Goodwill and Other Intangibles Assets - Components of Goodwill Balance by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Oct. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, gross	$ 918.8
Accumulated impairment charges	(6.0)
Goodwill	912.8	$ 867.5	$ 854.7
Janitorial
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, gross	499.0
Accumulated impairment charges	0.0
Goodwill	499.0	491.9	488.4
Facility Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, gross	72.6
Accumulated impairment charges	0.0
Goodwill	72.6	72.6	72.6
Parking
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, gross	69.2
Accumulated impairment charges	0.0
Goodwill	69.2	69.2	69.2
Building & Energy Solutions
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, gross	190.0
Accumulated impairment charges	(6.0)
Goodwill	184.0	146.4	137.4
Other
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, gross	87.9
Accumulated impairment charges	0.0
Goodwill	$ 87.9	$ 87.4	$ 87.1

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

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Amount before accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a,h)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

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