Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Revenue:
Equipment sales	$ 770,371		$ 867,593		$ 840,748
Supplies	300,040		285,730		279,104
Software	429,743		398,664		412,762
Rentals	484,629		512,493		540,689
Financing	432,859		448,906		481,177
Support services	625,135		646,657		675,246
Business services	778,727		631,292		593,987
Total revenue	3,821,504		3,791,335		3,823,713
Costs and expenses:
Cost of equipment sales	365,724		422,580		378,136
Cost of supplies	93,675		89,365		85,766
Cost of software	123,760		110,653		115,388
Cost of rentals	97,338		100,335		109,493
Financing interest expense	78,562		77,719		77,429
Cost of support services	377,003		400,038		419,891
Cost of business services	544,729		449,932		396,295
Selling, general and administrative	1,378,400		1,420,096		1,489,735
Research and development	109,931		110,412		114,250
Restructuring charges and asset impairments, net	84,560		84,344		17,176
Interest expense	95,291		114,740		115,228
Interest income	4,403		5,472		7,982
Other expense, net	45,738		32,639		1,138
Total costs and expenses	3,390,308		3,407,381		3,311,943
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	431,196		383,954		511,770
Provision for income taxes	112,815		77,967		114,287
Income from continuing operations	318,381		305,987		397,483
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	33,749		(144,777)		66,056
Net income	352,130		161,210		463,539
Less: Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries attributable to noncontrolling interests	18,375		18,375		18,376
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	333,755		142,835		445,163
Amounts attributable to common stockholders:
Net income from continuing operations	300,006		287,612		379,107
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	33,749		(144,777)		66,056
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 333,755		$ 142,835		$ 445,163
Basic earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.49	[1]	$ 1.43	[1]	$ 1.89	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.17	[1]	$ (0.72)	[1]	$ 0.33	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ 1.65	[1]	$ 0.71	[1]	$ 2.22	[1]
Diluted earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.47	[1]	$ 1.42	[1]	$ 1.88	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.17	[1]	$ (0.71)	[1]	$ 0.33	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ 1.64	[1]	$ 0.70	[1]	$ 2.21	[1]
Dividends declared per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 0.75		$ 0.9375		$ 1.50

[1] The sum of the earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals due to rounding.