Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Programs (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014	May. 31, 2015	May. 31, 2014
Trade Accounts Receivable Factoring Agreement
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Expiration date			Sep. 30, 2015
Trade accounts receivable sold	$ 700,000	$ 0	$ 1,200,000	$ 1,100,000
Cash proceeds for the sale of trade accounts receivable	700,000	0	1,200,000	1,100,000
Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sold	500,000,000	400,000,000	1,500,000,000	1,300,000,000
Cash proceeds for the sale of trade accounts receivable	500,000,000	400,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000	1,300,000,000
Asset-Backed Securitization Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Percentage of trade accounts receivable sold to conduits by special purpose entities			100.00%
Trade accounts receivable sold	1,900,000,000	1,800,000,000	$ 5,600,000,000	6,100,000,000
Cash proceeds for the sale of trade accounts receivable	1,500,000,000	1,400,000,000	5,200,000,000	5,700,000,000
Cash proceeds from new transfers	0	0	5,900,000	0
Deferred purchases price receivable	438,500,000	409,300,000	438,500,000	409,300,000
Pretax losses on sale of trade accounts receivable	1,200,000	$ 900,000	$ 2,800,000	$ 2,800,000
North American Asset-Backed Securitization Program
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Expiration date			Oct. 20, 2017
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	200,000,000		$ 200,000,000
Foreign Asset-Backed Securitization Program
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Expiration date			May 01, 2018
Foreign Asset-Backed Securitization Program | Before amendment
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	75,000,000		$ 75,000,000
Foreign Asset-Backed Securitization Program | After amendment
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	175,000,000		$ 175,000,000
450.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Expiration date			Nov. 01, 2015
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	450,000,000		$ 450,000,000
Minimum number of days notice required to cancel receivable sale agreements			15 days
Agreement extension date			Aug. 31, 2017
Minimum number of days notice required to not automatically extend receivable sale agreements			30 days
450.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs | Before amendment
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	350,000,000		$ 350,000,000
450.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs | After amendment
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	450,000,000		$ 450,000,000
150.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Expiration date			Aug. 31, 2015
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	150,000,000		$ 150,000,000
100.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Expiration date			Nov. 01, 2015
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	$ 100,000,000		$ 100,000,000
Minimum number of days notice required to cancel receivable sale agreements			15 days
Agreement extension date			Nov. 01, 2018
Minimum number of days notice required to not automatically extend receivable sale agreements			30 days