Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Product revenue	$ 688	$ 721	$ 1,995	$ 2,077
Service revenue	925	926	2,698	2,746
Total revenue	1,613	1,647	4,693	4,823
Cost of products	512	547	1,539	1,554
Cost of services	644	696	2,161	1,969
Selling, general and administrative expenses	224	232	788	724
Research and development expenses	53	59	175	186
Restructuring-related charges	12	72	33	72
Total operating expenses	1,445	1,606	4,696	4,505
Income (loss) from operations	168	41	(3)	318
Interest expense	(42)	(46)	(131)	(135)
Other (expense), net	(7)	(14)	(14)	(24)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	119	(19)	(148)	159
Income tax expense (benefit)	16	(19)	50	14
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	103	0	(198)	145
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	103	0	(198)	145
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(4)	15	(4)	15
Net income (loss)	99	15	(202)	160
Net income	1	0	4	2
Net income attributable to NCR	98	15	(206)	158
Total comprehensive income (loss)	57	(33)	(248)	136
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3)	(2)	(3)	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	60	(31)	(245)	136
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue	297	269	844	754
Service revenue	349	304	977	933
Total revenue	646	573	1,821	1,687
Cost of products	226	211	664	594
Cost of services	255	224	712	695
Selling, general and administrative expenses	118	84	334	342
Research and development expenses	28	29	66	80
Restructuring-related charges	6	26	11	26
Total operating expenses	633	574	1,787	1,737
Income (loss) from operations	13	(1)	34	(50)
Interest expense	(41)	(46)	(128)	(133)
Other (expense), net	11	5	32	29
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	(17)	(42)	(62)	(154)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(12)	(116)	(18)	(156)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	(5)	74	(44)	2
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	108	(74)	(157)	141
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	103	0	(201)	143
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(5)	15	(5)	15
Net income (loss)	98	15	(206)	158
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	98	15	(206)	158
Total comprehensive income (loss)	60	(31)	(245)	136
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	60	(31)	(245)	136
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue	32	27	78	76
Service revenue	8	7	23	21
Total revenue	40	34	101	97
Cost of products	13	15	32	32
Cost of services	3	3	8	9
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	1	4	1
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0	1	0	1
Total operating expenses	17	20	44	43
Income (loss) from operations	23	14	57	54
Interest expense	0	(1)	0	(1)
Other (expense), net	0	0	2	(3)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	23	13	59	50
Income tax expense (benefit)	14	16	30	36
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	9	(3)	29	14
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	113	(13)	(190)	171
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	122	(16)	(161)	185
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	122	(16)	(161)	185
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	122	(16)	(161)	185
Total comprehensive income (loss)	50	(65)	(196)	150
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	50	(65)	(196)	150
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue	707	614	1,626	1,530
Service revenue	568	615	1,698	1,792
Total revenue	1,275	1,229	3,324	3,322
Cost of products	621	510	1,396	1,211
Cost of services	386	469	1,441	1,265
Selling, general and administrative expenses	105	147	450	381
Research and development expenses	25	30	109	106
Restructuring-related charges	6	45	22	45
Total operating expenses	1,143	1,201	3,418	3,008
Income (loss) from operations	132	28	(94)	314
Interest expense	(19)	(18)	(58)	(55)
Other (expense), net	0	0	7	4
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	113	10	(145)	263
Income tax expense (benefit)	14	81	38	134
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	99	(71)	(183)	129
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	99	(71)	(183)	129
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1	0	1	0
Net income (loss)	100	(71)	(182)	129
Net income	1	0	4	2
Net income attributable to NCR	99	(71)	(186)	127
Total comprehensive income (loss)	60	(118)	(234)	103
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(3)	(2)	(3)	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	63	(116)	(231)	103
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue	(348)	(189)	(553)	(283)
Service revenue	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	(348)	(189)	(553)	(283)
Cost of products	(348)	(189)	(553)	(283)
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	0	0
Total operating expenses	(348)	(189)	(553)	(283)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	18	19	55	54
Other (expense), net	(18)	(19)	(55)	(54)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre 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	(221)	87	347	(312)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	(221)	87	347	(312)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(221)	87	347	(312)
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	(221)	87	347	(312)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(113)	181	427	(253)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	$ (113)	$ 181	$ 427	$ (253)