Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 887,069	$ 839,031	$ 835,886	$ 844,589	$ 936,947	$ 869,541	$ 880,891	$ 890,681	$ 3,406,575		$ 3,578,060		$ 3,821,504
Cost of revenues	400,306	376,987	372,144	365,241	406,679	376,205	385,182	390,525	1,514,678		1,558,591
Operating expenses	526,888	368,451	370,504	379,684	401,044	356,784	286,256	364,560	1,645,527		1,408,644
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(40,125)	93,593	93,238	99,664	129,224	136,552	209,453	135,596	246,370		610,825		431,196
Provision for income taxes	38,204	23,197	33,394	37,024	44,204	42,676	52,351	50,547	131,819		189,778		112,815
Income from continuing operations	(78,329)	70,396	59,844	62,640	85,020	93,876	157,102	85,049	114,551		421,047		318,381
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(750)	(291)	(1,660)	0	5,853	0	(739)	157	(2,701)		5,271		33,749
Net income	(79,079)	70,105	58,184	62,640	90,873	93,876	156,363	85,206	111,850		426,318		352,130
Less: Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries attributable to noncontrolling interests	5,264	4,593	4,594	4,594	4,594	4,594	4,593	4,594	19,045		18,375		18,375
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	(84,343)	65,512	53,590	58,046	86,279	89,282	151,770	80,612	92,805		407,943		333,755
Amounts attributable to common stockholders:
Net income from continuing operations	(83,593)	65,803	55,250	58,046	80,426	89,282	152,509	80,455	95,506		402,672		300,006
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax	(750)	(291)	(1,660)	0	5,853	0	(739)	157	(2,701)		5,271		33,749
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ (84,343)	$ 65,512	$ 53,590	$ 58,046	$ 86,279	$ 89,282	$ 151,770	$ 80,612	$ 92,805		$ 407,943		$ 333,755
Basic earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ (0.45)	$ 0.35	$ 0.29	$ 0.30	$ 0.40	$ 0.45	$ 0.76	$ 0.40	$ 0.51	[1]	$ 2.01	[1]	$ 1.49	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.03	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	[1]	0.03	[1]	0.17	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	(0.45)	0.35	0.28	0.30	0.43	0.45	0.75	0.40	0.49	[1]	2.04	[1]	1.65	[1]
Diluted earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	(0.45)	0.35	0.29	0.30	0.41	0.44	0.75	0.40	0.51	[1]	2.00	[1]	1.47	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.03	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.01)	[1]	0.03	[1]	0.17	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ (0.45)	$ 0.35	$ 0.28	$ 0.30	$ 0.44	$ 0.44	$ 0.75	$ 0.40	$ 0.49	[1]	$ 2.03	[1]	$ 1.64	[1]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 36,000								$ 15,157		$ 21,049		$ 17,446
Goodwill impairment	$ 171,000								$ 171,092		$ 0		$ 0

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