XML 11 R6.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.5.0.2
Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 497
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Nov. 01, 2016
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName PUTNAM INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND /MA/
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000868648
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol POVSX
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Aug. 01, 2016
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Sep. 01, 2016
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Oct. 30, 2015
Putnam International Equity Fund  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual fund operating expenses
(expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text] rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent

Restated to reflect current fees resulting from a change to the fund’s investor servicing arrangements effective September 1, 2016.
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock The following hypothetical example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then, except as indicated, redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. It assumes a 5% return on your investment each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32% [2]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.31%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 701
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 966
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,252
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 2,063
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class B  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32% [2]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.06%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 709
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 946
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,308
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,197
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 209
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 646
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,108
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,197
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class C  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32% [2]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 2.06%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 309
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 646
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,108
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,390
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 209
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 646
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 1,108
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 2,390
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class M  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32% [2]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.81%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 527
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 900
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,296
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 2,402
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class R  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.50%
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32% [2]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.56%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 159
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 493
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 850
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,856
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class R5  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.22%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.96%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 98
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 306
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 531
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,178
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class R6  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.12%
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.86%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 88
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 274
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 477
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,061
Putnam International Equity Fund | Class Y  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.74% [1]
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.32% [2]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.06%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 108
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 337
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 585
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,294
[1] Management fees are subject to a performance adjustment.
[2] Restated to reflect current fees resulting from a change to the fund's investor servicing arrangements effective September 1, 2016.