Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	Natixis Funds Trust II
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 01, 2012
Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Goal
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fund Fees & Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Natixis Fund Complex. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section "How Sales Charges Are Calculated" on page 90 of the Prospectus and on page 122 in the section "Reduced Sales Charges" of the Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees(fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination	April 30, 2013
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes for you if your Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During its most recently ended fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 75% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	75.00%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Natixis Fund Complex.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods (except where indicated). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption	If shares are redeemed
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	If shares are not redeemed
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Investments, Risks and Performance Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund, under normal market conditions, will invest primarily in companies that, at the time of purchase, have market capitalizations either within the capitalization range of the Russell Midcap Value Index, an unmanaged index that measures the performance of companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values within the broader Russell Midcap Index, or of $15 billion or less. While the market capitalization range for the Russell Midcap Value Index fluctuates, at March 31, 2012, it was $123.9 million to $22.8 billion. However, the Fund does not have any market capitalization limits and may invest in companies with smaller or larger capitalizations. Equity securities may take the form of stock in corporations, limited partnership interests, interests in limited liability companies, REITs or other trusts and similar securities. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. (“Vaughan Nelson”) invests in medium-capitalization companies with a focus on absolute return. Vaughan Nelson uses a bottom-up value oriented investment process in constructing the Fund’s portfolio. Vaughan Nelson seeks companies with the following characteristics, although not all of the companies selected will have these attributes: Companies earning a positive economic margin with stable-to-improving returns. Companies valued at a discount to their asset value. Companies with an attractive and sustainable dividend level. In selecting investments for the Fund, Vaughan Nelson generally employs the following strategies: Vaughan Nelson employs a value-driven investment philosophy that selects stocks selling at a relatively low value based on business fundamentals, economic margin analysis and discounted cash flow models. Vaughan Nelson selects companies that it believes are out of favor or misunderstood. Vaughan Nelson narrows the investment universe by using value-driven screens to create a research universe of companies with market capitalizations between $1 billion and $20 billion. Vaughan Nelson uses fundamental analysis to construct a portfolio that it believes has attractive return potential. Vaughan Nelson will generally sell a stock when it reaches Vaughan Nelson’s price target or when the issuer shows a deteriorating financial condition due to increased competitive pressures or internal or external forces reducing future expected returns. The Fund may also: Invest in convertible preferred stock and convertible debt securities. Invest in foreign securities, including emerging markets securities. Invest in other investment companies, to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940. Invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). Invest in securities offered in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) and Rule 144A securities. Engage in active and frequent trading of securities and other instruments. Effects of frequent trading may include high transaction costs, which may lower the Fund’s returns, and realization of short-term capital gains, distributions of which are taxable to shareholders who are individuals as ordinary income. Trading costs and tax effects associated with frequent trading may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The Fund does not represent a complete investment program. You may lose money by investing in the Fund. Emerging Markets Risk: Investing in emerging markets companies, which may be smaller and have shorter operating histories than companies in developed markets, involves risks in addition to, and greater than, those generally associated with investing in companies in developed foreign markets. The extent of economic development, political stability, market depth, infrastructure, capitalization and regulatory oversight in emerging market economies is generally less than in more developed markets. Equity Securities Risk: The value of the Fund’s investments in equity securities could be subject to unpredictable declines in the value of individual securities and periods of below-average performance in individual securities or in the equity market as a whole. Securities issued in IPOs tend to involve greater market risk than other equity securities due, in part, to public perception and the lack of publicly available information and trading history. Rule Fund Summary 144A securities may be less liquid than other equity securities. Value stocks can perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks. Value stocks also present the risk that their lower valuations fairly reflect their business prospects and that investors will not agree that the stocks represent favorable investment opportunities, and they may fall out of favor with investors and underperform growth stocks during any given period. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of the issuer’s bonds and preferred stock generally take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock. Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in foreign securities may be subject to greater political, economic, environmental, credit and information risks. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities are subject to foreign currency fluctuations. Foreign securities may be subject to higher volatility than U.S. securities, varying degrees of regulation and limited liquidity. Investments in Other Investment Companies Risk: The Fund will indirectly bear the management, service and other fees of any other investment companies in which it invests in addition to its own expenses. Large Investor Risk: Ownership of shares of the Fund may be concentrated in one or a few large investors. Such investors may redeem shares in large quantities or on a frequent basis. Redemptions by a large investor can affect the performance of the Fund, may increase realized capital gains, may accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders and may increase transaction costs. These transactions potentially limit the use of any capital loss carryforwards and certain other losses to offset future realized capital gains (if any). Such transactions may also increase the Fund’s expenses. Management Risk: A strategy used by the Fund’s portfolio managers may fail to produce the intended result. Market Risk: The market value of a security will move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based upon a change in an issuer’s financial condition, as well as overall market and economic conditions. REITs Risk: Investments in the real estate industry, including REITs, are particularly sensitive to economic downturns and are sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values, property taxes and tax laws, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use and rents and the management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry also may be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws. In addition, the value of a REIT is affected by changes in the value of the properties owned by the REIT or mortgage loans held by the REIT. REITs are also subject to default and prepayment risk. Many REITs are highly leveraged, increasing their risk. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests in addition to the expenses of the Fund.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	You may lose money by investing in the Fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Risk/Return Bar Chart and Table
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart and table shown below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns for the one-year and life-of-fund periods compare to those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at ngam.natixis.com and/or by calling the Fund toll-free at 800-225-5478. The chart does not reflect any sales charge that you may be required to pay when you buy or redeem the Fund’s shares. A sales charge will reduce your return.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart and table shown below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for the one-year and life-of-fund periods compare to those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-225-5478
