v3.20.2

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2020 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2020 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease costs | $ 21,000,000 | $ 16,000,000 | $ 40,000,000 | $ 31,000,000 |  |
Operating lease liabilities, payments |  |  | 26,000,000 |  |  |
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities |  |  | $ 94,000,000 |  |  |
Weighted-average lease remaining lease term | 8 years 10 months 24 days |  | 8 years 10 months 24 days |  |  |
Weighted-average discount rate | 3.50% |  | 3.50% |  |  |
Undiscounted cash flows |  |  | $ 359,000,000 |  |  |
Unrecognized tax benefits | $ 12,000,000 |  | 12,000,000 |  |  |
Letters of credit | 20,000,000 |  | 20,000,000 |  |  |
Amortization of debt issuance cost |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal | $ 764,778,000 |  | $ 764,778,000 |  | $ 782,491,000 | $ 782,500,000
Minimum |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease term | 4 years |  | 4 years |  |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating lease term | 15 years |  | 15 years |  |  |

X
- Definition Lessee, Operating Lease, Lease Not Yet Commenced. Undiscounted Cash Flows + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | now_LesseeOperatingLeaseLeaseNotYetCommenced.UndiscountedCashFlows
Namespace Prefix: | now_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119993939&loc=d3e28551-108399 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 55 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Term of lessee's operating lease not yet commenced, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918673-209980 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseLeaseNotYetCommencedTermOfContract1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of single lease cost, calculated by allocation of remaining cost of lease over remaining lease term. Includes, but is not limited to, single lease cost, after impairment of right-of-use asset, calculated by amortization of remaining right-of-use asset and accretion of lease liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 53 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121568110&loc=SL77918982-209971 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918686-209980 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingLeaseCost
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of cash outflow from operating lease, excluding payments to bring another asset to condition and location necessary for its intended use. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121603541&loc=SL77918643-209977 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (g)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918686-209980 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingLeasePayments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Weighted average discount rate for operating lease calculated at point in time. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (g)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918686-209980 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 53 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121568110&loc=SL77918982-209971 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageDiscountRatePercent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Weighted average remaining lease term for operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 53 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121568110&loc=SL77918982-209971 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (g)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918686-209980 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingLeaseWeightedAverageRemainingLeaseTerm1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of increase in right-of-use asset obtained in exchange for operating lease liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 53 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121568110&loc=SL77918982-209971 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 842 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (g)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918686-209980 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RightOfUseAssetObtainedInExchangeForOperatingLeaseLiability
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=now_A2022ConvertibleSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |