Goodwill and Other Intangibles Assets - Changes in Carrying Amounts of Goodwill by Segment (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
|
12 Months Ended |
Oct. 31, 2014
|
Oct. 31, 2013
|
Goodwill [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
Beginning Balance |
$ 872.4us-gaap_Goodwill |
|
$ 751.6us-gaap_Goodwill |
|
Acquisitions |
32.4us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod |
[1] |
120.7us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod |
[1] |
Foreign Currency Translation |
(0.2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments |
|
0.1us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments |
|
Ending Balance |
904.6us-gaap_Goodwill |
|
872.4us-gaap_Goodwill |
|
Janitorial |
|
|
|
|
Goodwill [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
Beginning Balance |
473.3us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[2] |
467.4us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[2] |
Acquisitions |
15.3us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[1],[2] |
5.9us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[1],[2] |
Foreign Currency Translation |
(0.2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[2] |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[2] |
Ending Balance |
488.4us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[2] |
473.3us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_JanitorialMember |
[2] |
Facility Services |
|
|
|
|
Goodwill [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
Beginning Balance |
72.6us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
|
72.6us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
|
Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
[1] |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
[1] |
Foreign Currency Translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
|
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
|
Ending Balance |
72.6us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
|
72.6us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_FacilityServicesMember |
|
Parking |
|
|
|
|
Goodwill [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
Beginning Balance |
69.2us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
|
69.2us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
|
Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
[1] |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
[1] |
Foreign Currency Translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
|
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
|
Ending Balance |
69.2us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
|
69.2us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_ParkingMember |
|
Security |
|
|
|
|
Goodwill [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
Beginning Balance |
49.9us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
|
49.9us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
|
Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
[1] |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
[1] |
Foreign Currency Translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
|
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
|
Ending Balance |
49.9us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
|
49.9us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_SecurityMember |
|
Building & Energy Solutions |
|
|
|
|
Goodwill [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
Beginning Balance |
119.7us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
|
90.2us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
|
Acquisitions |
17.7us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
[1] |
29.5us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
[1] |
Foreign Currency Translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
|
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
|
Ending Balance |
137.4us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
|
119.7us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = abm_BuildingAndEnergySolutionsMember |
|
Other |
|
|
|
|
Goodwill [Line Items] |
|
|
|
|
Beginning Balance |
87.7us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[2] |
2.3us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[2] |
Acquisitions |
(0.6)us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[1],[2] |
85.3us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[1],[2] |
Foreign Currency Translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[2] |
0.1us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[2] |
Ending Balance |
$ 87.1us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[2] |
$ 87.7us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember |
[2] |
|
|