| Label | Element | Value | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prospectus [Line Items] | rr_ProspectusLineItems | |||||||||||
| Document Type | dei_DocumentType | 485BPOS | ||||||||||
| Document Period End Date | dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate | Dec. 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| 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 International Capital Opportunities 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 International Capital Opportunities Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation. |
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| 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 18 of the fund’s prospectus, in the Appendix to the fund’s prospectus, and in How to buy shares beginning on page II-3 of the fund’s statement of additional information (SAI). |
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| 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 24%. |
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| Portfolio Turnover, Rate | rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate | 24.00% | ||||||||||
| 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. |
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| Strategy [Heading] | rr_StrategyHeading | Investments, risks, and performance | ||||||||||
| Strategy Narrative [Text Block] | rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock | Investments We invest mainly in common stocks (growth or value stocks or both) of small and midsize companies outside the United States that we believe have favorable investment potential. For example, we may purchase stocks of companies with stock prices that reflect a value lower than that which we place on the company. We may consider, among other factors, a company’s 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 consider other factors that we believe will cause the stock price to rise. We invest mainly in developed countries, but may invest in emerging markets. We may also use derivatives such as certain foreign currency transactions, futures, options, warrants and swap contracts, for both hedging and non-hedging purposes. For example, we typically use foreign currency forward contracts in connection with the fund’s investments in foreign securities in order to hedge the fund’s currency exposure relative to the fund’s benchmark index. |
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| Risk [Heading] | rr_RiskHeading | Risks | ||||||||||
| Risk [Text Block] | rr_RiskTextBlock | 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, outbreaks of infectious illnesses or other widespread public health issues, 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, may negatively impact the fund’s performance, and may exacerbate other risks to which the fund is subject. Growth stocks may be more susceptible to earnings disappointments, and value stocks may fail to rebound. These risks are generally greater for small and midsize 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 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. Investments focused in a single region may be affected by common economic forces and other factors. In addition, events in any one country within the region may impact the other countries or the region as a whole. Because the fund currently invests, and may in the future invest, significantly in European and Asian companies, the fund is particularly susceptible to economic, political, regulatory and other events or conditions affecting issuers in Europe and Asia. European financial markets have in recent years experienced increased volatility due to concerns with some countries’ high levels of sovereign debt, budget deficits, and unemployment. Asia includes countries in various stages of economic development, from emerging market economies to the highly developed economy of Japan. Some parts of Asia may be subject to a greater degree of economic, political and social instability than is the case in the United States. Our use of derivatives may increase the risks of investing in the fund by increasing investment exposure (which may be considered leverage) or, in the case of many over-the-counter instruments, because of the potential inability to terminate or sell derivative positions and the potential failure of the other party to the instrument to meet its obligations. The risk of a party failing to meet its obligations may increase if the fund has significant exposure to that counterparty. The value of derivatives may move in unexpected ways due to unanticipated market movements, the use of leverage, imperfect correlation between the derivative instrument and the reference asset or other factors, especially in unusual market conditions, and volatility in the value of derivatives could adversely impact the fund’s returns, obligations and exposures. Derivatives are also subject to other risks, including liquidity risk (e.g., liquidity demands arising from the requirement to make payments to a derivative counterparty), operational risk (e.g., settlement issues or system failures), and legal risk (e.g., insufficient legal documentation or contract enforceability issues).
The fund may be an investment option for mutual funds that are managed by Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin Templeton”) and its affiliates as “funds of funds.” Additionally, other investors from time to time may make substantial investments in the fund. Such shareholders may at times be considered to control the fund. Dispositions of a large number of shares by these shareholders may adversely affect the fund’s liquidity and net assets. These redemptions may also force the fund to sell securities, which may increase the fund’s brokerage costs. 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. |
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| 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. 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 www.franklintempleton.com. |
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| 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 | www.franklintempleton.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. | ||||||||||
| Year to Date Return, Label | rr_YearToDateReturnLabel | Year-to-date performance through | ||||||||||
| Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date | rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate | Sep. 30, 2024 | ||||||||||
| Bar Chart, Year to Date Return | rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn | 12.40% | ||||||||||
| Highest Quarterly Return, Label | rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel | Best calendar quarter | ||||||||||
| Highest Quarterly Return, Date | rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate | Dec. 31, 2022 | ||||||||||
| Highest Quarterly Return | rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn | 22.40% | ||||||||||
| Lowest Quarterly Return, Label | rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel | Worst calendar quarter | ||||||||||
| Lowest Quarterly Return, Date | rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate | Mar. 31, 2020 | ||||||||||
| Lowest Quarterly Return | rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn | (27.22%) | ||||||||||
| Performance Table Heading | rr_PerformanceTableHeading | Average annual total returns after sales charges (for periods ended 12/31/23) | ||||||||||
| 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 |
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| Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | MSCI ACWI ex USA Index-NR (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | ||||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | rr_ProspectusLineItems | |||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 15.62% | [1] | |||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 7.08% | [1] | |||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 3.83% | [1] | |||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | S&P Developed Ex-U.S. SmallCap Index (no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | ||||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | rr_ProspectusLineItems | |||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 14.07% | [1] | |||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 6.95% | [1] | |||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 4.84% | [1] | |||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities 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 | 1.02% | [3] | |||||||||
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets | 0.25% | ||||||||||
| Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): | rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets | 0.32% | ||||||||||
| Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) | rr_ExpensesOverAssets | 1.59% | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 | $ 727 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 | 1,048 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 | 1,391 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 | $ 2,356 | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2014 | rr_AnnualReturn2014 | (13.43%) | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2015 | rr_AnnualReturn2015 | 2.28% | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2016 | rr_AnnualReturn2016 | (2.88%) | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2017 | rr_AnnualReturn2017 | 34.53% | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2018 | rr_AnnualReturn2018 | (16.52%) | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2019 | rr_AnnualReturn2019 | 25.85% | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2020 | rr_AnnualReturn2020 | 10.93% | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2021 | rr_AnnualReturn2021 | 13.41% | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2022 | rr_AnnualReturn2022 | (18.01%) | ||||||||||
| Annual Return 2023 | rr_AnnualReturn2023 | 15.22% | ||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 8.60% | ||||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 7.11% | ||||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 3.13% | ||||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | Class A | After Taxes on Distributions | ||||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | rr_ProspectusLineItems | |||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 8.49% | ||||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 6.16% | ||||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 2.29% | ||||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | Class A | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales | ||||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | rr_ProspectusLineItems | |||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 5.51% | ||||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 5.61% | ||||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 2.42% | ||||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities 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 | 1.02% | [3] | |||||||||
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets | 1.00% | ||||||||||
| Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): | rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets | 0.32% | ||||||||||
| Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) | rr_ExpensesOverAssets | 2.34% | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 | $ 337 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 | 730 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 | 1,250 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 | 2,489 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 | 237 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 | 730 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 | 1,250 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 | $ 2,489 | ||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 13.35% | ||||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 7.57% | ||||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 3.12% | ||||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities 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 | 1.02% | [3] | |||||||||
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets | 0.50% | ||||||||||
| Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): | rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets | 0.32% | ||||||||||
| Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) | rr_ExpensesOverAssets | 1.84% | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 | $ 187 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 | 579 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 | 995 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 | $ 2,159 | ||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 14.92% | ||||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 8.11% | ||||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 3.48% | ||||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities 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 | 1.02% | [3] | |||||||||
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets | none | ||||||||||
| Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): | rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets | 0.16% | ||||||||||
| Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) | rr_ExpensesOverAssets | 1.18% | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 | $ 120 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 | 375 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 | 649 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 | $ 1,432 | ||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 15.70% | [5] | |||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 8.84% | [5] | |||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 4.10% | [5] | |||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities 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 | 1.02% | [3] | |||||||||
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets | none | ||||||||||
| Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): | rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets | 0.32% | ||||||||||
| Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) | rr_ExpensesOverAssets | 1.34% | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 | $ 136 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 | 425 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 | 734 | ||||||||||
| Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 | $ 1,613 | ||||||||||
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 15.50% | ||||||||||
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 8.66% | ||||||||||
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 4.00% | ||||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | Risk Lose Money [Member] | ||||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | rr_ProspectusLineItems | |||||||||||
| Risk [Text Block] | rr_RiskTextBlock | It is important to understand that you can lose money by investing in the fund. | ||||||||||
| Putnam International Capital Opportunities Fund | Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Member] | ||||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | rr_ProspectusLineItems | |||||||||||
| Risk [Text Block] | rr_RiskTextBlock | An investment in the fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. | ||||||||||
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