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	ngam.natixis.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Total Returns for Class A Shares
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	The chart does not reflect any sales charge that you may be required to pay when you buy or redeem the Fund's shares. A sales charge will reduce your return.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Highest Quarterly Return: Third Quarter 2009, 21.30% Lowest Quarterly Return: Third Quarter 2011, -21.15%
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text]	rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes	Index performance returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans, qualified plans, education savings accounts, such as 529 plans or individual retirement accounts.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	The after-tax returns are shown for only one class of the Fund. After-tax returns for the other class of the Fund will vary.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	The Return After Taxes on Distributions & Sale of Fund Shares for the 1-year period exceeds the Return Before Taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from tax losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Prior to May 1, 2012, Class Y shares were offered in a separate prospectus and given that Class Y shares are now offered in this multi-class prospectus, Total Returns, Return After Taxes on Distributions and Return After Taxes on Distributions & Sale of Fund Shares are now presented for Class A shares. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans, qualified plans, education savings accounts, such as 529 plans or individual retirement accounts. The after-tax returns are shown for only one class of the Fund. After-tax returns for the other class of the Fund will vary. Index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes. The Return After Taxes on Distributions & Sale of Fund Shares for the 1-year period exceeds the Return Before Taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from tax losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period.
Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	5.75%
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, as applicable)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none
Redemption fees	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Management fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.80%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other expenses-Fee/expense recovery	rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%	[1]
Other expenses-Remainder of other expenses	rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.34%
Total other expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.35%
Acquired fund fess and expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.16%
Total annual fund operating expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.56%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	none	[1]
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	1.56%
1 year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	725
3 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	1,039
5 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,376
10 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,325
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	30.98%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	19.64%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(2.71%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Highest Quarterly Return:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	21.30%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Lowest Quarterly Return:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(21.15%)
Past 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(8.30%)
Life of Fund	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	10.78%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Oct. 31, 2008
Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund | Class C
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, as applicable)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	1.00%
Redemption fees	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Management fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.80%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other expenses-Fee/expense recovery	rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%	[1]
Other expenses-Remainder of other expenses	rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.34%
Total other expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.35%
Acquired fund fess and expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.16%
Total annual fund operating expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	2.31%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	none	[1]
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	2.31%
1 year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	334
3 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	721
5 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,235
10 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,646
1 year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	234
3 years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	721
5 years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,235
10 years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	2,646
Past 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.41%)
Life of Fund	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	12.04%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Oct. 31, 2008
Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund | Class Y
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, as applicable)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther	none
Redemption fees	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Management fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.80%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other expenses-Fee/expense recovery	rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%	[1]
Other expenses-Remainder of other expenses	rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.34%
Total other expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.35%
Acquired fund fess and expenses	rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets	0.16%
Total annual fund operating expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	none	[1]
Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	1.31%
1 year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	133
3 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	415
5 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	718
10 years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,579
Past 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.53%)
Life of Fund	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	13.14%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Oct. 31, 2008
Return After Taxes on Distributions | Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Past 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(8.91%)
Life of Fund	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	10.38%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Oct. 31, 2008
Return After Taxes on Distributions & Sale of Fund Shares | Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Past 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.81%)
Life of Fund	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	9.18%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Oct. 31, 2008
Russell Midcap Value Index | Vaughan Nelson Value Opportunity Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Past 1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.38%)
Life of Fund	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	14.99%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Oct. 31, 2008

[1] The Fund's investment adviser has given a binding contractual undertaking to the Fund to limit the amount of the Fund's total annual fund operating expenses to 1.40%, 2.15% and 1.15% of the Fund's average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Class Y shares, respectively, exclusive of brokerage expenses, interest expense, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, organizational and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and indemnification expenses. This undertaking is in effect through April 30, 2013 and may be terminated before then only with the consent of the Fund's Board of Trustees. The Fund's investment adviser will be permitted to recover, on a class by class basis, management fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed to the extent that expenses in later periods fall below 1.40%, 2.15% and 1.15% of the Fund's average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Class Y shares, respectively. The Fund will not be obligated to repay any such waived/reimbursed fees and expenses more than one year after the end of the fiscal year in which the fees or expenses were waived/reimbursed.