Finance Assets and Lessor Operating Leases (Finance Receivables) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Net investment in receivables	$ 1,229,796	$ 1,294,880
North America
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Net investment in receivables	1,044,661	1,063,370
International
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Net investment in receivables	185,135	231,510
Sales-type lease receivables
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gross finance receivables	1,290,088	1,358,670
Unguaranteed residual values	59,875	65,409
Unearned income	(414,310)	(438,566)
Allowance for credit losses	(15,020)	(12,608)
Net investment in receivables	920,633	972,905
Sales-type lease receivables \| North America
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gross finance receivables	1,099,620	1,110,896
Unguaranteed residual values	48,204	52,637
Unearned income	(370,344)	(383,453)
Allowance for credit losses	(13,136)	(10,252)
Net investment in receivables	764,344	769,828
Sales-type lease receivables \| International
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gross finance receivables	190,468	247,774
Unguaranteed residual values	11,671	12,772
Unearned income	(43,966)	(55,113)
Allowance for credit losses	(1,884)	(2,356)
Net investment in receivables	156,289	203,077
Loan receivables
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gross finance receivables	316,294	329,589
Allowance for credit losses	(7,131)	(7,614)
Net investment in receivables	309,163	321,975
Loan receivables \| North America
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gross finance receivables	286,716	300,319
Allowance for credit losses	(6,399)	(6,777)
Net investment in receivables	280,317	293,542
Loan receivables \| International
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Gross finance receivables	29,578	29,270
Allowance for credit losses	(732)	(837)
Net investment in receivables	$ 28,846	$ 28,433
Minimum
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Lease period	3 years
Maximum
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Lease period	5 years

Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases Period

No definition available.

Name:	pbi_CapitalLeasesNetInvestmentinSalesTypeLeasesPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loans and Leases Receivable, Unearned Income

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pbi_LoansandLeasesReceivableUnearnedIncome
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loans and Leases Receivable, Unguaranteed Residual Values

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pbi_LoansandLeasesReceivableUnguaranteedResidualValues
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- 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

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of allowance to cover probable credit losses on loans and leases. Includes carryover of or adjustments to the allowance for loan losses in connection with business combinations. Excludes allowance for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82894903&loc=d3e15032-111544

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.L.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27010918&loc=d3e74567-122707

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allowance of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGrossCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after allowance and deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements and loans held for sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82891408&loc=d3e4428-111522

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableNetReportedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GeographicDistributionAxis=us-gaap_GeographicDistributionDomesticMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GeographicDistributionAxis=us-gaap_GeographicDistributionForeignMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_FinanceLeasesPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ConsumerPortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: