v3.22.2.2
Label Element Value
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Dec. 31, 2021
Entity Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName Putnam Investment Funds
Entity Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000932101
Entity Inv Company Type dei_EntityInvCompanyType N-1A
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund summary
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Goal
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

Putnam Sustainable Future Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

The following tables describe the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Putnam funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in How do I buy fund shares? beginning on page 16 of the fund’s prospectus, in the Appendix to the fund’s prospectus, and in How to buy shares beginning on page II-1 of the fund’s statement of additional information (SAI).

Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual fund operating expenses (expenses you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The fund pays transaction-related costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when the fund’s shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or the above example, affect fund performance. The fund’s turnover rate in the most recent fiscal year was 50%.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 50.00%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Putnam funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount $ 50,000
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.

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Investments, risks, and performance
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Investments

We invest mainly in common stocks of U.S. companies of any size, with a focus on companies whose products and services we believe provide solutions that directly contribute to sustainable social, environmental and economic development (Solutions Companies). Stocks of this type of company are typically, but not always, considered to be growth stocks. Growth stocks are stocks of companies whose revenues, earnings, or cash flows are expected to grow faster than those of similar firms, and whose business growth and other characteristics may lead to an increase in stock price. We may consider, among other factors, a company’s impact on sustainable environmental, social and economic development (as described below), valuation, financial strength, growth potential, competitive position in its industry, projected future earnings, cash flows and dividends when deciding whether to buy or sell investments. We may also invest in non-U.S. companies.

Our approach to sustainable investing incorporates fundamental research together with consideration of sustainable environmental, social and economic development impact. We believe that companies whose products and services produce positive environmental, social and economic development impact also often demonstrate



 



potential for strong financial growth. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets in securities that meet our sustainability criteria. These criteria are based on a proprietary sustainability solutions map that links to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In applying these criteria, we will assign each company a proprietary environmental, social and/or corporate governance (ESG) rating ranging from 1 to 4 (1 indicating the highest (best) ESG rating and 4 indicating the lowest (worst) ESG rating). In order to meet our sustainability criteria for purposes of this investment policy, a company must be rated 2 or 1 by us. This policy is non-fundamental and may be changed only after 60 days’ notice to shareholders. In selecting each investment, we consider the extent to which a company’s products or services may provide solutions to forward-looking sustainability needs, creating positive impact in environmental, social and economic development areas. Environmental impacts may include, for example, reduction of carbon emissions and improved water quality. Social impacts may include, for example, improvements in employee well-being, supplier standards, or access to products, information, or security. Economic development impacts may include, for example, stakeholder analysis and shared value approaches to business practices, access to economic opportunity, or improvements in operational effectiveness or efficiency.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

It is important to understand that you can lose money by investing in the fund.

The value of investments in the fund’s portfolio may fall or fail to rise over extended periods of time for a variety of reasons, including general economic, political or financial market conditions, investor sentiment and market perceptions, government actions, geopolitical events or changes, and factors related to a specific issuer, geography, industry or sector. These and other factors may lead to increased volatility and reduced liquidity in the fund’s portfolio holdings.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and efforts to contain its spread are likely to negatively affect the value, volatility, and liquidity of the securities and other assets in which the fund invests and exacerbate other risks that apply to the fund. These effects could negatively impact the fund’s performance and lead to losses on your investment in the fund. Companies whose stocks we believe are undervalued by the market may have experienced adverse business developments or may be subject to special risks that have caused their stocks to be out of favor.

The value of a company’s stock may fall or fail to rise as a result of factors directly relating to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services. A stock’s value may also fall because of factors affecting not just the company, but also other companies in the same industry or in a number of different industries, such as increases in production costs.

Growth stocks may be more susceptible to earnings disappointments and the market may not favor growth-style investing. Stocks of small and midsize companies often trade in smaller volumes, and their prices may fluctuate more than stocks of larger



 



companies. Stocks of these companies may therefore be more vulnerable to adverse developments than those of larger companies. From time to time, the fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in companies in one or more related industries or sectors, which would make the fund more vulnerable to adverse developments affecting those companies, industries or sectors.

The value of international investments traded in foreign currencies may be adversely impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates. International investments, particularly investments in emerging markets, may carry risks associated with potentially less stable economies or governments (such as the risk of seizure by a foreign government, the imposition of currency or other restrictions, or high levels of inflation), and may be or become illiquid.

Investing with a focus on Solutions Companies, whose products and services may provide solutions that directly impact sustainable environmental, social and economic development, may result in the fund investing in certain types of companies, industries or sectors that the market may not favor. In evaluating an investment opportunity, we may make investment decisions based on information and data that is incomplete or inaccurate. Sustainability and ESG factors are not uniformly defined and applying such factors involves subjective assessments. Sustainability and ESG scorings and assessments of issuers can vary across third-party data providers and may change over time. In addition, a company’s business practices, products or services may change over time. As a result of these possibilities, among others, the fund may temporarily hold securities that are inconsistent with the fund’s sustainable investment criteria. Regulatory changes or interpretations regarding the definitions and/or use of ESG or other sustainability criteria could have a material adverse effect on the fund’s ability to invest in accordance with its investment policies and/or achieve its investment objective, as well as the ability of certain classes of investors to invest in funds, such as the fund, whose strategies include ESG or other sustainability criteria.

