Segment Information - Revenue By Service/Product Solution (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Revenue summary by geography
Domestic													$ 1,364,105	$ 1,533,674	$ 1,341,167
Percentage of total revenue (domestic)													47.70%	51.30%	47.30%
International													1,493,386	1,458,019	1,494,681
Percentage of total revenue (international)													52.30%	48.70%	52.70%
Revenue summary by service and product solution
Services													1,637,056	1,626,521	1,552,358
Products													1,220,435	1,365,172	1,283,490
Customer revenues	811,443	705,424	707,113	633,511	840,095	[1]	709,919	[1]	743,188	[1]	698,491	[1]	2,857,491	2,991,693	2,835,848
Financial self-service [Member]
Revenue summary by service and product solution
Services													1,188,937	1,199,325	1,140,872
Products													1,028,031	1,112,576	996,673
Customer revenues													2,216,968	2,311,901	2,137,545
Security [Member]
Revenue summary by service and product solution
Services													448,123	427,007	411,474
Products													170,766	196,630	194,028
Customer revenues													618,889	623,637	605,502
Total financial self-service & security [Member]
Revenue summary by service and product solution
Customer revenues													2,835,857	2,935,538	2,743,047
Election and lottery systems [Member]
Revenue summary by service and product solution
Customer revenues													$ 21,634	$ 56,155	$ 92,801

[1] prior-year amounts reflect the impact of the retrospective correction related to the Brazilian indirect taxes (refer to note 1)