Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012 business_groups reporting_segments	Mar. 31, 2011
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Number of Reportable Segments	7
Number of Business Groups	2
Revenues	$ 1,255,656	$ 1,323,069
EBIT	261,676	250,994
Reconciling items:
Interest, net	(48,773)	(50,595)
Corporate and other expenses	(54,212)	(40,201)
Restructuring charges and asset impairments	0	(26,024)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	158,691	134,174
Small And Medium Business Solutions [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	629,319	679,572
EBIT	198,168	202,854
North America Mailing [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	461,305	509,039
EBIT	178,171	179,661
International Mailing [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	168,014	170,533
EBIT	19,997	23,193
Enterprise Business Solutions [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	626,337	643,497
EBIT	63,508	48,140
Production Mail [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	115,016	131,606
EBIT	2,779	7,174
Software [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	100,327	95,985
EBIT	10,692	5,512
Management Services [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	230,630	241,624
EBIT	13,315	21,029
Mail Services [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	150,156	144,283
EBIT	31,905	10,265
Marketing Services [Member]
Segment reporting information profit (loss)
Revenues	30,208	29,999
EBIT	$ 4,817	$ 4,160

Represents amount of Corporate expenses unallocated to reporting segments

No definition available.

Name:	pbi_CorporateExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of Business Groups

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pbi_NumberOfBusinessGroups
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pbi_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 4

-Section 08

-Paragraph h

-Subparagraph 1(i)

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations (before interest income and interest expense) attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before interest income, interest expense, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeInterestExpenseInterestIncomeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterestsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The net amount of operating interest income (expense).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 10

-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.10)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate amount provided for estimated restructuring charges, remediation costs, and asset impairment loss during an accounting period. Generally, these items are either unusual or infrequent, but not both (in which case they would be extraordinary items).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue recognized during the period (derived from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an entity's earning process). For financial services companies, also includes investment and interest income, and sales and trading gains.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 5

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationAdditionalInformationAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationProfitLossAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration