Finance Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Assets	$ 7,859,891	$ 8,147,104	$ 8,444,023
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	2,043,221	2,187,754
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Unguaranteed residual values	169,689	205,893
Unearned income	(420,288)	(450,904)
Allowance for credit losses	(25,641)	(40,700)
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	1,766,981	1,902,043
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	462,253	477,568
Allowance for credit losses	(14,453)	(22,730)
Net investment in loan receivables	447,800	454,838
Net investment in finance receivables	2,214,781	2,356,881
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	63,430	69,430	72,158
Amounts charged to expense	7,451	28,054	42,000
Accounts written off	30,787	(34,054)	(44,728)
Balance Closing	40,094	63,430	69,430
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	2,371,009	2,529,792
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	61,376	64,635
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	34,119	34,762
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	12,490	10,633
Greater than 120 days	26,480	25,500
Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross	2,505,474	2,665,322
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Still accruing interest	9,992	8,119
Not accruing interest	28,978	28,014
Total	38,970	36,133
Liabilities	7,452,890	7,889,720
Pitney Bowes Bank [Member]
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Assets	796,000	738,000
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Liabilities	733,000	680,000
Risk Level, Low
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	30.00%
Risk Level, Medium
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	40.00%
Risk Level, High
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Approximate percentage of portfolio	30.00%
North America
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	1,397,366	1,536,156
Loan Receivables
Net investment in loan receivables	402,638	416,359
Net investment in finance receivables	1,800,004	1,952,515
International
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Net investment in sales-type lease receivables	369,615	365,887
Loan Receivables
Net investment in loan receivables	45,162	38,479
Net investment in finance receivables	414,777	404,366
Sales-type lease receivables
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	1,581,711	1,727,653
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current	803,904
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Two Years	570,324
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Three Years	369,948
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Four Years	209,142
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Five Years	78,210
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable Due Thereafter	11,693
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	2,043,221
Sales-type lease receivables | Risk Level, Low
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	1,016,413	1,096,676
Sales-type lease receivables | Risk Level, Medium
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	450,432	473,394
Sales-type lease receivables | Risk Level, High
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	43,658	58,177
Sales-type lease receivables | Risk Level, Not Scored
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	71,208	99,406
Sales-type lease receivables | North America
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	1,581,711	1,727,653
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current	661,770
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Two Years	443,284
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Three Years	274,680
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Four Years	146,113
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Five Years	47,937
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable Due Thereafter	7,927
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	1,581,711
Unguaranteed residual values	148,664	185,450
Unearned income	(316,030)	(348,286)
Allowance for credit losses	(16,979)	(28,661)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	28,661	27,792	31,005
Amounts charged to expense	2,276	13,726	13,211
Accounts written off	(13,958)	(12,857)	(16,424)
Balance Closing	16,979	28,661	27,792
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	1,497,797	1,641,706
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	37,348	41,018
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	24,059	24,309
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	6,665	4,912
Greater than 120 days	15,842	15,708
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Still accruing interest	6,665	4,912
Not accruing interest	15,842	15,708
Total	22,507	20,620
Sales-type lease receivables | International
Finance Leases And Loans Receivables [Line Items]
Capital Leases, Net Investment in Sales Type Leases, Minimum Payments to be Received	461,510	460,101
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Current	142,134
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Two Years	127,040
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Three Years	95,268
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Four Years	63,029
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable in Five Years	30,273
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Receivable Due Thereafter	3,766
Sales-type Lease Receivables
Gross finance receivables	461,510
Unguaranteed residual values	21,025	20,443
Unearned income	(104,258)	(102,618)
Allowance for credit losses	(8,662)	(12,039)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	12,039	13,318	13,077
Amounts charged to expense	994	5,087	6,719
Accounts written off	(4,371)	(6,366)	(6,478)
Balance Closing	8,662	12,039	13,318
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	435,780	434,811
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	9,994	10,152
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	5,198	5,666
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	3,327	3,207
Greater than 120 days	7,211	6,265
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Still accruing interest	3,327	3,207
Not accruing interest	7,211	6,265
Total	10,538	9,472
Loan receivables
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	414,960	436,631
Loan receivables | Risk Level, Low
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	254,567	269,547
Loan receivables | Risk Level, Medium
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	136,069	115,490
Loan receivables | Risk Level, High
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	14,624	21,081
Loan receivables | Risk Level, Not Scored
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	9,700	30,513
Loan receivables | North America
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	414,960	436,631
Allowance for credit losses	(12,322)	(20,272)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	20,272	26,208	25,839
Amounts charged to expense	3,278	7,631	20,046
Accounts written off	(11,228)	(13,567)	(19,677)
Balance Closing	12,322	20,272	26,208
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	392,108	414,434
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	12,666	12,399
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	4,577	4,362
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	2,319	2,328
Greater than 120 days	3,290	3,108
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Still accruing interest	0	0
Not accruing interest	5,609	5,436
Total	5,609	5,436
Loan receivables | International
Loan Receivables
Loan receivable	47,293	40,937
Allowance for credit losses	(2,131)	(2,458)
Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses [Roll Forward]
Balance Beginning	2,458	2,112	2,237
Amounts charged to expense	903	1,610	2,024
Accounts written off	(1,230)	(1,264)	(2,149)
Balance Closing	2,131	2,458	2,112
Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment, Aging [Abstract]
Less than 31 days past due	45,324	38,841
Greater than 30 days and Less than 61 days	1,368	1,066
Greater than 60 days and Less than 91 days	285	425
Greater than 90 days and Less than 121 days	179	186
Greater than 120 days	137	419
Past Due Amounts 90 Days [Abstract]
Still accruing interest	0	0
Not accruing interest	316	605
Total	$ 316	$ 605