Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,312	$ 2,392	$ 2,399	$ 1,481
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,188	1,122
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	153	157
Total current assets	3,653	3,671
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	259	271
Goodwill	2,992	2,949
Other intangible assets, net	1,421	1,506
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	389	272
Total assets	8,714	8,669
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	170	183
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	373	409
Income taxes currently payable	77	95
Unearned revenue	1,424	1,509
Other current liabilities	364	415
Total current liabilities	2,408	2,611
Long-term debt	3,568	3,564
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	258	274
Other non-current liabilities	426	439
Total liabilities	6,660	6,888
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,161	1,080
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	418	502
Retained income	10,066	9,210
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(678)	(773)
Less: common stock in treasury	(9,379)	(8,701)
Total equity — controlling interests	839	650
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	54	51
Total equity	893	701
Total liabilities and equity	8,714	8,669
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(4,648)	(1,542)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	(1)
Total current assets	(4,648)	(1,543)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Goodwill	7	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(15,705)	(13,970)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,743)	(1,371)
Other non-current assets	0	0
Total assets	(22,089)	(16,875)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(4,648)	(1,541)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(4,648)	(1,541)
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,743)	(1,371)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	(1)
Total liabilities	(6,391)	(2,913)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,161	1,080
Equity:
Common stock	(2,292)	(2,460)
Additional paid-in capital	(11,254)	(10,963)
Retained income	(3,434)	(1,721)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	44	44
Less: common stock in treasury	24	7
Total equity — controlling interests	(16,912)	(15,093)
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	53	51
Total equity	(16,859)	(15,042)
Total liabilities and equity	(22,089)	(16,875)
S&P Global Inc.
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	243	711	738	167
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	138	138
Intercompany receivable	912	(165)
Prepaid and other current assets	74	77
Total current assets	1,367	761
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	149	159
Goodwill	261	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	6,800	5,464
Intercompany loans receivable	114	17
Other non-current assets	166	134
Total assets	8,857	6,796
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	61	73
Intercompany payable	3,044	1,324
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	120	129
Income taxes currently payable	4	43
Unearned revenue	287	273
Other current liabilities	133	165
Total current liabilities	3,649	2,007
Long-term debt	3,568	3,564
Intercompany loans payable	108	11
Pension and other postretirement benefits	185	196
Other non-current liabilities	49	52
Total liabilities	7,559	5,830
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	(301)	(174)
Retained income	10,869	9,721
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(303)	(292)
Less: common stock in treasury	(9,379)	(8,701)
Total equity — controlling interests	1,298	966
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,298	966
Total liabilities and equity	8,857	6,796
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	204	131
Intercompany receivable	1,775	837
Prepaid and other current assets	(3)	2
Total current assets	1,976	970
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	1	1
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	5	680
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	57	24
Total assets	2,039	1,675
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	13	22
Intercompany payable	699	40
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	66	69
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	210	191
Other current liabilities	21	(51)
Total current liabilities	1,009	271
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	72	74
Total liabilities	1,081	345
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	593	1,154
Retained income	365	176
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity — controlling interests	958	1,330
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	958	1,330
Total liabilities and equity	2,039	1,675
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	2,069	1,681	$ 1,661	$ 1,314
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	846	853
Intercompany receivable	1,961	870
Prepaid and other current assets	82	79
Total current assets	4,958	3,483
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	109	111
Goodwill	2,724	2,679
Other intangible assets, net	1,421	1,506
Investments in subsidiaries	8,900	7,826
Intercompany loans receivable	1,629	1,354
Other non-current assets	166	114
Total assets	19,907	17,073
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	96	88
Intercompany payable	905	177
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	187	211
Income taxes currently payable	73	52
Unearned revenue	927	1,045
Other current liabilities	210	301
Total current liabilities	2,398	1,874
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,635	1,360
Pension and other postretirement benefits	73	78
Other non-current liabilities	305	314
Total liabilities	4,411	3,626
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,292	2,460
Additional paid-in capital	11,380	10,485
Retained income	2,266	1,034
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(419)	(525)
Less: common stock in treasury	(24)	(7)
Total equity — controlling interests	15,495	13,447
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	1	0
Total equity	15,496	13,447
Total liabilities and equity	$ 19,907	$ 17,073