No definition available.

Name:	pbi_DefinedBenefitPlanHistoricalHealthCareTrendRate
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Eligibility Age for Retiree Medical Benefits

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pbi_EligibilityAgeforRetireeMedicalBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pbi_NominalRateOfReturnOnPensionPlan
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percent of All Foreign Plan Assets

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pbi_PercentofAllForeignPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	pbi_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average rate of return on plan assets, reflecting average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (k)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of contributions expected to be received by defined benefit plan from employer in next fiscal year following latest fiscal year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureEmployerContributionsNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Assumed rate, for next fiscal year, based on annual change in cost of health care cost benefits used to measure expected cost of benefits covered by defined benefit postretirement plan. Factors include, but are not limited to, estimate of health care inflation, change in health care utilization or delivery pattern, technological advances, and change in health status of participant. Excludes factors for change in composition of plan population by age and dependency status.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of plan asset for defined benefit plan with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e2417-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e2417-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateFairValueOfPlanAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Ultimate trend rate for health care cost for defined benefit postretirement plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cost for defined contribution plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 70
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49170846&loc=d3e28014-114942

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount after tax of income (loss) from a discontinued operation attributable to the parent. Includes, but is not limited to, the income (loss) from operations during the phase-out period, gain (loss) on disposal, gain (loss) for reversal of write-down (write-down) to fair value, less cost to sell, and adjustments to a prior period gain (loss) on disposal.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=d3e957-107759

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=SL51721523-107759

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=SL51721525-107759

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=d3e1361-107760

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5C
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=SL51721675-107760

Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5B
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222650&loc=SL51721673-107760

Reference 7: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 19
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108774443&loc=SL4569616-111683

Reference 8: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 205
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109222160&loc=d3e1012-107759

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for net periodic benefit cost components, excluding service cost component, of defined benefit plan. Amount includes, but is not limited to, interest cost, expected (return) loss on plan asset, amortization of prior service cost (credit), amortization of (gain) loss, amortization of transition (asset) obligation, settlement (gain) loss, curtailment (gain) loss and certain termination benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237824&loc=SL108413299-114919

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of noncash expense (reversal of expense) for pension benefits. Excludes other postretirement benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanSponsorLocationAxis=country_US
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanSponsorLocationAxis=us-gaap_ForeignPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Retirement Plans and Postretirement Medical Benefits (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Eligibility age for retiree medical benefits									55 years
Pension plan settlement									$ 31,329	$ 0	$ 0
Other components of net pension and postretirement cost									22,425	5,413	5,276
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ (15,856)	$ 29,848	$ 1,208	$ 8,487	$ 12,908	$ 11,921	$ 7,440	$ 7,709	$ 23,687	39,978	$ 17,036
Percent of all foreign plan assets									76.00%
Fair value of plan assets	$ 426,000				$ 477,000				$ 426,000	$ 477,000
Expected return on plan assets									6.25%	6.25%
Assumed health care cost trend rate	7.00%				7.00%				7.00%	7.00%
Next year's assumed health care cost trend rate	6.50%								6.50%
Assumed health care cost trend rate decline	5.00%								5.00%
Total contributions to defined contribution plans									$ 31,000	$ 31,000
United States
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Next year's anticipated total contributions to pension plans	$ 11,000								$ 11,000
Nominal rate of return	6.75%								6.75%
Fair value of plan assets	$ 1,326,296				$ 1,557,069				$ 1,326,296	$ 1,557,069
Expected return on plan assets									7.00%	6.75%	7.00%
United States \| Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension plan settlement									$ 45,000
Other components of net pension and postretirement cost									32,000
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax									13,000
Foreign
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Next year's anticipated total contributions to pension plans	$ 11,000								$ 11,000
Nominal rate of return	6.25%								6.25%
Fair value of plan assets	$ 426,446				$ 476,825				$ 426,446	$ 476,825