Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Product revenue	$ 548	$ 604
Service revenue	896	872
Total revenue	1,444	1,476
Cost of products	442	483
Cost of services	622	603
Selling, general and administrative expenses	224	225
Research and development expenses	53	55
Restructuring-related charges	2	15
Total operating expenses	1,343	1,381
Income (loss) from operations	101	95
Interest expense	(46)	(44)
Other (expense), net	(10)	(7)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	45	44
Income tax expense (benefit)	13	2
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	32	42
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	32	42
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Net income (loss)	32	42
Net income	0	2
Net income attributable to NCR	32	40
Total comprehensive income (loss)	20	17
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4)	(1)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	24	18
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue	231	263
Service revenue	377	344
Total revenue	608	607
Cost of products	179	215
Cost of services	284	248
Selling, general and administrative expenses	120	112
Research and development expenses	28	22
Restructuring-related charges	2	4
Total operating expenses	613	601
Income (loss) from operations	(5)	6
Interest expense	(45)	(43)
Other (expense), net	11	8
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	(39)	(29)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(21)	(3)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	(18)	(26)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	50	66
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	32	40
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Net income (loss)	32	40
Net income	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	32	40
Total comprehensive income (loss)	24	18
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	24	18
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue	16	19
Service revenue	8	7
Total revenue	24	26
Cost of products	7	10
Cost of services	3	2
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	2
Research and development expenses	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0	0
Total operating expenses	11	14
Income (loss) from operations	13	12
Interest expense	0	0
Other (expense), net	(5)	0
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	8	12
Income tax expense (benefit)	5	5
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	3	7
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	48	56
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	51	63
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Net income (loss)	51	63
Net income	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	51	63
Total comprehensive income (loss)	35	28
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	35	28
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue	365	411
Service revenue	511	521
Total revenue	876	932
Cost of products	320	347
Cost of services	335	353
Selling, general and administrative expenses	103	111
Research and development expenses	25	33
Restructuring-related charges	0	11
Total operating expenses	783	855
Income (loss) from operations	93	77
Interest expense	(18)	(19)
Other (expense), net	1	3
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	76	61
Income tax expense (benefit)	29	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	47	61
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	47	61
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Net income (loss)	47	61
Net income	0	2
Net income attributable to NCR	47	59
Total comprehensive income (loss)	28	25
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4)	(1)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	32	26
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue	(64)	(89)
Service revenue	0	0
Total revenue	(64)	(89)
Cost of products	(64)	(89)
Cost of services	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0	0
Total operating expenses	(64)	(89)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0
Interest expense	17	18
Other (expense), net	(17)	(18)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre 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	(98)	(122)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	(98)	(122)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Net income (loss)	(98)	(122)
Net income	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	(98)	(122)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(67)	(54)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	$ (67)	$ (54)