Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Cash flow from operating activities:
Profit of consolidated and affliated companies	$ 5,022	$ 3,419
Adjustments for non-cash items:
Depreciation and amortization	2,070	1,832
Other	(267)	558
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and divestitures:
Receivables - trade and other	136	(254)
Inventories	(3,118)	(2,716)
Accounts payable	(334)	1,308
Accrued expenses	76	134
Accrued wages, salaries and employee benefits	(643)	275
Customer advances	306	333
Other assets - net	(20)	(74)
Other liabilities - net	34	700
Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities	3,262	5,515
Cash flow from investing activities:
Capital expenditures - excluding equipment leased to others	(2,270)	(1,515)
Expenditures for equipment leased to others	(1,256)	(984)
Proceeds from disposals of leased assets and property, plant and equipment	840	922
Additions to finance receivables	(8,835)	(7,091)
Collections of finance receivables	6,567	6,503
Proceeds from sale of finance receivables	109	106
Investments and acquisitions (net of cash acquired)	(542)	(7,413)
Proceeds from sale of businesses and investments (net of cash sold)	1,009	21
Proceeds from sale of available-for-sale securities	243	180
Investments in available-for-sale securities	(299)	(216)
Other - net	82	37
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(4,352)	(9,450)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Dividends paid	(937)	(862)
Distribution to noncontrolling interests	(5)	(3)
Common stock issued, including treasury shares reissued	41	110
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	165	169
Acquisitions of redeemable noncontrolling interests	(444)	0
Proceeds from debt issued (original maturities greater than three months):
Machinery and Power Systems	2,015	4,544
Financial Products	9,617	8,703
Payments on debt (original maturities greater than three months):
Machinery and Power Systems	(485)	(2,203)
Financial Products	(6,283)	(6,080)
Short-term borrowings - net (original maturities three months or less)	163	(766)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	3,847	3,612
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(125)	(40)
Increase (decrease) in cash and short-term investments	2,632	(363)
Cash and short-term investments at beginning of period	3,057	3,592
Cash and short-term investments at end of period	5,689	3,229
Non-cash activities:
Debt exchange original debentures amount	1,325
Debt exchange new debentures amount	1,722
Debt exchange new debentures interest rate (as a percent)	3.803%
Debt exchange new debentures due date (year)	2042
Debt exchange cash paid	$ 179