There is no guarantee that the investment techniques, analyses, or judgments that we apply in making investment decisions for the fund will produce the intended outcome or that the investments we select for the fund will perform as well as other securities that were not selected for the fund. We, or the fund’s other service providers, may experience disruptions or operating errors that could negatively impact the fund.

The fund may not achieve its goal, and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney It is important to understand that you can lose money by investing in the fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The performance information below gives some indication of the risks associated with an investment in the fund by showing the fund’s performance year to year and over time. Before March 21, 2018, the fund was managed with a materially different investment strategy and may have achieved materially different performance results under its current investment strategy from that shown for periods before this date.



 



The bar chart does not reflect the impact of sales charges. If it did, performance would be lower. Please remember that past performance is not necessarily an indication of future results. Monthly performance figures for the fund are available at putnam.com.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The performance information below gives some indication of the risks associated with an investment in the fund by showing the fund’s performance year to year and over time.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress putnam.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture Please remember that past performance is not necessarily an indication of future results.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Annual total returns for class A shares before sales charges
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads The bar chart does not reflect the impact of sales charges. If it did, performance would be lower.
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel Year-to-date performance through
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Jun. 30, 2022
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn (33.23%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best calendar quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2020
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 33.16%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst calendar quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2020
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (15.76%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average annual total returns after sales charges (for periods ended 12/31/21)
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns reflect the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown After-tax returns are shown for class A shares only and will vary for other classes.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock
Frank Russell Company is the source and owner of the trademarks, service marks and copyrights related to the Russell Indexes. Russell® is a trademark of Frank Russell Company.
After-tax returns reflect the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are shown for class A shares only and will vary for other classes. These after-tax returns do not apply if you hold your fund shares through a 401(k) plan, an IRA, or another tax-advantaged arrangement.
6    Prospectus



 



Class B and C share performance reflects conversion to class A shares after five years and eight years, respectively.
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Russell Midcap Growth Index (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 12.73%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 19.83%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 16.63%
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Putnam Sustainable Future Linked Benchmark (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 12.73% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.99% [1]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 15.40% [1]
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class A  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice 5.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00% [2]
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.54%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.21%
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.00%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 671
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 875
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,096
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,729
Annual Return 2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 16.08%
Annual Return 2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 41.90%
Annual Return 2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 10.67%
Annual Return 2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (4.33%)
Annual Return 2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 13.03%
Annual Return 2017 rr_AnnualReturn2017 10.64%
Annual Return 2018 rr_AnnualReturn2018 (6.93%)
Annual Return 2019 rr_AnnualReturn2019 29.76%
Annual Return 2020 rr_AnnualReturn2020 52.74%
Annual Return 2021 rr_AnnualReturn2021 5.78%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.30%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.27%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 14.90%
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class A | After Taxes on Distributions  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (4.06%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 12.09%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 12.75%
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class A | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.78%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 11.38%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 11.85%
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class B  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 5.00% [3]
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.54%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.21%
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.75%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 678
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 851
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 1,149
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,597
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 178
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 551
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 949
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,597
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.54%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.54%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 15.15%
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class C  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther 1.00% [4]
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.54%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 1.00%
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.21%
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.75%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 278
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 551
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 949
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,864
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 178
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 551
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 949
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 $ 1,864
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.06%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 15.77%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 14.90%
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class R  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.54%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.50%
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.21%
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.25%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 127
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 397
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 686
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,511
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 5.48%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.35%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 15.29%
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class R6  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.54%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.11%
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.65%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 66
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 208
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 362
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 810
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 6.11% [5]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 17.03% [5]
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 15.92% [5]
Putnam Sustainable Future Fund | Class Y  
Prospectus [Line Items] rr_ProspectusLineItems  
Maximum Sales Charge Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.54%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.21%
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.75%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 77
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 240
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 417
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 930
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 6.05%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.93%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 15.87%
[1] The Putnam Sustainable Future Linked Benchmark represents the performance of the Russell 3000® Value Index through March 20, 2018, and the performance of the Russell Midcap® Growth Index thereafter.
[2] Applies only to certain redemptions of shares bought with no initial sales charge.
[3] This charge is phased out over five years.
[4] This charge is eliminated after one year.
[5] Performance for class R6 shares prior to their inception (5/22/18) is derived from the historical performance of class Y shares and has not been adjusted for the lower investor servicing fees applicable to class R6 shares; had it, returns would have been higher.