Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Product revenue	$ 721	$ 701	$ 2,077	$ 2,111
Service revenue	926	807	2,746	2,342
Total revenue	1,647	1,508	4,823	4,453
Cost of products	547	524	1,554	1,577
Cost of services	696	569	1,969	1,666
Selling, general and administrative expenses	232	217	724	678
Research and development expenses	59	53	186	163
Restructuring-related charges	72	0	72	0
Total operating expenses	1,606	1,363	4,505	4,084
Income (loss) from operations	41	145	318	369
Interest expense	(46)	(23)	(135)	(70)
Other (expense), net	(14)	(3)	(24)	(4)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(19)	119	159	295
Income tax expense (benefit)	(19)	19	14	44
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	0	100	145	251
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	0	100	145	251
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	15	0	15	(1)
Net income	15	100	160	250
Net income	0	2	2	5
Net income attributable to NCR	15	98	158	245
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(33)	88	136	210
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)	1	0	1
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	(31)	87	136	209
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue	269	271	754	822
Service revenue	304	317	933	917
Total revenue	573	588	1,687	1,739
Cost of products	211	204	594	621
Cost of services	224	217	695	648
Selling, general and administrative expenses	84	115	342	375
Research and development expenses	29	28	80	61
Restructuring-related charges	26		26
Total operating expenses	574	564	1,737	1,705
Income (loss) from operations	(1)	24	(50)	34
Interest expense	(46)	(24)	(133)	(71)
Other (expense), net	5	(9)	29	(19)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(42)	(9)	(154)	(56)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(116)	(3)	(156)	(25)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	74	(6)	2	(31)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(74)	104	141	277
Income from continuing operations	0	98	143	246
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	15	0	15	(1)
Net income	15	98	158	245
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	15	98	158	245
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(31)	87	136	209
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	(31)	87	136	209
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue	27	21	76	58
Service revenue	7	6	21	18
Total revenue	34	27	97	76
Cost of products	15	5	32	11
Cost of services	3	3	9	8
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	1	1	3
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	1		1
Total operating expenses	20	9	43	22
Income (loss) from operations	14	18	54	54
Interest expense	(1)	0	(1)	(1)
Other (expense), net	0	(3)	(3)	(3)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	13	15	50	50
Income tax expense (benefit)	16	6	36	12
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	(3)	9	14	38
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(13)	93	171	214
Income from continuing operations	(16)	102	185	252
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	(16)	102	185	252
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	(16)	102	185	252
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(65)	22	150	212
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	(65)	22	150	212
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue	614	482	1,530	1,421
Service revenue	615	484	1,792	1,407
Total revenue	1,229	966	3,322	2,828
Cost of products	510	388	1,211	1,135
Cost of services	469	349	1,265	1,010
Selling, general and administrative expenses	147	101	381	300
Research and development expenses	30	25	106	102
Restructuring-related charges	45		45
Total operating expenses	1,201	863	3,008	2,547
Income (loss) from operations	28	103	314	281
Interest expense	(18)	0	(55)	(2)
Other (expense), net	0	10	4	22
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	10	113	263	301
Income tax expense (benefit)	81	16	134	57
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	(71)	97	129	244
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	(71)	97	129	244
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	(71)	97	129	244
Net income	0	2	2	5
Net income attributable to NCR	(71)	95	127	239
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(118)	93	103	175
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)	1	0	1
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	(116)	92	103	174
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue	(189)	(73)	(283)	(190)
Service revenue	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	(189)	(73)	(283)	(190)
Cost of products	(189)	(73)	(283)	(190)
Cost of services	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0		0
Total operating expenses	(189)	(73)	(283)	(190)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	19	1	54	4
Other (expense), net	(19)	(1)	(54)	(4)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	87	(197)	(312)	(491)
Income from continuing operations	87	(197)	(312)	(491)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	87	(197)	(312)	(491)
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	87	(197)	(312)	(491)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	181	(114)	(253)	(386)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	$ 181	$ (114)	$ (253)	$ (386)