Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Product revenue	$ 554	$ 548
Service revenue	924	896
Total revenue	1,478	1,444
Cost of products	424	442
Cost of services	641	622
Selling, general and administrative expenses	229	224
Research and development expenses	67	53
Restructuring-related charges	0	2
Total operating expenses	1,361	1,343
Income from operations	117	101
Interest expense	(39)	(46)
Other (expense), net	(7)	(10)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	71	45
Income tax expense (benefit)	14	13
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	57	32
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income from continuing operations	57	32
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	57	32
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	57	32
Total comprehensive income (loss)	75	20
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(4)
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	75	24
Eliminations
Product revenue	(104)	(64)
Service revenue	0	0
Total revenue	(104)	(64)
Cost of products	(104)	(64)
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	(104)	(64)
Income from operations	0	0
Interest expense	16	17
Other (expense), net	(16)	(17)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(53)	(91)
Income from continuing operations	(53)	(91)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	(53)	(91)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	(53)	(91)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(77)	(60)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	(77)	(60)
Parent Issuer
Product revenue	283	234
Service revenue	405	381
Total revenue	688	615
Cost of products	208	181
Cost of services	285	287
Selling, general and administrative expenses	118	122
Research and development expenses	26	28
Restructuring-related charges		2
Total operating expenses	637	620
Income from operations	51	(5)
Interest expense	(39)	(45)
Other (expense), net	(2)	11
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	10	(39)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1)	(21)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	11	(18)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	46	50
Income from continuing operations	57	32
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	57	32
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	57	32
Total comprehensive income (loss)	75	24
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	75	24
Guarantor Subsidiary
Product revenue	40	16
Service revenue	7	8
Total revenue	47	24
Cost of products	13	7
Cost of services	2	3
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	1
Research and development expenses	0	0
Restructuring-related charges		0
Total operating expenses	16	11
Income from operations	31	13
Interest expense	0	0
Other (expense), net	0	(5)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	31	8
Income tax expense (benefit)	16	5
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	15	3
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	7	41
Income from continuing operations	22	44
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	22	44
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	22	44
Total comprehensive income (loss)	34	28
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	34	28
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Product revenue	335	362
Service revenue	512	507
Total revenue	847	869
Cost of products	307	318
Cost of services	354	332
Selling, general and administrative expenses	110	101
Research and development expenses	41	25
Restructuring-related charges		0
Total operating expenses	812	776
Income from operations	35	93
Interest expense	(16)	(18)
Other (expense), net	11	1
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	30	76
Income tax expense (benefit)	(1)	29
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	31	47
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income from continuing operations	31	47
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income	31	47
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	31	47
Total comprehensive income (loss)	43	28
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(4)
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	$ 43	$ 32