Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,885	$ 2,777
Restricted cash	50	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,290	1,319
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	243	226
Total current assets	3,468	4,324
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	273	275
Goodwill	3,538	2,989
Other intangible assets, net	1,453	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	485	449
Total assets	9,217	9,425
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	192	195
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	263	472
Short-term debt	0	399
Income taxes currently payable	79	77
Unearned revenue	1,689	1,613
Accrued legal settlements	149	107
Other current liabilities	352	351
Total current liabilities	2,724	3,214
Long-term debt	3,660	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	229	244
Other non-current liabilities	537	679
Total liabilities	7,150	7,307
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,431	1,350
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	732	525
Retained income	10,680	10,025
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(705)	(649)
Less: common stock in treasury	(10,536)	(9,602)
Total equity — controlling interests	583	711
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	53	57
Total equity	636	768
Total liabilities and equity	9,217	9,425
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Intercompany receivable	(5,382)	(5,079)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(5,382)	(5,079)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(16,254)	(16,397)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,806)	(1,815)
Other non-current assets	(1)	(1)
Total assets	(23,434)	(23,283)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(5,382)	(5,079)
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	0	0
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	0	0
Accrued legal settlements	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(5,382)	(5,079)
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,807)	(1,816)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(7,189)	(6,895)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,431	1,350
Equity:
Common stock	(2,315)	(2,318)
Additional paid-in capital	(10,119)	(9,117)
Retained income	(5,361)	(6,429)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	45	46
Less: common stock in treasury	21	23
Total equity — controlling interests	(17,729)	(17,795)
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	53	57
Total equity	(17,676)	(17,738)
Total liabilities and equity	(23,434)	(23,283)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	767	632
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	144	138
Intercompany receivable	734	768
Prepaid and other current assets	129	143
Total current assets	1,774	1,681
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	184	158
Goodwill	261	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	7,834	8,364
Intercompany loans receivable	123	116
Other non-current assets	214	215
Total assets	10,390	10,795
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	72	79
Intercompany payable	4,096	3,433
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	102	145
Short-term debt		399
Income taxes currently payable	5	2
Unearned revenue	301	293
Accrued legal settlements	0	0
Other current liabilities	181	136
Total current liabilities	4,757	4,487
Long-term debt	3,660	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	108	101
Pension and other postretirement benefits	178	180
Other non-current liabilities	222	376
Total liabilities	8,925	8,314
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	(5)	(216)
Retained income	11,873	12,156
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(280)	(269)
Less: common stock in treasury	(10,535)	(9,602)
Total equity — controlling interests	1,465	2,481
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,465	2,481
Total liabilities and equity	10,390	10,795
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	180	152
Intercompany receivable	1,731	1,784
Prepaid and other current assets	(3)	(3)
Total current assets	1,908	1,933
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	1	10
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	5	5
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	66	61
Total assets	1,980	2,009
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	17	23
Intercompany payable	53	492
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	28	86
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	248	193
Accrued legal settlements	0	2
Other current liabilities	18	21
Total current liabilities	364	817
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	58	74
Total liabilities	422	891
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	610	602
Retained income	948	516
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity — controlling interests	1,558	1,118
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,558	1,118
Total liabilities and equity	1,980	2,009
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,118	2,145
Restricted cash	50	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	966	1,029
Intercompany receivable	2,917	2,527
Prepaid and other current assets	117	86
Total current assets	5,168	5,789
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	88	107
Goodwill	3,268	2,719
Other intangible assets, net	1,453	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	8,415	8,028
Intercompany loans receivable	1,683	1,699
Other non-current assets	206	174
Total assets	20,281	19,904
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	103	93
Intercompany payable	1,233	1,154
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	133	241
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	74	75
Unearned revenue	1,140	1,127
Accrued legal settlements	149	105
Other current liabilities	153	194
Total current liabilities	2,985	2,989
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,699	1,715
Pension and other postretirement benefits	51	64
Other non-current liabilities	257	229
Total liabilities	4,992	4,997
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,315	2,318
Additional paid-in capital	10,246	9,256
Retained income	3,220	3,782
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(470)	(426)
Less: common stock in treasury	(22)	(23)
Total equity — controlling interests	15,289	14,907
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	15,289	14,907
Total liabilities and equity	$ 20,281	$ 19,904