Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,932	$ 2,866
Restricted cash	20	20
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,504	1,577
Intercompany receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	239	249
Total current assets	3,695	4,712
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	309	320
Right of use assets	652	676
Goodwill	3,703	3,575
Other intangible assets, net	1,439	1,424
Investments in subsidiaries	0	0
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	665	641
Total assets	10,463	11,348
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	203	190
Intercompany payable	0	0
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	222	446
Income taxes currently payable	160	68
Unearned revenue	1,897	1,928
Other current liabilities	501	461
Total current liabilities	2,983	3,093
Long-term debt	3,949	3,948
Lease liabilities — non-current	603	620
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	258	259
Other non-current liabilities	596	624
Total liabilities	8,389	8,544
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	2,268	2,268
Equity:
Common stock	294	294
Additional paid-in capital	754	903
Retained income	12,691	12,205
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(660)	(624)
Less: common stock in treasury	(13,329)	(12,299)
Total (deficit) equity — controlling interests	(250)	479
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	56	57
Total (deficit) equity	(194)	536	$ 388	$ 684
Total liabilities and (deficit) equity	10,463	11,348
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	(7,851)	(7,513)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(7,851)	(7,513)
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Right of use assets	0	0
Goodwill	7	9
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	(20,065)	(20,228)
Intercompany loans receivable	(1,528)	(1,246)
Other non-current assets	(1)	(1)
Total assets	(29,438)	(28,979)
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	0	0
Intercompany payable	(7,851)	(7,513)
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	(7,851)	(7,513)
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities — non-current	0	0
Intercompany loans payable	(1,528)	(1,246)
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	0	(1)
Total liabilities	(9,379)	(8,760)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	2,268	2,268
Equity:
Common stock	(2,375)	(2,377)
Additional paid-in capital	(9,207)	(9,203)
Retained income	(10,849)	(11,010)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	49	48
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total (deficit) equity — controlling interests	(22,382)	(22,542)
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	55	55
Total (deficit) equity	(22,327)	(22,487)
Total liabilities and (deficit) equity	(29,438)	(28,979)
S&P Global Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	659	1,130
Restricted cash	0	0
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	235	229
Intercompany receivable	716	675
Prepaid and other current assets	84	102
Total current assets	1,694	2,136
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	197	204
Right of use assets	388	402
Goodwill	283	283
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	11,985	12,134
Intercompany loans receivable	17	17
Other non-current assets	305	281
Total assets	14,869	15,457
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	86	80
Intercompany payable	6,484	6,288
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	102	148
Income taxes currently payable	99	7
Unearned revenue	314	297
Other current liabilities	214	187
Total current liabilities	7,299	7,007
Long-term debt	3,949	3,948
Lease liabilities — non-current	373	383
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	176	178
Other non-current liabilities	154	171
Total liabilities	11,951	11,687
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	294	294
Additional paid-in capital	(46)	112
Retained income	16,139	15,836
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(142)	(175)
Less: common stock in treasury	(13,327)	(12,297)
Total (deficit) equity — controlling interests	2,918	3,770
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total (deficit) equity	2,918	3,770
Total liabilities and (deficit) equity	14,869	15,457
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	232	148
Intercompany receivable	2,831	2,855
Prepaid and other current assets	3	2
Total current assets	3,066	3,005
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	0	0
Right of use assets	2	1
Goodwill	0	0
Other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in subsidiaries	5	6
Intercompany loans receivable	0	0
Other non-current assets	35	37
Total assets	3,108	3,049
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	10	11
Intercompany payable	92	27
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	10	61
Income taxes currently payable	0	0
Unearned revenue	250	243
Other current liabilities	14	18
Total current liabilities	376	360
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities — non-current	1	1
Intercompany loans payable	0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits	0	0
Other non-current liabilities	74	81
Total liabilities	451	442
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	633	632
Retained income	2,024	1,975
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	0	0
Less: common stock in treasury	0	0
Total (deficit) equity — controlling interests	2,657	2,607
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total (deficit) equity	2,657	2,607
Total liabilities and (deficit) equity	3,108	3,049
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1,273	1,736
Restricted cash	20	20
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts	1,037	1,200
Intercompany receivable	4,304	3,983
Prepaid and other current assets	152	145
Total current assets	6,786	7,084
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation	112	116
Right of use assets	262	273
Goodwill	3,413	3,283
Other intangible assets, net	1,439	1,424
Investments in subsidiaries	8,075	8,088
Intercompany loans receivable	1,511	1,229
Other non-current assets	326	324
Total assets	21,924	21,821
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	107	99
Intercompany payable	1,275	1,198
Accrued compensation and contributions to retirement plans	110	237
Income taxes currently payable	61	61
Unearned revenue	1,333	1,388
Other current liabilities	273	256
Total current liabilities	3,159	3,239
Long-term debt	0	0
Lease liabilities — non-current	229	236
Intercompany loans payable	1,528	1,246
Pension and other postretirement benefits	82	81
Other non-current liabilities	368	373
Total liabilities	5,366	5,175
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Equity:
Common stock	2,375	2,377
Additional paid-in capital	9,374	9,362
Retained income	5,377	5,404
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(567)	(497)
Less: common stock in treasury	(2)	(2)
Total (deficit) equity — controlling interests	16,557	16,644
Total equity - noncontrolling interests	1	2
Total (deficit) equity	16,558	16,646
Total liabilities and (deficit) equity	$ 21,924	$ 21,821