Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 909,664	$ 913,276
Short-term investments	37,712	36,611
Accounts receivable
Account receivables, gross	663,357	748,469
Allowance for doubtful accounts receivables	(15,739)	(20,219)
Accounts receivables, net	647,618	728,250
Finance receivables
Finance receivables	1,160,865	1,213,776
Allowance for credit losses	(23,774)	(25,484)
Finance receivables, net	1,137,091	1,188,292
Inventories	167,469	179,678
Current income taxes	49,082	51,836
Other current assets and prepayments	113,142	114,184
Total current assets	3,061,778	3,212,127
Property, plant and equipment, net	377,246	385,377
Rental property and equipment, net	236,026	241,192
Long-term finance receivables
Finance receivables	993,242	1,041,099
Allowance for credit losses	(13,206)	(14,610)
Finance receivables, net	980,036	1,026,489
Investment in leveraged leases	34,236	34,546
Goodwill	2,115,450	2,136,138
Intangible assets, net	153,440	166,214
Non-current income taxes	93,391	94,434
Other assets	564,503	563,374
Total assets	7,616,106	7,859,891
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,586,957	1,809,226
Current income taxes	207,081	240,681
Notes payable and current portion of long-term obligations	375,000	375,000
Advance billings	466,677	452,130
Total current liabilities	2,635,715	2,877,037
Deferred taxes on income	94,883	69,222
Tax uncertainties and other income tax liabilities	144,739	145,881
Long-term debt	3,657,634	3,642,375
Other non-current liabilities	713,578	718,375
Total liabilities	7,246,549	7,452,890
Noncontrolling interests (Preferred stockholders' equity in subsidiaries)	296,370	296,370
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Cumulative preferred stock, $50 par value, 4% convertible	4	4
Cumulative preference stock, no par value, $2.12 convertible	648	648
Common stock, $1 par value (480,000,000 shares authorized; 323,337,912 shares issued)	323,338	323,338
Additional paid-in capital	203,454	223,847
Retained earnings	4,736,961	4,744,802
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (income), ending balance	(711,974)	(681,213)
Treasury stock, at cost (123,130,405 and 123,586,842 shares, respectively)	(4,479,244)	(4,500,795)
Total Pitney Bowes Inc. stockholders' equity (deficit)	73,187	110,631
Total liabilities, noncontrolling interests and stockholders' equity (deficit)	$ 7,616,106	$ 7,859,891