1.0.0.3 false Consolidated Statement of Financial Position (USD $) In Millions false 1 $ false false shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 usd Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 usdPerShare Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 2 $ false false shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 usd Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 usdPerShare Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 6 Current assets: 4 us-gaap_AssetsCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 7 Cash and cash equivalents 5 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 11678000000 11678 false false 2 true true 12741000000 12741 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Marketable securities 5 us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 848000000 848 false false 2 false true 166000000 166 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Notes and accounts receivable - trade (net of allowances of $241 in 2009 and $226 in 2008) 5 us-gaap_AccountsNotesAndLoansReceivableNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9561000000 9561 false false 2 false true 10906000000 10906 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Short-term financing receivables (net of allowances of $400 in 2009 and $351 in 2008) 5 ibm_FinanceReceivablesNet ibm false debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 13116000000 13116 false false 2 false true 15477000000 15477 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 Other accounts receivable (net of allowances of $57 in 2009 and $55 in 2008) 5 ibm_OtherAccountsReceivableNet ibm false debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1179000000 1179 false false 2 false true 1172000000 1172 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Inventories, at lower of average cost or market: 5 us-gaap_InventoryNetAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 13 Finished goods 6 us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoods us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 565000000 565 false false 2 false true 524000000 524 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Work in process and raw materials 6 us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcessAndRawMaterials us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2126000000 2126 false false 2 false true 2176000000 2176 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Total inventories 6 us-gaap_InventoryNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2691000000 2691 false false 2 false true 2701000000 2701 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 16 Deferred taxes 5 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1652000000 1652 false false 2 false true 1542000000 1542 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 5 ibm_PrepaidExpensesAndOtherCurrentAssets ibm false debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3709000000 3709 false false 2 false true 4299000000 4299 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Total current assets 5 us-gaap_AssetsCurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 44435000000 44435 [1] false false 2 false true 49004000000 49004 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 19 Plant, rental machines and other property 4 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 38669000000 38669 false false 2 false true 38445000000 38445 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Less: Accumulated depreciation 4 us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 24721000000 24721 false false 2 false true 24140000000 24140 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Plant, rental machines and other property - net 4 us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 13948000000 13948 false false 2 false true 14305000000 14305 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 22 Long-term financing receivables (net of allowances of $132 in 2009 and $179 in 2008) 4 ibm_FinancingReceivablesNoncurrentNet ibm false debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 10197000000 10197 false false 2 false true 11183000000 11183 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Prepaid pension assets 4 us-gaap_PrepaidPensionCosts us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2182000000 2182 false false 2 false true 1601000000 1601 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 24 Deferred taxes 4 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 6762000000 6762 false false 2 false true 7270000000 7270 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Goodwill 4 us-gaap_Goodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 18737000000 18737 false false 2 false true 18226000000 18226 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Intangible assets - net 4 us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2580000000 2580 false false 2 false true 2878000000 2878 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Investments and sundry assets 4 us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4813000000 4813 false false 2 false true 5058000000 5058 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Total Assets 4 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 103655000000 103655 [1] false false 2 false true 109524000000 109524 [1] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 30 Current liabilities: 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrentAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 31 Taxes 5 us-gaap_TaxesPayableCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2259000000 2259 false false 2 false true 2743000000 2743 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Short-term debt 5 us-gaap_DebtCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8504000000 8504 false false 2 false true 11236000000 11236 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 33 Accounts payable 5 us-gaap_AccountsPayableCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5869000000 5869 false false 2 false true 7014000000 7014 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 34 Compensation and benefits 5 us-gaap_DeferredCompensationLiabilityCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3901000000 3901 false false 2 false true 4623000000 4623 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 35 Deferred income 5 us-gaap_DeferredRevenueCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 10335000000 10335 false false 2 false true 10239000000 10239 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Other accrued expenses and liabilities 5 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5562000000 5562 false false 2 false true 6580000000 6580 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 37 Total current liabilities 5 us-gaap_LiabilitiesCurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 36430000000 36430 false false 2 false true 42435000000 42435 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Long-term debt 4 us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 20868000000 20868 false false 2 false true 22689000000 22689 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 39 Retirement and nonpension postretirement benefit obligations 4 us-gaap_PensionAndOtherPostretirementDefinedBenefitPlansLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 18459000000 18459 false false 2 false true 19452000000 19452 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 40 Deferred income 4 us-gaap_DeferredRevenueNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3283000000 3283 false false 2 false true 3171000000 3171 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 41 Other liabilities 4 us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9141000000 9141 false false 2 false true 8192000000 8192 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 42 Total liabilities 4 us-gaap_Liabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 88182000000 88182 [1] false false 2 false true 95939000000 95939 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 44 IBM stockholders' equity: 5 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 45 Common stock, par value $.20 per share, and additional paid-in capital - shares authorized: 4,687,500,000, shares issued (2009 - 2,105,119,767; 2008 - 2,096,981,860) 6 us-gaap_CommonStockIncludingAdditionalPaidInCapital us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 39774000000 39774 false false 2 false true 39129000000 39129 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 46 Retained earnings 6 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 74328000000 74328 false false 2 false true 70353000000 70353 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 47 Treasury stock, at cost (shares: 2009 - 794,236,190; 2008 - 757,885,937) 6 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -77679000000 -77679 false false 2 false true -74171000000 -74171 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 48 Accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) 6 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -21043000000 -21043 false false 2 false true -21845000000 -21845 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 49 Total IBM stockholders' equity 6 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 15380000000 15380 false false 2 false true 13465000000 13465 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 50 Noncontrolling interests 5 us-gaap_MinorityInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 94000000 94 false false 2 false true 119000000 119 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 51 Total stockholders' equity 5 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 15473000000 15473 [1] false false 2 false true 13584000000 13584 [2] false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 52 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity 4 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 103655000000 103655 false false 2 true true 109524000000 109524 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 1 Amounts may not add due to rounding 2 Reflects adoption of SFAS No. 160 "Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements - an amendment of ARB No. 51." See Note 2, "Accounting Changes," on pages 7 to 9 for additional information. false 2 45 false Millions UnKnown UnKnown false true