Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	New Accounting Standards or Updates Recently Adopted As of the beginning of fiscal 2015, FactSet implemented all new accounting standards and updates issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) that were in effect. There were no new standards or updates adopted during the first six months of fiscal 2015 that had a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. RecentAccounting Standards or Updates Not Yet Effective Reporting Discontinued Operations In April 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that changes the criteria for reporting discontinued operations. Under the accounting standard update, a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has, or will have, a major effect on an entity's operations and financial results when either it qualifies as held for sale, disposed of by sale, or disposed of other than by sale. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which provides clarified principles for recognizing revenue arising from contracts with clients and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to clients in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In applying the revenue model to contracts within its scope, an entity will identify the contract with a client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements. Going Concern In August 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires management to evaluate and disclose whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after financial statements are issued. The evaluation and disclosure will be required to be made for both annual and interim reporting periods, if applicable, along with an evaluation as to whether management’s plans alleviate that doubt. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Income Statement Presentation – Extraordinary and Unusual Items In January 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that eliminates from GAAP the concept of extraordinary items. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, with early adoption permitted. The standard primarily involves presentation and disclosure and, therefore, is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or its cash flows. No other new accounting pronouncements issued or effective as of February 28, 2015 have had or are expected to have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2015

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

New Accounting Standards or Updates Recently Adopted

As of the beginning of fiscal 2015, FactSet implemented all new accounting standards and updates issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) that were in effect. There were no new standards or updates adopted during the first six months of fiscal 2015 that had a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

RecentAccounting Standards or Updates Not Yet Effective

Reporting Discontinued Operations

In April 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that changes the criteria for reporting discontinued operations. Under the accounting standard update, a disposal of a component of an entity or a group of components of an entity is required to be reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has, or will have, a major effect on an entity's operations and financial results when either it qualifies as held for sale, disposed of by sale, or disposed of other than by sale. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which provides clarified principles for recognizing revenue arising from contracts with clients and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to clients in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In applying the revenue model to contracts within its scope, an entity will identify the contract with a client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements.

Going Concern

In August 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires management to evaluate and disclose whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after financial statements are issued. The evaluation and disclosure will be required to be made for both annual and interim reporting periods, if applicable, along with an evaluation as to whether management’s plans alleviate that doubt. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017.

Income Statement Presentation – Extraordinary and Unusual Items

In January 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that eliminates from GAAP the concept of extraordinary items. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, with early adoption permitted. The standard primarily involves presentation and disclosure and, therefore, is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or its cash flows.

No other new accounting pronouncements issued or effective as of February 28, 2015 have had or are expected to have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.