Amount of consideration transferred, consisting of acquisition-date fair value of assets transferred by the acquirer, liabilities incurred by the acquirer, and equity interest issued by the acquirer.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116859721&loc=d3e6613-128477

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120321790&loc=d3e6927-128479

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 30
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116859721&loc=d3e6578-128477

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of equity interests of the acquirer, including instruments or interests issued or issuable in consideration for the business combination.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInterestsIssuedAndIssuable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of tangible or intangible assets, including a business or subsidiary of the acquirer transferred by the entity to the former owners of the acquiree. Excludes cash.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120321790&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredOther1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=anss_LivermoreSoftwareTechnologyCorporationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=anss_GrantaDesignMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Acquisitions - Fair Value of Consideration Transferred 2019 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands			12 Months Ended
	Nov. 01, 2019	Feb. 01, 2019	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Cash			$ 597,342	$ 820,084
Ansys common stock			218,348	308,704
Total consideration transferred at fair value			$ 830,032	1,128,788
Livermore Software Technology Corporation
Cash	$ 472,800
Ansys common stock	308,704
Total consideration transferred at fair value	$ 781,504
Granta Design
Cash		$ 208,736
Total consideration transferred at fair value		$ 208,736
Other Acquisitions
Cash				138,548
Total consideration transferred at fair value				$ 138,548