Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, 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
Net sales	$ 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
Gross profit	180,121		172,805		157,416		130,014		182,500	[1]	171,577	[1]	183,936	[1]	191,607	[1]	640,356	729,620	730,474
(Loss) income from continuing operations	(38,584)		(20,204)		(103,852)		(13,882)		(5,513)	[1]	16,851	[1]	26,580	[1]	44,752	[1]	(176,522)	82,670	150,909
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0		0		0		0		(3,125)	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	(3,125)	523
Net (loss) income	(38,584)		(20,204)		(103,852)		(13,882)		(8,638)	[1]	16,851	[1]	26,580	[1]	44,752	[1]	(176,522)	79,545	151,432
Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,850		1,486		1,183		(436)		3,220	[1]	630	[1]	1,290	[1]	802	[1]	5,083	5,942	7,285
Net (loss) income attributable to Diebold, Incorporated	(41,434)		(21,690)		(105,035)		(13,446)		(11,858)	[1]	16,221	[1]	25,290	[1]	43,950	[1]	(181,605)	73,603	144,147
Basic earnings per share:
(Loss) income from continuing operations, net of tax	$ (0.65)		$ (0.34)		$ (1.65)		$ (0.21)		$ (0.14)	[1]	$ 0.26	[1]	$ 0.40	[1]	$ 0.70	[1]	$ (2.85)	$ 1.22	$ 2.23
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ (0.05)	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	$ (0.05)	$ 0.01
Net (loss) income attributable to Diebold, Incorporated	$ (0.65)		$ (0.34)		$ (1.65)		$ (0.21)		$ (0.19)	[1]	$ 0.26	[1]	$ 0.40	[1]	$ 0.70	[1]	$ (2.85)	$ 1.17	$ 2.24
Diluted earnings per share:
(Loss) income from continuing operations, net of tax	$ (0.65)		$ (0.34)		$ (1.65)		$ (0.21)		$ (0.14)	[1]	$ 0.25	[1]	$ 0.39	[1]	$ 0.69	[1]	$ (2.85)	$ 1.20	$ 2.21
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ 0.00		$ (0.05)	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	$ (0.05)	$ 0.01
Net (loss) income attributable to Diebold, Incorporated	$ (0.65)		$ (0.34)		$ (1.65)		$ (0.21)		$ (0.19)	[1]	$ 0.25	[1]	$ 0.39	[1]	$ 0.69	[1]	$ (2.85)	$ 1.15	$ 2.22
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	63,928		63,825		63,700		63,311		63,230	[1]	63,211	[1]	63,064	[1]	62,725	[1]	63,659	63,061	64,244
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding	63,928	[2]	63,825	[2]	63,700	[2]	63,311	[2]	63,230	[1],[2]	64,134	[1]	64,035	[1]	63,333	[1]	63,659	63,914	64,792
Incremental Shares, Excluded From Dilutive Calculation, Due To Resulting in Operating Loss	508		479		447		659		786								545
Undistributed earnings	27,766				42,838				5,016								27,766	5,016
Valuation allowance	92,138				39,130				57,303								92,138	57,303
Goodwill impairment loss			70,000														(70,000)	0	0
Restructuring Charges	35,611																57,015	15,241	26,182
Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Settlements									21,907
FCPA [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period					28,000				16,750								28,000	16,750	3,250
Securities Action [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period					17,500												17,245
Voluntary Early Retirement Program [Member] | Pension Plans, Defined Benefit [Member]
Diluted earnings per share:
Pension Expense	$ (67,593)

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

[2] incremental shares of 659 thousand, 447 thousand, 479 thousand and 508 thousand were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS for the first, second, third and fourth quarter of 2013 and 786 thousand were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS for the fourth quarter of 2012 because their effect is anti-dilutive due to the loss from continuing operations