midsize and large U.S. companies, with a focus on value stocks that offer the potential for capital growth, current income, or both. Value stocks are those that the portfolio managers believe are currently undervalued by the market. If the portfolio managers are correct and other investors recognize the value of the company, the price of its stock may rise. The Fund invests mainly in midsize and large companies, which are of a size similar to those in the Russell 1000 Value Index (which was composed of companies having a market capitalization of between $1.1 billion and $489.2 billion as of December 31, 2017). The portfolio managers may consider, among other factors, a company’s valuation, financial strength, growth potential, competitive position in its industry, projected future earnings, cash flows and dividends when deciding whether to buy or sell investments.

The Fund may also invest in common stocks of small size U.S. companies, convertible securities, as well as companies from outside the United States.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Investment Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock The following is a summary of the principal investment risks of investing in the Fund:

Convertible Securities Risk - Convertible securities, particularly securities that are convertible into securities of an issuer other than the issuer of the convertible securities, may be illiquid.

Currency Risk - Adverse fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. Dollar and other currencies may cause the Fund to lose money on investments denominated in foreign currencies.

Foreign Securities Risk - Foreign markets can be more volatile than the U.S. market due to increased risks of adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, currency valuation or economic developments. In addition, emerging markets may be more volatile and less liquid than the markets of more mature economies, and the securities of emerging markets issuers often are subject to rapid and large changes in price.

Management Risk - A strategy used by the portfolio managers may fail to produce the intended results.

Market Risk - Stock markets are volatile and can decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments in the U.S. and in other countries. Market risk may affect a single company, a sector of the economy, or the market as a whole.

Preferred Stock Risk - Preferred stocks are subject to interest rate risk and credit risk.

Small and Medium Size Company Securities Risk - The stocks of small and medium size companies often involve more risk and volatility than those of larger companies. Among other things, small and medium size companies are often dependent on a small number of products and have limited financial resources, and there is generally less publicly available information about them. Securities of small and medium size companies have lower trading volume and are less liquid than securities of larger, more established companies.

Value Stock Risk - The value approach carries the risk that the market will not recognize a security’s intrinsic value for a long time, or that a stock judged to be undervalued may actually be appropriately valued.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank, is not insured, endorsed or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency, and is subject to the possible loss of your original investment.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney is subject to the possible loss of your original investment.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit with a bank, is not insured, endorsed or guaranteed by the FDIC or any government agency,
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The bar chart and table below provide an indication of the risk of investment in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares in each full calendar year since inception and by comparing the Fund’s Institutional Class and Investor Class average annual total return to the performance of a broad-based securities market index. No Class L share performance data is provided because Class L shares have not commenced operations. Class L share performance information will appear in future versions of this Prospectus after Class L shares have annual returns for at least one complete calendar year. The returns shown below are historical and are not an indication of future performance. Total return figures assume reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses, but do not include fees and expenses of any Permitted Account. If those fees and expenses were reflected, the performance shown would have been lower.

Updated performance information may be obtained at www.greatwestfunds.com (the website does not form a part of this Prospectus).
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide an indication of the risk of investment in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares in each full calendar year since inception and by comparing the Fund’s Institutional Class and Investor Class average annual total return to the performance of a broad-based securities market index.
Performance One Year or Less [Text] rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess No Class L share performance data is provided because Class L shares have not commenced operations.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.greatwestfunds.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The returns shown below are historical and are not an indication of future performance.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Calendar Year Total Returns
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads Total return figures assume reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses, but do not include fees and expenses of any Permitted Account. If those fees and expenses were reflected, the performance shown would have been lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
  Quarter Ended Total Return
Best Quarter March 2012 12.14%
Worst Quarter September 2015 -8.20%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
Great-West Putnam Equity Income Fund | Institutional Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.01% [1]
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.75%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets none [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.75%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 77
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 240
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 417
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 930
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 77
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 240
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 417
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 930
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 19.06%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 9.95% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate May 01, 2015
Great-West Putnam Equity Income Fund | Investor Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.35%
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.10% [1]
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.45%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.19%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.09% [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.10%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 112
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 369
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 646
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,435
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 112
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 369
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 646
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,435
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 18.88%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 31.64%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 12.36%
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (3.53%)
2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 13.13%
2017 rr_AnnualReturn2017 18.72%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2012
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 12.14%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2015
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (8.20%)
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 18.72%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 13.89%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 13.09% [4]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jun. 16, 2011
Great-West Putnam Equity Income Fund | Class L  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.35%
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.10% [1]
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.45%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.44%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.09% [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.35%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 137
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 447
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 778
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,716
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 137
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 447
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 778
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,716
Great-West Putnam Equity Income Fund | Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | Institutional Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 13.66%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 9.68% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate May 01, 2015
Great-West Putnam Equity Income Fund | Russell 1000 Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | Investor Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 13.66%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 14.04%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 13.07% [4]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jun. 16, 2011
[1] Other Expenses are estimated for Class L shares because the class has not yet commenced operations.
[2] GWCM has contractually agreed to waive fees or reimburse expenses that exceed 0.75% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to each Class, excluding Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees, Shareholder Services Fees, brokerage expenses, taxes, dividend interest on short sales, interest expenses, and any extraordinary expenses, including litigation costs (the “Expense Limit”). The agreement’s current term ends on April 30, 2019 and automatically renews for one-year terms unless it is terminated by Great-West Funds or GWCM upon written notice within 90 days of the end of the current term or upon termination of the investment advisory agreement. Under the agreement, GWCM may recoup, subject to Board approval, these waivers and reimbursements in future periods, not exceeding three years following the particular waiver/reimbursement, provided Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses of a Class plus such recoupment do not exceed the lesser of the Expense Limit that was in place at the time of the waiver/reimbursement or the Expense Limit in place at the time of recoupment.
[3] Since inception on May 1, 2015
[4] Since inception on June 16, 2011