Borrowings (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Long-term debt
Fair value adjustment related to hedged debt	$ 533	$ 669
Less: current portion	(6,666)	(7,046)
Total long-term debt	19,030	15,258
U.S. Dollar Global Notes
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	19,488	14,515
2002 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.505% in June 2002 at 6.5%, due July 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	500	500
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.505%	99.505%
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.50%	6.50%
Face amount of debt instrument	500	500
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$600 issued at par in February 2007 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 0.11%, due March 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	600	600
Face amount of debt instrument	600	600
Reference interest rate	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)	0.11%	0.11%
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$900 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.938% in February 2007 at 5.25%, due March 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	900	900
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.938%	99.938%
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.25%	5.25%
Face amount of debt instrument	900	900
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.694% in February 2007 at 5.4%, due March 2017
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	499	499
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.694%	99.694%
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.40%	5.40%
Face amount of debt instrument	500	500
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.921% in March 2008 at 4.5%, due March 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,500	1,499
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.921%	99.921%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.50%	4.50%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,500	1,500
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$750 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.932% in March 2008 at 5.5%, due March 2018
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	750	750
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.932%	99.932%
Interest rate (as a percent)	5.50%	5.50%
Face amount of debt instrument	750	750
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$2,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.561% in December 2008 at 6.125%, due March 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,996	1,994
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.561%	99.561%
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.125%	6.125%
Face amount of debt instrument	2,000	2,000
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$275 issued at par in February 2009 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 1.75%, paid February 2011
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		275
Face amount of debt instrument		275
Reference interest rate		three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)		1.75%
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.956% in February 2009 at 4.25%, due February 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,000	1,000
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.956%	99.956%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.25%	4.25%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,000	1,000
2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.993% in February 2009 at 4.75%, due June 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,500	1,500
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.993%	99.993%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.75%	4.75%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,500	1,500
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$750 issued at par in May 2009 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 1.05%, paid May 2011
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		750
Face amount of debt instrument		750
Reference interest rate		three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)		1.05%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.967% in May 2009 at 2.25%, paid May 2011
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding		1,000
Discount to par (as a percent)		99.967%
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.25%
Face amount of debt instrument		1,000
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$250 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.984% in May 2009 at 2.95%, due August 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	250	250
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.984%	99.984%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.95%	2.95%
Face amount of debt instrument	250	250
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$800 issued at par in September 2010 at three-month USD LIBOR plus 0.125%, due September 2012
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	800	800
Face amount of debt instrument	800	800
Reference interest rate	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)	0.125%	0.125%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,100 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.921% in September 2010 at 1.25% due September 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,099	1,099
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.921%	99.921%
Interest rate (as a percent)	1.25%	1.25%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,100	1,100
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,100 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.887% in September 2010 at 2.125% due September 2015
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,099	1,099
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.887%	99.887%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.125%	2.125%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,100	1,100
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$650 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.911% in December 2010 at 2.2% due December 2015
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	649
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.911%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.20%
Face amount of debt instrument	650
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,350 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.827% in December 2010 at 3.75% due December 2020
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,348
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.827%
Interest rate (as a percent)	3.75%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,350
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,750 issued at par in May 2011 at three month USD LIBOR plus 0.28% due May 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,750
Face amount of debt instrument	1,750
Reference interest rate	three month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)	0.28%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at par in May 2011 at three month USD LIBOR plus 0.4% due May 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	500
Face amount of debt instrument	500
Reference interest rate	three month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)	0.40%
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.971% in May 2011 at 1.55% due May 2014
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	500
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.971%
Interest rate (as a percent)	1.55%
Face amount of debt instrument	500
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.958% in May 2011 at 2.65% due June 2016
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,000
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.958%
Interest rate (as a percent)	2.65%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,000
2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,250 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.799% in May 2011 at 4.3% due June 2021
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,248
Discount to par (as a percent)	99.799%
Interest rate (as a percent)	4.30%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,250
EDS Senior Notes
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,437	1,445
EDS Senior Notes-$1,100 issued June 2003 at 6.0%, due August 2013
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	1,122	1,130
Interest rate (as a percent)	6.00%	6.00%
Face amount of debt instrument	1,100	1,100
EDS Senior Notes-$300 issued October 1999 at 7.45%, due October 2029
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding	315	315
Interest rate (as a percent)	7.45%	7.45%
Face amount of debt instrument	300	300
Other, including capital lease obligations, at 0.60%-8.63%, due in calendar years 2011-2024
Long-term debt
Other, including capital lease obligations	895	845
Minimum interest rate (as a percent)	0.0060	0.0060
Maximum interest rate (as a percent)	0.0863	0.0863
Borrowings collateralized by certain financing receivable assets	$ 284