Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,158	$ 2,777
Restricted cash	45	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,237	1,319
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	188	226
Total current assets	3,628	4,324
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	275	275
Goodwill	3,544	2,989
Other intangible assets, net	1,420	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	516	449
Total assets	9,383	9,425
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	194	195
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	307	472
Short-term debt	0	399
Income taxes currently payable	92	77
Unearned revenue	1,576	1,613
Accrued legal settlements	0	107
Other current liabilities	348	351
Total current liabilities	2,517	3,214
Long-term debt	3,661	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	225	244
Other non-current liabilities	537	679
Total liabilities	6,940	7,307
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,485	1,350
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	897	525
Retained income	11,003	10,025
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(703)	(649)
Less: common stock in treasury	(10,704)	(9,602)
Total equity — controlling interests	905	711
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	53	57
Total equity	958	768
Total liabilities and equity	9,383	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	(5,315)	(5,079)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(5,315)	(5,079)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Goodwill	9	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(15,974)	(16,397)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,895)	(1,815)
Other non-current assets	0	(1)
Total assets	(23,175)	(23,283)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(5,315)	(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
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(5,315)	(5,079)
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,895)	(1,816)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(7,210)	(6,895)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	1,485	1,350
Equity:
Common stock	(2,275)	(2,318)
Additional paid-in capital	(10,095)	(9,117)
Retained income	(5,194)	(6,429)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	48	46
Less: common stock in treasury	14	23
Total equity — controlling interests	(17,502)	(17,795)
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	52	57
Total equity	(17,450)	(17,738)
Total liabilities and equity	(23,175)	(23,283)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	891	632
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	128	138
Intercompany receivable	567	768
Prepaid and other current assets	86	143
Total current assets	1,672	1,681
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	192	158
Goodwill	261	261
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	7,971	8,364
Intercompany loans receivable	124	116
Other non-current assets	226	215
Total assets	10,446	10,795
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	81	79
Intercompany payable	4,168	3,433
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	112	145
Short-term debt		399
Income taxes currently payable	9	2
Unearned revenue	272	293
Accrued legal settlements		0
Other current liabilities	192	136
Total current liabilities	4,834	4,487
Long-term debt	3,661	3,170
Intercompany loans payable	109	101
Pension and other postretirement benefits	176	180
Other non-current liabilities	210	376
Total liabilities	8,990	8,314
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	412	412
Additional paid-in capital	155	(216)
Retained income	11,882	12,156
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(290)	(269)
Less: common stock in treasury	(10,703)	(9,602)
Total equity — controlling interests	1,456	2,481
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,456	2,481
Total liabilities and equity	10,446	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	166	152
Intercompany receivable	1,929	1,784
Prepaid and other current assets	(3)	(3)
Total current assets	2,092	1,933
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	10
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	6	5
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	44	61
Total assets	2,142	2,009
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	18	23
Intercompany payable	55	492
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	35	86
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	242	193
Accrued legal settlements		2
Other current liabilities	12	21
Total current liabilities	362	817
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	60	74
Total liabilities	422	891
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	614	602
Retained income	1,106	516
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total equity — controlling interests	1,720	1,118
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	1,720	1,118
Total liabilities and equity	2,142	2,009
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,267	2,145
Restricted cash	45	2
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	943	1,029
Intercompany receivable	2,819	2,527
Prepaid and other current assets	105	86
Total current assets	5,179	5,789
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	83	107
Goodwill	3,274	2,719
Other intangible assets, net	1,420	1,388
Investments in subsidiaries	7,997	8,028
Intercompany loans receivable	1,771	1,699
Other non-current assets	246	174
Total assets	19,970	19,904
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	95	93
Intercompany payable	1,092	1,154
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	160	241
Short-term debt		0
Income taxes currently payable	83	75
Unearned revenue	1,062	1,127
Accrued legal settlements		105
Other current liabilities	144	194
Total current liabilities	2,636	2,989
Long-term debt	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	1,786	1,715
Pension and other postretirement benefits	49	64
Other non-current liabilities	267	229
Total liabilities	4,738	4,997
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,275	2,318
Additional paid-in capital	10,223	9,256
Retained income	3,209	3,782
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(461)	(426)
Less: common stock in treasury	(15)	(23)
Total equity — controlling interests	15,231	14,907
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	1	0
Total equity	15,232	14,907
Total liabilities and equity	$ 19,970	$ 19,904