Condensed Consolidating Guarantor Information Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Product revenue	$ 634	$ 667
Service revenue	884	743
Total revenue	1,518	1,410
Cost of products	476	503
Cost of services	626	538
Selling, general and administrative expenses	245	229
Research and development expenses	63	55
Total operating expenses	1,410	1,325
Income (loss) from operations	108	85
Interest expense	43	21
Other (expense) income, net	(7)	2
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	58	66
Income tax expense (benefit)	4	2
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	54	64
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income from continuing operations	54	64
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(1)
Net income	54	63
Net income	1	2
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	53	61
Total comprehensive income (loss)	58	66
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	1
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR common stockholders	58	65
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue	240	282
Service revenue	307	298
Total revenue	547	580
Cost of products	183	212
Cost of services	232	221
Selling, general and administrative expenses	131	136
Research and development expenses	17	18
Total operating expenses	563	587
Income (loss) from operations	(16)	(7)
Interest expense	43	22
Other (expense) income, net	12	(1)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(47)	(30)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(17)	(12)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	(30)	(18)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	83	80
Income from continuing operations	53	62
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(1)
Net income	53	61
Net income	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	53	61
Total comprehensive income (loss)	58	65
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR common stockholders	58	65
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue	17	13
Service revenue	7	5
Total revenue	24	18
Cost of products	5	2
Cost of services	3	3
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	1
Research and development expenses	0	(1)
Total operating expenses	9	5
Income (loss) from operations	15	13
Interest expense	0	0
Other (expense) income, net	(2)	(2)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	13	11
Income tax expense (benefit)	7	(7)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	6	18
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	63	67
Income from continuing operations	69	85
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	69	85
Net income	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	69	85
Total comprehensive income (loss)	73	73
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR common stockholders	73	73
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue	431	423
Service revenue	570	440
Total revenue	1,001	863
Cost of products	342	340
Cost of services	391	314
Selling, general and administrative expenses	113	92
Research and development expenses	46	38
Total operating expenses	892	784
Income (loss) from operations	109	79
Interest expense	17	1
Other (expense) income, net	0	7
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	92	85
Income tax expense (benefit)	14	21
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	78	64
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income from continuing operations	78	64
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	78	64
Net income	1	2
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	77	62
Total comprehensive income (loss)	78	24
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	1
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR common stockholders	78	23
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue	(54)	(51)
Service revenue	0	0
Total revenue	(54)	(51)
Cost of products	(54)	(51)
Cost of services	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Total operating expenses	(54)	(51)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0
Interest expense	(17)	(2)
Other (expense) income, net	(17)	(2)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(146)	(147)
Income from continuing operations	(146)	(147)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	(146)	(147)
Net income	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	(146)	(147)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(151)	(96)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR common stockholders	$ (151)	$ (96)