Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Product revenue									$ 2,711	$ 2,892	$ 2,912
Service revenue									3,662	3,699	3,211
Total revenue	$ 1,680	$ 1,613	$ 1,604	$ 1,476	$ 1,768	$ 1,647	$ 1,658	$ 1,518	6,373	6,591	6,123
Cost of products									2,072	2,153	2,152
Cost of services									2,832	2,706	2,231
Selling, general and administrative expenses									1,042	1,012	871
Research and development expenses									230	263	203
Restructuring-related charges									62	104	0
Total operating expenses									6,238	6,238	5,457
Income (loss) from operations	138	168	(266)	95	35	41	169	108	135	353	666
Interest expense									(173)	(181)	(103)
Other (expense), net									(57)	(35)	(9)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes									(95)	137	554
Income tax expense (benefit)									55	(48)	98
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									(150)	185	456
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations									(150)	185	456
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									(24)	10	(9)
Net (loss) income									(174)	195	447
Net income									4	4	4
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR	$ 24	$ 98	$ (344)	$ 40	$ 33	$ 15	$ 90	$ 53	(178)	191	443
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(191)	94	439
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									1	1	(3)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									(192)	93	442
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue									1,121	1,039	1,107
Service revenue									1,337	1,254	1,232
Total revenue									2,458	2,293	2,339
Cost of products									855	828	844
Cost of services									986	996	880
Selling, general and administrative expenses									474	483	467
Research and development expenses									90	148	94
Restructuring-related charges									28	32
Total operating expenses									2,433	2,487	2,285
Income (loss) from operations									25	(194)	54
Interest expense									(168)	(177)	(104)
Other (expense), net									21	38	(12)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes									(122)	(333)	(62)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(38)	(173)	(23)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									(84)	(160)	(39)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									(69)	341	491
Income from continuing operations									(153)	181	452
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									(25)	10	(9)
Net (loss) income									(178)	191	443
Net income									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									(178)	191	443
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(192)	93	442
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									(192)	93	442
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue									105	111	85
Service revenue									33	28	24
Total revenue									138	139	109
Cost of products									43	41	17
Cost of services									13	13	9
Selling, general and administrative expenses									4	2	5
Research and development expenses									0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges									0	1
Total operating expenses									60	57	31
Income (loss) from operations									78	82	78
Interest expense									0	(1)	2
Other (expense), net									4	(4)	(8)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes									82	77	72
Income tax expense (benefit)									52	68	25
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									30	9	47
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									(161)	392	409
Income from continuing operations									(131)	401	456
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net (loss) income									(131)	401	456
Net income									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									(131)	401	456
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(154)	319	331
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									(154)	319	331
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue									2,380	2,137	1,977
Service revenue									2,292	2,417	1,955
Total revenue									4,672	4,554	3,932
Cost of products									2,069	1,679	1,548
Cost of services									1,833	1,697	1,342
Selling, general and administrative expenses									564	527	399
Research and development expenses									140	115	109
Restructuring-related charges									34	71
Total operating expenses									4,640	4,089	3,398
Income (loss) from operations									32	465	534
Interest expense									(78)	(75)	(6)
Other (expense), net									(9)	3	16
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes									(55)	393	544
Income tax expense (benefit)									41	57	96
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									(96)	336	448
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations									(96)	336	448
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									1	0	0
Net (loss) income									(95)	336	448
Net income									4	4	4
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									(99)	332	444
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(110)	229	437
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									1	1	(3)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									(111)	228	440
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue									(895)	(395)	(257)
Service revenue									0	0	0
Total revenue									(895)	(395)	(257)
Cost of products									(895)	(395)	(257)
Cost of services									0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Research and development expenses									0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges									0	0
Total operating expenses									(895)	(395)	(257)
Income (loss) from operations									0	0	0
Interest expense									73	72	5
Other (expense), net									(73)	(72)	(5)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes									0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									230	(733)	(900)
Income from continuing operations									230	(733)	(900)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax									0	0	0
Net (loss) income									230	(733)	(900)
Net income									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									230	(733)	(900)
Total comprehensive income (loss)									265	(547)	(771)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									$ 265	$ (547)	$ (771)