Retirement Benefits (Details 4)	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Equity Securities [Member]
Asset Allocation
Minimum	40.00%
Maximum	65.00%
Target Allocation	52.00%
As of the balance sheet date	50.00%	50.00%
Debt Securities [Member]
Asset Allocation
Minimum	30.00%
Maximum	50.00%
Target Allocation	40.00%
As of the balance sheet date	42.00%	41.00%
Other Security [Member]
Asset Allocation
Minimum	0.00%
Maximum	15.00%
Target Allocation	8.00%
As of the balance sheet date	8.00%	9.00%

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Target allocation of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e2446-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation maximum percentage of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocationsRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Target allocation minimum percentage of investments of this type to total plan assets presented on a weighted average basis.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e2446-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocationsRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of fair value of investments (categorized by debt securities, equity securities, real estate and other plan assets) to the fair value of plan assets held.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e2446-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=rok_OtherSecurityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: