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Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName GREAT-WEST FUNDS INC
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Apr. 29, 2020
Great-West Small Cap Growth 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.
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, 2021
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 generally indicates 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 70% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 70.00%
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 Limit 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 Below is a summary of the principal investment strategies of the Fund.

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 of small capitalization companies, which we define as companies with market capitalizations within or below the range of the Russell 2000® Index at the time of purchase. The highest market capitalization of any company in the Russell 2000® Index was approximately $7.3 billion as of December 31, 2019, and is expected to change frequently. If the market capitalization of a company held by the Fund moves outside this range, the Fund may, but is not required to, sell the securities.

The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign, including emerging markets, companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges, may be denominated in the U.S. Dollar or other currencies, and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund may also invest in micro-capitalization companies.

The Fund’s investment portfolio is managed by two sub-advisers: Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (“Lord Abbett”) and Peregrine Capital Management, LLC (“Peregrine”) (each, a “Sub-Adviser,” and collectively, the “Sub-Advisers”). The Sub-Advisers seek to invest in securities of issuers with above average potential for growth. Specifically, Lord Abbett seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing principally in equity securities of micro-capitalization companies that, at the time of purchase, are similar in size to companies in the Russell Microcap® Index or have a market capitalization that is under $1 billion. Peregrine seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in small-capitalization companies that are similar in size to issuers included in the Russell 2000® Index.

GWCM maintains a strategic asset allocation of the Fund’s assets with each Sub-Adviser and reviews the asset allocations on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as deemed necessary. As of the date of this Prospectus, the target asset allocation is a 15% allocation of the Fund’s assets to Lord Abbett and a 85% allocation of the Fund’s assets to Peregrine. Notwithstanding these target allocations, GWCM may change the asset allocations at any time and without shareholder notice or approval.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Investment Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock Below is a summary of the principal investment risks of investing in the Fund. These risks are presented in an order that reflects GWCM’s current assessment of relative importance, but this assessment could change over time as the Fund’s portfolio changes or in light of changes in the market or the economic environment, among other things. The Fund is not required to and will not update this prospectus solely because its assessment of the relative importance of the principal risks of investing in the Fund changes.

Equity Securities Risk - The value of a company’s stock may fall as a result of factors which directly relate to that company, such as lower demand for the company’s products or services or poor management decisions. In addition, a company’s stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of the stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in a company’s financial condition or progress.

Small and Micro-Cap Company Securities Risk - The stocks of small- and micro-capitalization companies often involve more risk and volatility than those of larger companies. Companies that are small, micro-capitalization or unseasoned (less than three years of operating history) are more likely not to survive or accomplish their goals with the result that the value of their stock could decline significantly. Among other things, small- and micro-capitalization 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 micro-cap size companies have lower trading volume and are less liquid than securities of larger, more established companies.

Growth Stock Risk - Growth stocks can be volatile for several reasons. Since they usually reinvest a high proportion of earnings in their own business, they may not pay the dividends usually associated with value stocks that can cushion their decline in a falling market. Also, since investors buy these stocks because of the expected superior earnings growth, earnings disappointments may result in sharp price declines.

Market Risk - The value of the Fund's investments may decrease, sometimes rapidly or unexpectedly, due to factors affecting specific issuers held by the Fund, particular industries represented in the Fund's portfolio, or the overall securities markets. A variety of factors can increase the volatility of the Fund's holdings and markets generally, including political or regulatory developments, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, war or acts of terrorism, natural disasters, outbreaks of infectious illnesses or other widespread public health issues, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Certain events may cause instability across global markets, including reduced liquidity and disruptions in trading markets, while some events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors, and industries more significantly than others. These adverse developments may cause broad declines in an issuer’s value due to short-term market movements or for significantly longer periods during more prolonged market downturns.

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. Foreign securities also include ADRs, which may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market.

Developing and Emerging Markets Risk – The risk that markets of developing and emerging market countries are less developed and less liquid, subject to greater price volatility and generally subject to increased economic, political, regulatory and other uncertainties than more developed markets.

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.

Depositary Receipts Risk - Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same sort of risks as direct investments in a foreign country, such as, currency risk, political and economic risk, and market risk, because their values depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency.

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

Multi-Manager Risk - Each Sub-Adviser makes investment decisions independently. It is possible that the Sub-Advisers’ security selection processes may not complement one another and the Fund may have buy and sell transactions in the same security on the same day.

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 the fees and expenses of any Permitted Account were reflected, the performance shown would be lower.

On May 19, 2017, GWCM removed a prior sub-adviser and continued to retain the current Sub-Advisers. Consequently, the Fund’s total returns shown below for the periods prior to May 19, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the performance of the Fund, as it is currently managed.

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 the fees and expenses of any Permitted Account were reflected, the performance shown would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
  Quarter Ended Total Return
Best Quarter March 2019 16.50%
Worst Quarter March 2016 -7.59%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019
Great-West Small Cap Growth Fund | Institutional Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.83%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.09% [1]
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.09%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.92%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.08% [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.84%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 86
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 285
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 501
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,124
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 86
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 285
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 501
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,124
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 27.69%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 10.22%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 10, 2015
Great-West Small Cap Growth Fund | Investor Class  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.83%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.35%
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.48% [1]
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.83%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.66%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.47% [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.19%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 121
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 478
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 858
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,926
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 121
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 478
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 858
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,926
2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 6.73%
2017 rr_AnnualReturn2017 21.49%
2018 rr_AnnualReturn2018 (2.99%)
2019 rr_AnnualReturn2019 27.28%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2019
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 16.50%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2016
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (7.59%)
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 27.28%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 9.86%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 10, 2015
Great-West Small Cap Growth Fund | Class L  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.83%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Shareholder Services Fees rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.35%
Other Expenses rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.48% [1]
Total Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.83%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.91%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.47% [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.44%
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 147
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 554
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 988
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,195
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 147
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 554
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 988
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,195
Great-West Small Cap Growth Fund | Russell 2000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
One Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 28.48%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 10.79%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 10, 2015
[1] Other Expenses are estimated for Class L shares because the class has not yet commenced operations.
[2] GWCM has contractually agreed to waive management fees or reimburse expenses if total annual fund operating expenses of any Class exceed 0.84% of the Class's average daily net assets, 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, 2021 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 the 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.