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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 SecureFoundation Balanced ETF 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 long-term capital appreciation and 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 describe the fee for the Guarantee (the “Guarantee Benefit Fee”), which is described in a separate prospectus describing the Guarantee. If reflected, the expenses shown would be higher. You may qualify for a sales charge waiver. Information about the waiver is available from your financial professional and in the “Class A Shares Purchase Programs” section of this Prospectus.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
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 and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. 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 23% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 23.00%
Expenses Not Correlated to Ratio Due to Acquired Fund Fees [Text] rr_ExpensesNotCorrelatedToRatioDueToAcquiredFundFees The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets provided in the Fund's Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund (Underlying Fund) Fees and Expenses.
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 expenses of the Guarantee Benefit Fee. If the fees and expenses of the Guarantee Benefit Fee 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 Under normal conditions, the Fund will invest 50-70% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in Underlying ETFs that invest primarily in equity securities and 30-50% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in Underlying ETFs that invest primarily in fixed income securities.

GWCM uses asset allocation strategies to allocate assets among asset classes and the Underlying ETFs. The Fund currently invests primarily in Underlying ETFs designed to track the performance of a specified securities index (“Index Funds”). Each Underlying ETF has its own investment objective and strategies and may hold a wide range of securities and other instruments in its portfolio, including, without limitation, U.S. and foreign equities (including those from emerging markets), fixed income securities, derivatives, and short-term investments. The following table shows the Fund’s target allocation for the various asset classes and the Underlying ETFs in which the Fund expects to invest as of the date of this Prospectus:
Large Cap 27.00% International 12.00%
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF   Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF  
Mid Cap 11.00% Emerging Markets 3.00%
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF   Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF  
Small Cap 9.00% Bond 38.00%
Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF   Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF  

The Fund will rebalance its holdings of the Underlying ETFs on a periodic basis to maintain the appropriate asset allocation. GWCM reviews asset class allocations, Underlying ETF allocations, and the Underlying ETFs themselves on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as deemed necessary. GWCM may add or delete asset classes, add or delete Underlying ETFs, or change the target allocations at any time and without shareholder notice or approval.

In addition to investing in Underlying ETFs, the Fund may invest a portion of its assets directly in derivatives, such as futures, for cash management purposes and to gain exposure to securities in the underlying index pending investment in Underlying ETFs. The Fund also may hold a portion of its assets in U.S. government securities, money market funds, and cash or cash equivalents for cash management purposes.
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:

Conflict of Interest Risk - GWCM may be subject to conflicts of interest because its affiliate, GWL&A, is the issuer of the Guarantee that you are required to purchase if you invest in the Fund.

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”) Risk - Because ETF shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
  • ETF shares can be bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. Thus, the Fund may pay more or less than NAV when it buys ETF shares on the secondary market, and the Funds may receive more or less than NAV when it sells those shares.
  • Although ETF shares are listed for trading, it is possible that an active trading market may not develop or be maintained.
  • Trading of ETF shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide “circuit breakers” (which halt trading for a specified period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market process decline by a specified percentage). Trading of ETF shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from an exchange without first being listed on another exchange or (2) exchange officials deems such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or to protect investors.
Fund-of-Funds Structure Risk
  • Since the Fund invests directly in the Underlying ETFs, all risks associated with the eligible Underlying ETFs apply to the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests more of its assets in one Underlying ETF than another, the Fund will have greater exposure to the risks of that Underlying ETF.
  • Since the Fund invests in Underlying ETFs, you will bear your proportionate share of expenses of the Fund and indirectly your proportionate share of expenses of the Underlying ETFs.
  • The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), which means a relatively high percentage of its assets may be invested in securities of a limited number of Underlying ETFs. As a result, the Fund’s securities may be more susceptible to any single economic, political or regulatory event than that experienced by a similarly structured diversified fund.
The following are risks associated with Fund and Underlying ETF investments that may directly or indirectly result in a loss of your investment in the Fund. There can be no assurance that an Underlying ETF will achieve its investment objective.

Currency Exchange Rate Risk - Adverse fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. Dollar and other currencies may cause an Underlying ETF to lose money on investments denominated in foreign currencies. Currency risk is especially high in emerging markets.

Derivatives Risk - Using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The Fund or an Underlying ETF may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the Fund or the Underlying ETF’s holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives can also make a fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets. There can be no assurance that the Fund or the Underlying ETF’s use of derivative contracts will work as intended.

Developing and Emerging Markets Risk - Stocks of companies located in emerging markets may be substantially more volatile, and substantially less liquid, than the stocks of companies located in more developed foreign markets. Emerging market countries may experience higher inflation, interest rates and unemployment, greater social, economic, regulatory and political uncertainties, and greater volatility in currency exchange rates than more developed countries.

Equity Securities Risk - The value of the stocks and other securities owned by the Underlying ETFs will fluctuate depending on the performance of the companies that issued them, general market and economic conditions, and investor confidence.

Fixed Income Securities Risk – Investments in fixed income securities will be subject to interest rate risk (the chance that bond prices will decline because of rising interest rates), income risk (the chance that income will decline because of falling interest rates), credit risk (the chance that a bond issuer will fail to pay interest and principal in a timely manner, or that market perception of the issuer will cause the price of a bond to decline), and call/prepayment risk (the chance that bond issuers will redeem bonds prior to their maturity dates).

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.

Geographic Concentration Risk - Geographic concentration risk is the risk that economic, political and social conditions in the countries or regions in which an Underlying ETF invests will have a significant impact on the performance of the Underlying ETF.

