Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 831,343	$ 790,125	$ 788,573	$ 795,084	$ 857,414	$ 760,281	$ 773,538	$ 820,289	$ 3,205,125		$ 3,211,522		$ 2,784,007
Cost of revenue	518,920	467,805	468,227	467,187	500,113	419,311	426,818	444,032	1,922,139		1,790,274
Operating expenses	304,042	341,870	287,312	322,620	318,968	295,782	308,077	310,300	1,255,844		1,233,127
Total	8,381	(19,550)	33,034	5,277	38,333	45,188	38,643	65,957	27,142		188,121		193,698
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	344	(24,895)	3,724	7,820	(10,819)	(2,468)	2,205	17,498	(13,007)		6,416		13,659
Income from continuing operations	8,037	5,345	29,310	(2,543)	49,152	47,656	36,438	48,459	40,149		181,705
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	168,659	(8,470)	(5,613)	(116)	817	32,621	15,157	11,511	154,460		60,106		63,489
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 176,696	$ (3,125)	$ 23,697	$ (2,659)	$ 49,969	$ 80,277	$ 51,595	$ 59,970	$ 194,609		$ 241,811		$ 243,528
Basic earnings per share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.05	$ 0.03	$ 0.17	$ (0.01)	$ 0.26	$ 0.25	$ 0.19	$ 0.26	$ 0.23	[1]	$ 0.97	[1]	$ 0.97	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.99	(0.05)	(0.03)	0	0	0.17	0.08	0.06	0.88	[1]	0.32	[1]	0.34	[1]
Net income (in dollars per share)	1.04	(0.02)	0.13	(0.01)	0.27	0.43	0.28	0.32	1.10	[1]	1.29	[1]	1.31	[1]
Diluted earnings per share
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.05	0.03	0.16	(0.01)	0.26	0.25	0.19	0.26	0.23	[1]	0.96	[1]	0.96	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.98	(0.05)	(0.03)	0	0	0.17	0.08	0.06	0.87	[1]	0.32	[1]	0.34	[1]
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 1.03	$ (0.02)	$ 0.13	$ (0.01)	$ 0.26	$ 0.43	$ 0.27	$ 0.32	$ 1.10	[1]	$ 1.28	[1]	$ 1.30	[1]

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