CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Cash flows from operating activities:
Cash received from customers	$ 25,360us-gaap_ProceedsFromCustomers	$ 24,319us-gaap_ProceedsFromCustomers	$ 22,585us-gaap_ProceedsFromCustomers
Cash paid to suppliers and employees	(17,893)us-gaap_PaymentsToSuppliersAndEmployees	(16,708)us-gaap_PaymentsToSuppliersAndEmployees	(16,019)us-gaap_PaymentsToSuppliersAndEmployees
Dividends and interest received	143	169	103
Interest paid	(134)us-gaap_InterestPaid	(96)us-gaap_InterestPaid	(33)us-gaap_InterestPaid
Income taxes paid	(953)us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid	(761)us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid	(374)us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
Net cash provided by operating activities	6,523	6,923	6,262
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(979)	(943)	(819)
Capitalized software development costs	(509)us-gaap_PaymentsToDevelopSoftware	(465)us-gaap_PaymentsToDevelopSoftware	(419)us-gaap_PaymentsToDevelopSoftware
Purchases of short- and long-term available-for-sale securities	(9,982)	(11,250)	(6,347)
Sales of short- and long-term available-for-sale securities	8,722	5,292	4,983
Maturities of short- and long-term available-for-sale securities	2,651	2,845	1,049
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,973)	(770)	(2,136)
Purchases of strategic and other related investments	(144)	(131)	(117)
Sales of strategic and other related investments	101	35	70
Joint venture funding	(360)	(411)	(228)
Proceeds from divestiture of business	0	38	58
Increase in restricted cash	(78)us-gaap_IncreaseInRestrictedCash	0us-gaap_IncreaseInRestrictedCash	0us-gaap_IncreaseInRestrictedCash
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,551)	(5,760)	(3,906)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock	503	342	560
Repurchase of Common Stock	(2,969)	(3,015)	(685)
EMC purchase of VMware’s common stock	0	(160)	(290)
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	102	116	261
Payment of long-term and short-term obligations	(1,665)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt	(46)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt	(1,715)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfOtherDebt
Proceeds from the issuance of long-term and short-term obligations	0us-gaap_ProceedsFromOtherDebt	5,460us-gaap_ProceedsFromOtherDebt	5us-gaap_ProceedsFromOtherDebt
Contributions from non-controlling interests	7	105	0
Interest rate contract settlement	0	0	(70)
Dividend payment	(879)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends	(415)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends	0us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(5,437)	2,076	(2,149)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(83)	(62)	15
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(1,548)	3,177	222
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	7,891	4,714
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	6,343	7,891	4,714
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net income	2,894us-gaap_ProfitLoss	3,093us-gaap_ProfitLoss	2,886us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	1,864us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	1,665us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	1,528us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Non-cash interest expense on debt	1us-gaap_OtherNoncashExpense	62us-gaap_OtherNoncashExpense	46us-gaap_OtherNoncashExpense
Non-cash restructuring and other special charges	19us-gaap_RestructuringCosts	8us-gaap_RestructuringCosts	13us-gaap_RestructuringCosts
Stock-based compensation expense	1,031us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	935us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	895us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Provision for (recovery of) doubtful accounts	(10)us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	1us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts	(39)us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Deferred income taxes, net	(396)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(202)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(118)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	(102)	(116)	(261)
Gain on previously held interests in strategic investments and joint venture	(101)	0	(32)
Impairment of strategic investment	33us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments	0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments	0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
Other, net	20us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	40us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense	22us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncomeExpense
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Accounts and notes receivable	(309)	(377)	(535)
Inventories	(149)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	(408)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	(459)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Other assets	345	269	174
Accounts payable	167	380	89
Accrued expenses	(286)	(162)	(94)
Income taxes payable	314	222	661
Deferred revenue	1,126	1,475	1,367
Other liabilities	42	40	41
Net cash provided by operating activities	6,523	6,923	6,262
Non-cash investing and financing activity:
Issuance of common stock and stock options exchanged in business acquisitions	35	1	24
Investment in joint venture	0	0	33
Dividends declared	242us-gaap_Dividends	213us-gaap_Dividends	0us-gaap_Dividends
VMware
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock	164	197	253
Repurchase of Common Stock	$ (700)	$ (508)	$ (468)

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The cash outflow for a financial contract that meets the hedge criteria as either cash flow hedge, fair value hedge or hedge of net investment in foreign operations.

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The cash outflow to acquire debt and equity securities not classified as either held-to-maturity securities or trading securities which would be classified as available-for-sale securities and reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported in a separate component of shareholders' equity.

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The cash inflow from other borrowing not otherwise defined in the taxonomy.

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The cash inflow associated with the sale of other investments not otherwise defined in the taxonomy.

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The cash inflow associated with the amount received from holders exercising their stock options. This item inherently excludes any excess tax benefit, which the entity may have realized and reported separately.

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The consolidated profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, including the portion attributable to the noncontrolling interest.

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Amount of expense related to write-down of receivables to the amount expected to be collected. Includes, but is not limited to, accounts receivable and notes receivable.

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The cash outflow for the payment of other borrowing not otherwise defined in the taxonomy.

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Amount, after cash payment, of expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

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