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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 Government Money Market 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 as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital and liquidity.
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)
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 in government securities. The Fund will, under normal circumstances, invest 99.5% or more of its total assets in cash, government securities, and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by cash and/or government securities. The Fund will invest in short-term securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, including U.S. Treasury obligations, backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, and securities of agencies of the U.S. Government including, but not limited to, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Bank that carry no government guarantees.

The Fund will invest in securities that are only denominated in U.S. Dollars and in securities with a weighted average maturity of less than 60 days and a dollar-weighted average life to maturity of no more than 120 days.

The Fund will invest in high-quality, short-term fixed income securities. These securities will have a rating in one of the two highest rating categories for short-term fixed income obligations by at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization such as Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Corporation (or unrated securities of comparable quality).

The Fund seeks to maintain a stable net asset value (“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.
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:

Credit Risk - An issuer may default on its obligations to pay principal and/or interest. A security’s value may be affected by changes in its credit quality rating or its issuer’s financial conditions.

Interest Rate Risk - The market value of a fixed income security is affected significantly by changes in interest rates. When interest rates rise, the market value of fixed income securities generally declines and when interest rates decline, market values of such securities generally rise. The longer a security’s maturity, that is, the time remaining until the final payment on the security is due, the greater the risk and the higher its yield. Conversely, the shorter a security’s maturity, the lower the risk and the lower its yield. In general, the longer the maturity or duration of a security, the greater its sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Recent and potential future changes in monetary policy may affect the level of interest rates.

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

Market Risk - The market values of securities owned by the Fund will go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security's market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

Possible Loss of Money Risk - You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time. For example, the Fund could lose money if a security purchased by the Fund is downgraded and the Fund must sell the security at less than the cost of the security.

Stable NAV Risk - The Fund may not be able to maintain an NAV per share of $1.00 at all times. Shareholders of the Fund should not rely on or expect the Fund’s sponsor or an affiliate to purchase distressed assets from the Fund, make capital infusions into the Fund, enter into capital support agreements with the Fund, or take other actions to help the Fund maintain a stable $1.00 share price.

U.S. Government Securities Risk – U.S. Government securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates or a default by, or decline in the credit quality of, the U.S. Government.

U.S. Government-Sponsored Securities Risk - Securities issued by U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises (“GSEs”), such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Banks, are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney You could lose money by investing in the Fund.
Risk Money Market Fund [Text] rr_RiskMoneyMarketFund Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other 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 Fund’s performance for the last ten calendar years. 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 Fund’s performance for the last ten calendar years.
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 2008 0.76%
Worst Quarter June 2009 0.00%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2017
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock Yield
Yield and effective yield will fluctuate and may not provide a basis for comparison with bank deposits, other mutual funds or other investments which are insured or pay a fixed yield for a stated period of time. Yields are based on past results and are not an indication of future performance. The yield figures include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses, but do not include fees and expenses of any variable insurance product. If those charges were reflected, the performance shown would have been lower.

As of December 31, 2017, the Fund’s 7-day yield and its effective yield were:
Money Market Seven Day Yield, Caption [Text] rr_MoneyMarketSevenDayYieldCaption As of December 31, 2017, the Fund’s 7-day yield and its effective yield were:
Great-West Government Money Market Fund | Institutional Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.10%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.02%
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.12%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.01% [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.11%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 11
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 38
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 67
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 153
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 11
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 38
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 67
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 153
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.76%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 0.44% [2]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Oct. 05, 2015
7-Day Yield rr_MoneyMarketSevenDayYield 1.44%
Effective Yield gwfi_EffectiveYield 1.01%
Great-West Government Money Market Fund | Investor Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.10%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.35%
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.03%
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.38%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.48%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.02% [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.46%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 47
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 152
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 267
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 602
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 47
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 152
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 267
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 602
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 1.94%
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 0.01%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 none
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 none
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 none
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 none
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 none
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 none
2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 none
2017 rr_AnnualReturn2017 0.41%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2008
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 0.76%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn none
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.41%
Five Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.08%
Ten Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 0.23%
7-Day Yield rr_MoneyMarketSevenDayYield 1.44%
Effective Yield gwfi_EffectiveYield 1.45%
[1] GWCM has contractually agreed to waive fees or reimburse expenses that exceed 0.11% of the Fund's average daily net assets attributable to each Class, excluding Shareholder Services Fees, brokerage expenses, taxes, dividend interest on short sales, interest expenses, and any extraordinary expenses, including litigation costs (the “Expense Limit”). The Expense Limit will remain in effect indefinitely and will be discontinued only upon termination or amendment of the investment advisory agreement. The Expense Limit cannot be increased without shareholder approval. 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.
[2] Since inception on October 5, 2015