Percentage of Total Accounts Receivables

No definition available.

Name:	aciw_PercentageOfTotalAccountsReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	aciw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of total revenues derived from licensing the BASE24 product line, which does not include the BASE24-eps product, and providing related services and maintenance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aciw_PercentageOfTotalRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	aciw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of restricted share awards that vest on each anniversary date from the date of grant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aciw_RestrictedShareAwardsAnniversaryDateVestingPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	aciw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Specified period of performance goals related to certain performance metrics.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aciw_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPerformancePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	aciw_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum percentage that can be achieved under the predetermined performance thresholds for the LTIP performance shares.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aciw_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsPerformanceSharesMaximumTarget
Namespace Prefix:	aciw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	aciw_SignificantAccountingPoliciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	aciw_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The useful life of all finite-lived intangible assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 142

-Paragraph 12, 13, 14

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 35

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6904245&loc=d3e15372-109273

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum useful life of a major finite-lived intangible asset class. A major class is composed of intangible assets that can be grouped together because they are similar either by their nature or by their use in the operations of a company.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 35

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6904245&loc=d3e15217-109273

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 35

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6904245&loc=d3e15300-109273

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 35

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6904245&loc=d3e15211-109273

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsUsefulLifeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The minimum useful life of a major finite-lived intangible asset class. A major class is composed of intangible assets that can be grouped together because they are similar either by their nature or by their use in the operations of a company.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsUsefulLifeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow for the return on capital for noncontrolled interest in the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3291-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 18

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Financing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

+ Details

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

- Definition

Description of the estimated period of time over which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the equity-based payment award, which often is the vesting period. This period may be explicit or implicit based on the terms of the award, and may be presented in a variety of ways (for example, year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter of a year).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardRequisiteServicePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 Month Year	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2011 Software Acquired or Developed for Internal Use Year	Dec. 31, 2011 BASE24	Dec. 31, 2010 BASE24	Dec. 31, 2009 BASE24	Dec. 31, 2011 LTIP Performance Shares	Dec. 31, 2010 LTIP Performance Shares	Dec. 31, 2009 LTIP Performance Shares	Sep. 30, 2007 LTIP Performance Shares	Dec. 31, 2011 LTIP Performance Shares Minimum	Dec. 31, 2010 LTIP Performance Shares Minimum	Dec. 31, 2009 LTIP Performance Shares Minimum	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted share awards (RSAs)	Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted share awards (RSAs)	Dec. 31, 2009 Restricted share awards (RSAs)	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted share awards (RSAs) Minimum
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of total revenues from licensing BASE24 product line					43.00%	46.00%	46.00%
Payment to dissolve partnership based in Madrid, Spain with Sistema 4B, S.A. ("Sistema")		$ 1.2	€ 1.0
Percent of accounts receivable balance accounted for one customer in Americas reportable segment	12.60%
Software estimated useful life				3
Estimated useful lives of other intangible assets (in months), minimum	18
Estimated useful lives of other intangible assets (in years), maximum	10
LTIP Performance Shares, Performance period								3 years	3 years	3 years	3 years	1 year	1 year	1 year
Maximum attainment percentage that may be achieved for LTIP Performance Shares								200.00%	200.00%	200.00%
Incentive plan, requisite service period for awards granted															3 years	3 years	4 years	3 years
Restricted Share Awards, vesting increments on the anniversary dates of grants															33.00%	33.00%	25.00%	25.00%