Income Taxes - Total Income Taxes (Details) € in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2015 EUR (€)
Income Taxes
Income tax expense	$ 1,167	€ 970	€ 1,229	€ 935
Income tax recorded in share premium		(4)	(5)	(14)
Income taxes recorded in other comprehensive income that will not be reclassified to profit and loss
Remeasurements on defined benefit pension plans		7	(2)	(2)
Income taxes recorded in other comprehensive income that will be reclassified to profit and loss
Available-for-sale financial assets		(1)	(1)	2
Cash flow hedges		10	(4)	4
Exchange differences		2	25	(16)
Total		984	1,242	€ 909
Additional tax expense if tax authorities were to prevail in ongoing dispute		€ 1,884	€ 1,749

The aggregate current and deferred tax relating to particular items that are charged or credited directly to equity, for example: (a) an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings resulting from either a change in accounting policy that is applied retrospectively or the correction of an error; and (b) amounts arising on initial recognition of the equity component of a compound financial instrument. [Refer: Deferred tax relating to items credited (charged) directly to equity; Retained earnings; Financial instruments, class [member]]

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_CurrentAndDeferredTaxRelatingToItemsChargedOrCreditedDirectlyToEquity
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate amount included in the determination of profit (loss) for the period in respect of current tax and deferred tax that relate to continuing operations. [Refer: Continuing operations [member]; Current tax expense (income); Deferred tax expense (income)]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 8
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 23
-Subparagraph h
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_23_h&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 26
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 35
-Subparagraph b
-Clause viii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=26&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_35_b_viii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 79
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph c
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_c_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 82
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_82_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph c
-Clause ii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_c_ii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph B13
-Subparagraph g
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_B13_g&doctype=Appendix&seq=2
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxExpenseContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of income tax relating to amounts recognised in other comprehensive income in relation to available-for-sale financial assets. [Refer: Financial assets available-for-sale; Other comprehensive income]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2018-01-01
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph ab
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-02&anchor=para_81_ab&doctype=Standard&book=B
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2018-01-01
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 90
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-02&anchor=para_90&doctype=Standard&book=B
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxRelatingToAvailableforsaleFinancialAssetsOfOtherComprehensiveIncome
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of income tax relating to amounts recognised in other comprehensive income in relation to cash flow hedges. [Refer: Cash flow hedges [member]; Other comprehensive income]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 12
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 81
-Subparagraph ab
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=12&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_81_ab&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 90
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_90&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxRelatingToCashFlowHedgesOfOtherComprehensiveIncome
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxRelatingToComponentsOfOtherComprehensiveIncomeThatWillBeReclassifiedToProfitOrLossAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxRelatingToComponentsOfOtherComprehensiveIncomeThatWillNotBeReclassifiedToProfitOrLossAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of income tax relating to amounts recognised in other comprehensive income in relation to exchange differences on the translation of financial statements of foreign operations. [Refer: Other comprehensive income; Reserve of exchange differences on translation]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxRelatingToExchangeDifferencesOnTranslationOfOtherComprehensiveIncome
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of income tax relating to amounts recognised in other comprehensive income in relation to remeasurements of defined benefit plans. [Refer: Other comprehensive income; Reserve of remeasurements of defined benefit plans; Defined benefit plans [member]]

+ References

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncomeTaxRelatingToRemeasurementsOfDefinedBenefitPlansOfOtherComprehensiveIncome
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_MajorComponentsOfTaxExpenseIncomeAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of income tax contingencies. Including, but not limited to, domestic tax contingency, foreign tax contingency, state and local tax contingency, and other contingencies.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sap_IncomeTaxContingency
Namespace Prefix:	sap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate amount included in profit/loss, equity and other comprehensive income.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	sap_IncomeTaxRelatingToProfitEquityAndOtherComprehensiveIncome
Namespace Prefix:	sap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration