Restructuring Charges (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012 Fiscal 2012 Restructuring Plan position	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2012 Restructuring Plan position	May 23, 2012 Fiscal 2012 Restructuring Plan	May 31, 2012 Fiscal 2012 Restructuring Plan Severance and EER	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2012 Restructuring Plan Severance and EER	May 31, 2012 Fiscal 2012 Restructuring Plan Infrastructure and other items	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2012 Restructuring Plan Infrastructure and other items	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2010 Acquisitions	Oct. 31, 2011 Fiscal 2010 Acquisitions	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2010 Enterprise Services Business Restructuring Plan	Jun. 30, 2010 Fiscal 2010 Enterprise Services Business Restructuring Plan Severance and workforce reductions	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2010 Enterprise Services Business Restructuring Plan Severance and workforce reductions position	Oct. 31, 2012 Fiscal 2010 Enterprise Services Business Restructuring Plan Severance and workforce reductions U.S. Defined Benefit Plans position	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2010 Enterprise Services Business Restructuring Plan Infrastructure	Aug. 31, 2008 Fiscal 2008 HP/EDS Restructuring Plan	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2008 HP/EDS Restructuring Plan	Aug. 26, 2008 Fiscal 2008 HP/EDS Restructuring Plan	Aug. 31, 2008 Fiscal 2008 HP/EDS Restructuring Plan Severance and workforce reductions position	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2008 HP/EDS Restructuring Plan Severance and workforce reductions	Jan. 31, 2013 Fiscal 2008 HP/EDS Restructuring Plan Infrastructure
Restructuring and related costs
Expected positions to be eliminated				29,000												8,200					25,000
Positions eliminated					15,200										8,200
Variance of expected headcount reductions (as a percent)						15.00%
Charges	$ 130,000,000	$ 40,000,000			$ 290,000,000			$ 256,000,000		$ 34,000,000			$ (157,000,000)		$ (157,000,000)				$ (3,000,000)				$ (3,000,000)
Additional restructuring costs												33,000,000
Costs reflected in purchase price of Electronic Data Systems Corporation ("EDS")																				1,500,000,000
Restructuring Reserve
Balance at the beginning of the period	1,027,000,000				608,000,000			597,000,000		11,000,000	10,000,000		228,000,000		227,000,000		1,000,000		181,000,000				181,000,000
Charges	130,000,000	40,000,000			290,000,000			256,000,000		34,000,000			(157,000,000)		(157,000,000)				(3,000,000)				(3,000,000)
Cash payments	(237,000,000)				(194,000,000)			(172,000,000)		(22,000,000)			(30,000,000)		(30,000,000)				(13,000,000)				(13,000,000)
Other adjustments and non-cash settlements	18,000,000				14,000,000			14,000,000					4,000,000		4,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	938,000,000				718,000,000			695,000,000		23,000,000	10,000,000		45,000,000		44,000,000		1,000,000		165,000,000				165,000,000
Total costs and adjustments to date	6,583,000,000				2,380,000,000			2,241,000,000		139,000,000	101,000,000		835,000,000		466,000,000		369,000,000		3,267,000,000			2,195,000,000	1,072,000,000
Total expected costs and adjustments	7,932,000,000				3,718,000,000			3,143,000,000		575,000,000	101,000,000		835,000,000		466,000,000		369,000,000		3,278,000,000			2,195,000,000	1,083,000,000
Long-term portion of restructuring reserve, recorded in Other liabilities	105,000,000		256,000,000
Expected cost of the plan				3,700,000,000			3,100,000,000		600,000,000					835,000,000				3,300,000,000
Short-term portion of restructuring reserve, recorded in Accrued restructuring	$ 833,000,000		$ 771,000,000