Borrowings (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Long-term debt
Fair value adjustment related to hedged debt	$ 399	$ 543
Less: current portion	(5,744)	(4,345)
Total long-term debt	21,789	22,551
Premium on debt issuance	23
Discount on debt issuance	21
Aggregate future maturities of debt outstanding including capital lease obligations
2013	5,689
2014	5,143
2015	2,510
2016	2,979
2017	2,852
Thereafter	7,959
Total	27,132
Interest expense on borrowings	865	551	417
U.S. Dollar Global Notes
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	25,031	24,082
2002 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.505% in June 2002 at 6.5%, paid July 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		500
Discount to par (as a percent)		99.505%
Interest rate (as a percent)		6.50%
Face amount of debt instrument		500
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$600 issued at par in February 2007 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 0.11%, paid March 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		600
Face amount of debt instrument		600
Reference interest rate		three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)		0.11%
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$900 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.938% in February 2007 at 5.25%, paid March 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		900
Discount to par (as a percent)		99.938%
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.25%
Face amount of debt instrument		900
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.694% in February 2007 at 5.4%, due March 2017
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	499	499
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.694%	99.694%
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.40%	5.40%
Face amount of debt instrument	500	500
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.921% in March 2008 at 4.5%, due March 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,500	1,500
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.921%	99.921%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.50%	4.50%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,500	1,500
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$750 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.932% in March 2008 at 5.5%, due March 2018
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	750	750
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.932%	99.932%
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.50%	5.50%
Face amount of debt instrument	750	750
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$2,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.561% in December 2008 at 6.125%, due March 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,998	1,996
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.561%	99.561%
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.125%	6.125%
Face amount of debt instrument	2,000	2,000
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.956% in February 2009 at 4.25%, paid February 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		1,000
Discount to par (as a percent)		99.956%
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.25%
Face amount of debt instrument		1,000
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.993% in February 2009 at 4.75%, due June 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,500	1,500
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.993%	99.993%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.75%	4.75%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,500	1,500
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$250 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.984% in May 2009 at 2.95%, paid August 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		250
Discount to par (as a percent)		99.984%
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.95%
Face amount of debt instrument		250
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$800 issued at par in September 2010 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 0.125%, paid September 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		800
Face amount of debt instrument		800
Reference interest rate		three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)		0.125%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,100 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.921% in September 2010 at 1.25% due September 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,100	1,099
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.921%	99.921%
Interest rate (as a percent)	1.25%	1.25%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,100	1,100
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,100 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.887% in September 2010 at 2.125% due September 2015
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,100	1,099
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.887%	99.887%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.125%	2.125%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,100	1,100
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$650 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.911% in December 2010 at 2.2% due December 2015
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	650	650
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.911%	99.911%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.20%	2.20%
Face amount of debt instrument	650	650
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,350 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.827% in December 2010 at 3.75% due December 2020
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,348	1,348
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.827%	99.827%
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.75%	3.75%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,350	1,350
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,750 issued at par in May 2011 at three month USD LIBOR plus 0.28%, due May 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,750	1,750
Face amount of debt instrument	1,750	1,750
Reference interest rate	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)	0.28%	0.28%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at par in May 2011 at three month USD LIBOR plus 0.4%, due May 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	500	500
Face amount of debt instrument	500	500
Reference interest rate	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)	0.40%	0.40%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.971% in May 2011 at 1.55%, due May 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	500	500
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.971%	99.971%
Interest rate (as a percent)	1.55%	1.55%
Face amount of debt instrument	500	500
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.958% in May 2011 at 2.65%, due June 2016
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,000	1,000
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.958%	99.958%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.65%	2.65%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,000	1,000
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,250 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.799% in May 2011 at 4.3%, due June 2021
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,248	1,248
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.799%	99.799%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.30%	4.30%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,250	1,250
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$750 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.977% in September 2011 at 2.35%, due March 2015
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	750	750
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.977%	99.977%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.35%	2.35%
Face amount of debt instrument	750	750
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,300 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.784% in September 2011 at 3.0%, due September 2016
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,298	1,297
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.784%	99.784%
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.00%	3.00%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,300	1,300
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.816% in September 2011 at 4.375%, due September 2021
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	998	998
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.816%	99.816%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.375%	4.375%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,000	1,000
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,200 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.863% in September 2011 at 6.0% due September 2041
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,198	1,198
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.863%	99.863%
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.00%	6.00%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,200	1,200
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$350 issued at par in September 2011 at three month USD LIBOR plus 1.55%, due September 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	350	350
Face amount of debt instrument	350	350
Reference interest rate	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)	1.55%	1.55%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$650 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.946% in December 2011 at 2.625%, due December 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	650
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.946%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.625%
Face amount of debt instrument	650
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$850 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.790% in December 2011 at 3.3%, due December 2016
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	849
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.79%
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.30%
Face amount of debt instrument	850
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.707% in December 2011 at 4.65%, due December 2021
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,496
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.707%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.65%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,500
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.985% in March 2012 at 2.6%, due September 2017
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,500
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.985%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.60%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,500
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.771% in March 2012 at 4.05%, due September 2022
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	499
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.771%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.05%
Face amount of debt instrument	500
EDS Senior Notes
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,423	1,435
EDS Senior Notes-$1,100 issued June 2003 at 6.0%, due August 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,109	1,120
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.00%	6.00%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,100	1,100
EDS Senior Notes-$300 issued October 1999 at 7.45%, due October 2029
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	314	315
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.45%	7.45%
Face amount of debt instrument	300	300
Other, including capital lease obligations, at 0.60%-8.63%, due in calendar years 2012-2024
Long-term debt
Other, including capital lease obligations	680	836
Minimum interest rate (as a percent)	0.60%	0.60%
Maximum interest rate (as a percent)	8.63%	8.63%
Borrowings collateralized by certain financing receivable assets	$ 225