Acquisitions (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 02, 2016	Jan. 03, 2015	Dec. 17, 2015	Feb. 02, 2015	Apr. 01, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 844,200	$ 799,182	$ 320,538
Siemens Health Services [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount					$ 532,327
Business Combination, Acquired Receivables, Estimated Uncollectible					34,191
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition		Feb. 02, 2015
Business Acquisition, Name of Acquired Entity		Siemens Health Services
Business Acquisition, Description of Acquired Entity		Siemens Health Services offered a portfolio of enterprise-level clinical and financial health care information technology solutions, as well as departmental, connectivity, population health, and care coordination solutions globally. Solutions were offered on the Soarian, Invision, and i.s.h.med platforms, among others. Siemens Health Services also offered a range of complementary services, including support, hosting, managed services, implementation services, and strategic consulting
Business Combination, Reason for Business Combination		We believe the acquisition enhances our organic growth opportunities as it provides us a larger base into which we can sell our combined portfolio of solutions and services. The acquisition also augments our non-U.S. footprint and growth opportunities, increases our ability and scale for R&D investment, and added over 5,000 highly-skilled associates that enhance our capabilities
Business Combination, Goodwill Recognized, Description		These factors, combined with the synergies and economies of scale expected from combining the operations of Cerner and Siemens Health Services, are the basis for acquisition and comprise the resulting goodwill recorded
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred		$ 1,390,000
Business Combination, Base Purchase Price		$ 1,300,000
Business Acquisition, Date of Acquisition Agreement		Aug. 05, 2014
Business Acquisition, Transaction Costs		$ 22,000	16,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Receivables					226,207
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Other					46,682
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment					158,324
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, PP&E, Weighted Average Useful Life		20 years
Goodwill					532,327
Intangible assets					612,980
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Other Noncurrent Assets					5,212
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable					(42,306)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Deferred Revenue					(85,314)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Other					(12,853)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Deferred Revenue					(48,130)
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net					1,393,129
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Revenue of Acquiree since Acquisition Date, Actual		$ 930,000
Business Combination, Pro Forma Information, Disclosure Impracticable		Disclosure of the earnings contribution from the Cerner Health Services business in 2015 is not practicable, as we had already integrated operations in many areas
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue		$ 4,518,947	4,549,387
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)		$ 546,027	$ 463,344
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Diluted		$ 1.56	$ 1.32
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Description		These pro forma results are based on estimates and assumptions, which we believe are reasonable. They are not the results that would have been realized had we been a combined company during the periods presented, nor are they indicative of our consolidated results of operations in future periods.
Siemens Health Services [Member] | Existing technologies [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets					201,990
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		5 years
Siemens Health Services [Member] | Customer relationships [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets					371,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		10 years
Siemens Health Services [Member] | Trade Names [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets					$ 39,990
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life		8 years
Lee's Summit Tech Center [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition		Dec. 17, 2015
Business Acquisition, Name of Acquired Entity		Summit Technology Campus
Business Acquisition, Description of Acquired Entity		The acquired property (now referred to as the "Lee's Summit Tech Center") consists of a 550,000 square foot multi-tenant office building.
Business Combination, Reason for Business Combination		We expect to utilize this space to support our data center and office space needs.
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred		$ 86,000
Business Combination, Cash Consideration		85,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment				$ 86,000
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration, at Fair Value				$ 1,000
InterMedHx [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Acquisition, Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount						$ 17,000
Business Acquisition, Effective Date of Acquisition			Apr. 01, 2014
Business Acquisition, Name of Acquired Entity			InterMedHx, LLC (InterMedHx)
Business Acquisition, Description of Acquired Entity			InterMedHx was a provider of health technology solutions in the areas of preventive care, patient administration, and medication history.
Business Combination, Reason for Business Combination			We believe the addition of InterMedHx solutions provides additional capabilities in the market.
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred			$ 19,000
Goodwill						17,000
Intangible assets						$ 4,000
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life			5 years
Business Acquisition, Percentage of Voting Interests Acquired						100.00%
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Description			which is payable at a percentage of the revenue contribution from InterMedHx solutions and services.
Business Acquisition, Contingent Consideration, at Fair Value						$ 12,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Change in Amount of Contingent Consideration, Liability	$ 2,000
Acquired Intangible Amortization [Member] | Siemens Health Services [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related Adjustments		7,000	$ 86,000
Fair Value Adjustment to Deferred Revenue [Member] | Siemens Health Services [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related Adjustments		6,000	52,000
Acquisition-related Costs [Member] | Siemens Health Services [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related Adjustments		$ 22,000	$ 16,000