Allowance for Credit Losses and Credit Quality of Receivables (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Dollars
Total write-offs	$ (40.7)	$ (61.5)	$ (120.2)
Total recoveries	29.1	36.8	30.9
Total net write-offs	(11.6)	(24.7)	(89.3)
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(0.18%)	(0.30%)	(0.65%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.13%	0.18%	0.17%
Total net write-offs (as a percent)	(0.05%)	(0.12%)	(0.48%)
Retail notes
Dollars
Total write-offs	(7.4)	(14.9)	(30.1)
Total recoveries	6.8	7.2	7.2
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(0.05%)	(0.12%)	(0.27%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.05%	0.06%	0.06%
Retail notes | Agriculture and turf equipment
Dollars
Total write-offs	(3.4)	(5.3)	(6.6)
Total recoveries	3.9	3.6	3.8
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(0.03%)	(0.05%)	(0.07%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.03%	0.03%	0.04%
Retail notes | Construction and forestry equipment
Dollars
Total write-offs	(4.0)	(9.5)	(23.1)
Total recoveries	2.9	3.5	3.2
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(0.32%)	(0.84%)	(1.89%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.23%	0.31%	0.26%
Retail notes | Recreational products
Dollars
Total write-offs		(0.1)	(0.4)
Total recoveries		0.1	0.2
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)		(2.38%)	(7.27%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)		2.38%	3.64%
Revolving charge accounts
Dollars
Total write-offs	(28.8)	(39.1)	(70.9)
Total recoveries	21.4	28.2	22.7
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(1.29%)	(1.77%)	(3.38%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.96%	1.28%	1.08%
Wholesale receivables
Dollars
Total write-offs	(1.0)	(0.6)	0.7
Total recoveries	0.1	0.1	0.4
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(0.02%)	(0.01%)	0.02%
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%	0.01%
Financing leases
Dollars
Total write-offs	(1.6)	(3.6)	(2.4)
Total recoveries	0.3	0.1	0.4
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(0.34%)	(0.84%)	(0.62%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.06%	0.02%	0.10%
Operating loans
Dollars
Total write-offs	(1.9)	(3.3)	(17.5)
Total recoveries	$ 0.5	$ 1.2	$ 0.2
Percent
Total write-offs (as a percent)	(3.12%)	(1.91%)	(7.79%)
Total recoveries (as a percent)	0.82%	0.69%	0.09%