Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Net sales	$ 840,095		$ 709,919	$ 743,188	$ 698,491	$ 849,987	$ 709,322	$ 662,382	$ 614,157	$ 2,991,693	$ 2,835,848	$ 2,823,793
Gross profit	184,134		173,210	185,569	193,240	222,649	194,386	169,490	149,404	736,153	735,929	719,565
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(4,300)		18,064	27,792	45,965	83,047	42,782	21,602	4,146	87,521	151,577	(16,958)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(3,125)		0	0	0	5	0	529	(11)	(3,125)	523	275
Net income (loss)	(7,425)		18,064	27,792	45,965	83,052	42,782	22,131	4,135	84,396	152,100	(16,683)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	3,220		630	1,290	802	3,297	1,027	1,327	1,634	5,942	7,285	3,569
Net income (loss) attributable to Diebold, Incorporated	(10,645)		17,434	26,502	45,163	79,755	41,755	20,804	2,501	78,454	144,815	(20,252)
Basic earnings per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	$ (0.12)		$ 0.28	$ 0.42	$ 0.72	$ 1.27	$ 0.66	$ 0.31	$ 0.04	$ 1.29	$ 2.24	$ (0.31)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ (0.05)		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ (0.05)	$ 0.01	$ 0.00
Net income (loss) attributable to Diebold, Incorporated	$ (0.17)		$ 0.28	$ 0.42	$ 0.72	$ 1.27	$ 0.66	$ 0.32	$ 0.04	$ 1.24	$ 2.25	$ (0.31)
Diluted earnings per share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of tax	$ (0.12)		$ 0.27	$ 0.41	$ 0.71	$ 1.26	$ 0.65	$ 0.31	$ 0.04	$ 1.28	$ 2.23	$ (0.31)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ (0.05)		$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.01	$ 0.00	$ (0.05)	$ 0.01	$ 0.00
Net income (loss) attributable to Diebold, Incorporated	$ (0.17)		$ 0.27	$ 0.41	$ 0.71	$ 1.26	$ 0.65	$ 0.32	$ 0.04	$ 1.23	$ 2.24	$ (0.31)
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	63,230,000		63,211,000	63,064,000	62,725,000	62,599,000	63,626,000	65,028,000	65,762,000	63,061,000	64,244,000	65,907,000
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding	63,230,000	[1]	64,134,000	64,035,000	63,333,000	63,300,000	64,186,000	65,482,000	66,230,000	63,914,000	64,792,000	65,907,000
Incremental Shares, Excluded From Dilutive Calculation, Due To Resulting in Operating Loss	786,000											632,000
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period										16,750
Brazil
Diluted earnings per share:
Valuation Allowance, Amount						28,000					28,000
Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Settlements										$ 21,907

[1] (1) incremental shares of 786,000 were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS for the quarter ended December 31, 2012 because their effect is anti-dilutive due to the loss from continuing operations