Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Revenue:
Equipment sales	$ 220,179	$ 241,631
Supplies	76,365	82,870
Software	104,350	99,565
Rentals	140,389	156,692
Financing	126,748	140,589
Support services	173,518	178,614
Business services	414,107	423,108
Total revenue	1,255,656	1,323,069
Cost and expenses:
Cost of equipment sales	96,916	114,753
Cost of supplies	23,871	26,192
Cost of software	21,093	25,212
Cost of rentals	30,225	35,907
Financing interest expense	21,139	23,293
Cost of support services	115,087	115,276
Cost of business services	318,976	333,567
Selling, general and administrative	411,185	426,611
Research and development	34,073	34,758
Restructuring charges and asset impairments	0	26,024
Other interest expense	29,367	28,524
Interest income	(1,733)	(1,222)
Other income, net	(3,234)	0
Total costs and expenses	1,096,965	1,188,895
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	158,691	134,174
Provision for income taxes	14,759	41,394
Income from continuing operations	143,932	92,780
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	19,332	(1,882)
Net income before attribution of noncontrolling interests	163,264	90,898
Less: Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries attributable to noncontrolling interests	4,594	4,594
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	158,670	86,304
Amounts attributable to common stockholders:
Income from continuing operations	139,338	88,186
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	19,332	(1,882)
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 158,670	$ 86,304
Basic earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations	$ 0.70	$ 0.43
Discontinued operations	$ 0.10	$ (0.01)
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 0.79	$ 0.42
Diluted earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations	$ 0.69	$ 0.43
Discontinued operations	$ 0.10	$ (0.01)
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 0.79	$ 0.42