v3.20.4

SEGMENT REPORTING - Reportable Operating Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Nov. 30, 2020 | Nov. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | $ 11,762,185 | $ 11,358,958
Operating income | 1,890,669 | 1,767,263
Consulting Revenue [Member] |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 6,332,572 | 6,377,251
Outsourcing Revenue [Member] |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 5,429,613 | 4,981,707
North America [Member] |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 5,480,963 | 5,287,812
Operating income | 888,809 | 828,407
Europe [Member] |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 3,967,408 | 3,789,657
Operating income | 629,430 | 558,951
Growth Markets [Member] |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 2,313,814 | 2,281,489
Operating income | 372,430 | 379,905
Communications, Media & Technology |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 2,333,645 | 2,245,470
Financial Services |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 2,346,291 | 2,190,107
Health & Public Service |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 2,211,889 | 1,969,214
Products |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | 3,206,125 | 3,220,015
Resources |  |
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] |  |
Revenues | $ 1,664,235 | $ 1,734,152

X
- Definition The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 31 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8924-108599 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 30 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8906-108599 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 22 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8736-108599 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 22 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8736-108599 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114001798&loc=d3e33918-111571 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75031198&loc=d3e14064-108612 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8933-108599 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 22 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8736-108599 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 40 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e9031-108599 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 30 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e8906-108599 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 41 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e9038-108599 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 280 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 42 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120311839&loc=d3e9054-108599 Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(g)(1)(ii)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 235 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-05(b)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399901&loc=d3e537907-122884 Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=acn_ConsultingRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=acn_OutsourcingRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=srt_NorthAmericaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=srt_EuropeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=acn_GrowthMarketsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=acn_CommunicationsMediaandTechnologyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=acn_FinancialServicesSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=acn_HealthAndPublicServiceSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=acn_ProductsSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=acn_ResourcesSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |