Equity Investments - Ownership and Contributions (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) fund	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Atlanta-based venture capital fund limited partnership private equity \| Maximum
Equity investments
Ownership interest (as a percent)	50.00%
China Union Pay Data Co., Ltd
Equity investments
Equity method investment ownership (as a percent)	44.56%
TSYS de Mexico
Equity investments
Equity method investment ownership (as a percent)	49.00%
Atlanta-based venture capital fund limited partnership private equity
Equity investments
Number of investment funds \| fund	2
Cumulative contributions to the funds	$ 22.8	$ 20.1
Atlanta-based venture capital fund limited partnership private equity \| Maximum
Equity investments
Commitment to invest	$ 20.0

Commitments to invest.

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Represent the number of investment funds.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

This element represents the aggregate cost of investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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- Definition

Percentage investment held by members or limited partners of limited liability company (LLC) or limited partnership (LP).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 272
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6373374&loc=d3e70478-108055

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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