Borrowings (Details 2) (USD $)							3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended																	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended									3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended															3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended								3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2012 U.S. Dollar Global Notes	Oct. 31, 2011 U.S. Dollar Global Notes	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2012 2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$900 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.938% in February 2007 at 5.25%, paid March 2012	Oct. 31, 2011 2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$900 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.938% in February 2007 at 5.25%, paid March 2012	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.956% in February 2009 at 4.25%, paid February 2012	Oct. 31, 2011 2006 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.956% in February 2009 at 4.25%, paid February 2012	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 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	Oct. 31, 2011 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	Jan. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$750 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.977% in September 2011 at 2.35%, due March 2015	Oct. 31, 2011 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$750 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.977% in September 2011 at 2.35%, due March 2015	Jan. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,300 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.784% in September 2011 at 3.0%, due September 2016	Oct. 31, 2011 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,300 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.784% in September 2011 at 3.0%, due September 2016	Jan. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.816% in September 2011 at 4.375%, due September 2021	Oct. 31, 2011 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,000 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.816% in September 2011 at 4.375%, due September 2021	Jan. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,200 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.863% in September 2011 at 6.0% due September 2041	Oct. 31, 2011 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,200 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.863% in September 2011 at 6.0% due September 2041	Jan. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$650 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.946% in December 2011 at 2.625%, due December 2014	Jan. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$850 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.790% in December 2011 at 3.3%, due December 2016	Jan. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-$1,500 issued at discount to par at a price of 99.707% in December 2011 at 4.65%, due December 2021	Mar. 31, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-Issued March 2012 Issuance of debt Year	Mar. 12, 2012 2009 Shelf Registration Statement-Issued March 2012 Issuance of debt	Jan. 31, 2012 EDS Senior Notes	Oct. 31, 2011 EDS Senior Notes	Jan. 31, 2012 EDS Senior Notes-$1,100 issued June 2003 at 6.0%, due August 2013	Oct. 31, 2011 EDS Senior Notes-$1,100 issued June 2003 at 6.0%, due August 2013	Jan. 31, 2012 EDS Senior Notes-$300 issued October 1999 at 7.45%, due October 2029	Oct. 31, 2011 EDS Senior Notes-$300 issued October 1999 at 7.45%, due October 2029	Jan. 31, 2012 Other, including capital lease obligations, at 0.60%-8.63%, due in calendar years 2012-2024	Oct. 31, 2011 Other, including capital lease obligations, at 0.60%-8.63%, due in calendar years 2012-2024
Long-term debt
Balance outstanding			$ 27,078,000,000	$ 24,082,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 600,000,000	$ 600,000,000	$ 900,000,000	$ 900,000,000	$ 499,000,000	$ 499,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000	$ 750,000,000	$ 750,000,000	$ 1,997,000,000	$ 1,996,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000	$ 1,500,000,000	$ 250,000,000	$ 250,000,000	$ 800,000,000	$ 800,000,000	$ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,099,000,000	$ 1,099,000,000	$ 1,099,000,000	$ 650,000,000	$ 650,000,000	$ 1,348,000,000	$ 1,348,000,000	$ 1,750,000,000	$ 1,750,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 500,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,248,000,000	$ 1,248,000,000	$ 750,000,000	$ 750,000,000	$ 1,297,000,000	$ 1,297,000,000	$ 998,000,000	$ 998,000,000	$ 1,198,000,000	$ 1,198,000,000	$ 350,000,000	$ 350,000,000	$ 650,000,000	$ 848,000,000	$ 1,496,000,000			$ 1,432,000,000	$ 1,435,000,000	$ 1,117,000,000	$ 1,120,000,000	$ 315,000,000	$ 315,000,000
Other, including capital lease obligations																																																																		749,000,000	836,000,000
Fair value adjustment related to hedged debt	544,000,000	543,000,000
Less: current portion	(4,341,000,000)	(4,345,000,000)
Total long-term debt	25,462,000,000	22,551,000,000
Discount to par (as a percent)					99.505%	99.505%			99.938%	99.938%	99.694%	99.694%	99.921%	99.921%	99.932%	99.932%	99.561%	99.561%	99.956%	99.956%	99.993%	99.993%	99.984%	99.984%			99.921%	99.921%	99.887%	99.887%	99.911%	99.911%	99.827%	99.827%					99.971%	99.971%	99.958%	99.958%	99.799%	99.799%	99.977%	99.977%	99.784%	99.784%	99.816%	99.816%	99.863%	99.863%			99.946%	99.79%	99.707%
Interest rate (as a percent)					6.50%	6.50%			5.25%	5.25%	5.40%	5.40%	4.50%	4.50%	5.50%	5.50%	6.125%	6.125%	4.25%	4.25%	4.75%	4.75%	2.95%	2.95%			1.25%	1.25%	2.125%	2.125%	2.20%	2.20%	3.75%	3.75%					1.55%	1.55%	2.65%	2.65%	4.30%	4.30%	2.35%	2.35%	3.00%	3.00%	4.375%	4.375%	6.00%	6.00%			2.625%	3.30%	4.65%					6.00%	6.00%	7.45%	7.45%
Face amount of debt instrument					500,000,000	500,000,000	600,000,000	600,000,000	900,000,000	900,000,000	500,000,000	500,000,000	1,500,000,000	1,500,000,000	750,000,000	750,000,000	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000	1,500,000,000	1,500,000,000	250,000,000	250,000,000	800,000,000	800,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000	650,000,000	650,000,000	1,350,000,000	1,350,000,000	1,750,000,000	1,750,000,000	500,000,000	500,000,000	500,000,000	500,000,000	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000	1,250,000,000	1,250,000,000	750,000,000	750,000,000	1,300,000,000	1,300,000,000	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000	1,200,000,000	1,200,000,000	350,000,000	350,000,000	650,000,000	850,000,000	1,500,000,000					1,100,000,000	1,100,000,000	300,000,000	300,000,000
Reference interest rate							three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR																	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR									three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR															three-month USD LIBOR	three-month USD LIBOR
Spread on reference interest rate (as a percent)							0.11%	0.11%																	0.125%	0.125%									0.28%	0.28%	0.40%	0.40%															1.55%	1.55%
Minimum interest rate (as a percent)																																																																		0.60%	0.60%
Maximum interest rate (as a percent)																																																																		8.63%	8.63%
Borrowings collateralized by certain financing receivable assets																																																																		258,000,000
Aggregate future maturities of debt outstanding including capital lease obligations
Amount of debt issued, after balance sheet date																																																											$ 2,000,000,000
Maturity of debt from date of issuance, earliest date (in years)																																																										P5Y
Final maturity period (in years)																																																										10