Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Product revenue	$ 604	$ 634
Service revenue	872	884
Total revenue	1,476	1,518
Cost of products	483	476
Cost of services	603	626
Selling, general and administrative expenses	225	245
Research and development expenses	55	63
Restructuring-related charges	15	0
Total operating expenses	1,381	1,410
Income (loss) from operations	95	108
Interest expense	(44)	(43)
Other (expense), net	(7)	(7)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	44	58
Income tax expense (benefit)	2	4
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	42	54
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income from continuing operations	42	54
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	42	54
Net income	2	1
Net income attributable to NCR	40	53
Total comprehensive income (loss)	17	58
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1)	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	18	58
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue	250	240
Service revenue	301	307
Total revenue	551	547
Cost of products	205	183
Cost of services	221	232
Selling, general and administrative expenses	106	131
Research and development expenses	19	17
Restructuring-related charges	3
Total operating expenses	554	563
Income (loss) from operations	(3)	(16)
Interest expense	(43)	(43)
Other (expense), net	8	12
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(38)	(47)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(4)	(17)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	(34)	(30)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	74	83
Income from continuing operations	40	53
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	40	53
Net income	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	40	53
Total comprehensive income (loss)	18	58
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	18	58
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue	19	17
Service revenue	7	7
Total revenue	26	24
Cost of products	10	5
Cost of services	2	3
Selling, general and administrative expenses	2	1
Research and development expenses	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0
Total operating expenses	14	9
Income (loss) from operations	12	15
Interest expense	0	0
Other (expense), net	0	(2)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	12	13
Income tax expense (benefit)	5	7
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	7	6
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	56	63
Income from continuing operations	63	69
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	63	69
Net income	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	63	69
Total comprehensive income (loss)	28	73
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	28	73
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue	424	431
Service revenue	564	570
Total revenue	988	1,001
Cost of products	357	342
Cost of services	380	391
Selling, general and administrative expenses	117	113
Research and development expenses	36	46
Restructuring-related charges	12
Total operating expenses	902	892
Income (loss) from operations	86	109
Interest expense	(19)	(17)
Other (expense), net	3	0
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	70	92
Income tax expense (benefit)	1	14
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	69	78
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income from continuing operations	69	78
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	69	78
Net income	2	1
Net income attributable to NCR	67	77
Total comprehensive income (loss)	33	78
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1)	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	34	78
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue	(89)	(54)
Service revenue	0	0
Total revenue	(89)	(54)
Cost of products	(89)	(54)
Cost of services	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0
Total operating expenses	(89)	(54)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0
Interest expense	18	17
Other (expense), net	(18)	(17)
(Loss) 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	(130)	(146)
Income from continuing operations	(130)	(146)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	(130)	(146)
Net income	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	(130)	(146)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(62)	(151)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	$ (62)	$ (151)