Liquidity Risk - Underlying ETFs may invest in securities that cannot be sold, or cannot be sold quickly, at an acceptable price. When there is little or no active trading market for specific types of securities, it can become more difficult to sell the securities at or near their perceived value. In such a market, the value of such securities and the Underlying ETF’s share price may fall dramatically. Extraordinary and sudden changes in interest rates could disrupt the market for fixed-income securities and result in fluctuations in the Underlying ETF’s net asset value. Increased redemptions due to a rise in interest rates may require the Underlying ETF to liquidate its holdings at an unfavorable time and/or under adverse or disadvantageous conditions which may negatively affect the Underlying ETF. Investments in many, but not all, foreign securities tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities.

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

Market Risk - 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, industry sector of the economy or the market as a whole.

Small, Medium and Large 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. Companies with large market capitalizations go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions, and could underperform returns of smaller companies.

Tracking a Benchmark Index Risk - Index Funds are mutual funds or ETFs designed to track the performance of a specified securities benchmark index. The benchmark index may perform unfavorably and/or underperform the market as a whole. In addition, an Index Fund may not be able to precisely track the performance of its benchmark index.

An investment in the Fund or Underlying ETFs 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.

Risks Associated with the Guarantee - The Guarantee provides guaranteed income for the life of a designated person(s) provided all conditions are met. Investors who purchase shares of the Fund will be subject to certain risks associated with the Guarantee including, without limitation, the possibility that no benefits may be payable under the Guarantee depending on your pattern of share redemptions, your lifespan, the Fund’s investment performance, and other variables; the Guarantee may be terminated under certain circumstances; GWL&A may increase the Guarantee Benefit Fee; if GWL&A determines that the Fund is ineligible, you would be required to transfer to another eligible fund and you may be subject to higher fees and charges; and there may be tax consequences associated with the Guarantee. Any payments under the Guarantee depend on GWL&A’s long-term ability to make such payments. Neither Great-West Funds nor the Fund is responsible for any payments under the Guarantee. The Guarantee does not guarantee the investment performance of the Fund.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney is subject to the possible loss of your original investment.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text] rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus
  • The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), which means a relatively high percentage of its assets may be invested in securities of a limited number of Underlying ETFs. As a result, the Fund’s securities may be more susceptible to any single economic, political or regulatory event than that experienced by a similarly structured diversified fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund or Underlying ETFs 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 Class A shares in each full calendar year since inception and by comparing its average annual total return to the performance of a broad-based securities market index, a secondary index, and a Composite Index which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Composite Index is derived by applying the Fund’s target asset allocation among the asset classes over time to the results of the following indexes: the S&P 500® Index (large blend); the S&P MidCap 400® Index (mid blend); the S&P SmallCap 600® Index (small blend); the MSCI EAFE® Index (international large blend); the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (diversified emerging markets); and the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (intermediate term bond). See Appendix A for more information regarding the Composite Index. 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. Returns shown in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If those charges were reflected, the performance shown would be lower.

Updated performance information may be obtained at www.securefoundationsmartfuture.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 Class A shares in each full calendar year since inception and by comparing its average annual total return to the performance of a broad-based securities market index, a secondary index, and a Composite Index which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.securefoundationsmartfuture.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 for Class A Shares Before Sales Charges
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. Returns shown in the bar chart do not reflect the impact of sales charges. If those charges were reflected, the performance shown would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
  Quarter Ended Total Return
Best Quarter March 2013 5.30%
Worst Quarter September 2015 -4.87%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual Federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown do not apply to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or an individual retirement account (IRA).
Great-West SecureFoundation Balanced ETF Fund | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.00%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther none
Redemption Fee rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption none
Exchange Fee rr_ExchangeFeeOverRedemption none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.16%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Administrative Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.05%
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.36%
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.41%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.07%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.89% [1]
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.33% [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.56%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 554
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 737
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 936
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,508
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 554
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 737
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 936
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,508
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 15.52%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 6.22%
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (0.79%)
2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 8.69%
2017 rr_AnnualReturn2017 13.70%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2013
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 5.30%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2015
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (4.87%)
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 8.02%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.40%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 7.74%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 23, 2012
Great-West SecureFoundation Balanced ETF Fund | after taxes on distributions | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 6.48% [3]
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 6.42% [3]
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.72% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 23, 2012 [3]
Great-West SecureFoundation Balanced ETF Fund | after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.66% [3]
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 5.45% [3]
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.72% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 23, 2012 [3]
Great-West SecureFoundation Balanced ETF Fund | Wilshire 5000 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 20.99%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.67%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 14.97%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 23, 2012
Great-West SecureFoundation Balanced ETF Fund | Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.54%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.10%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.49%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 23, 2012
Great-West SecureFoundation Balanced ETF Fund | Composite Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 14.07%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 9.28%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 9.27%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Jan. 23, 2012
[1] The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets provided in the Fund's Financial Highlights, which reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include Acquired Fund (Underlying Fund) Fees and Expenses.
[2] GWCM has contractually agreed to reduce its advisory fee or pay the Fund an amount equal to the amount by which any ordinary operating expenses, excluding advisory fees payable to GWCM, distribution and service fees pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 or successor plan, expenses incurred under an administrative services plan, interest, taxes, brokerage and transaction costs, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses, extraordinary expenses such as litigation, other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of such Fund’s business, indirect expenses (including, without limitation, acquired fund fees and expenses), and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by Great-West Funds’ Independent Directors (“Other Expenses”) incurred by the Fund that exceeds an annual rate of 0.07% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for Class A shares (“Expense Limit”). The agreement’s current term ends on April 30, 2019. The agreement 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 these waivers and reimbursements in future periods, not exceeding three years following the particular waiver/reimbursement, provided Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, 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] After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual Federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown do not apply to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or an individual retirement account (IRA).