Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Note 1 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by PAR Technology Corporation (the "Company" or "PAR") in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X pertaining to interim financial statements. Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company, such unaudited statements include all adjustments (which comprise only normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the results for such periods. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for any future period. The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes for the year ended December 31, 2011 included in the Company's December 31, 2011 Annual Report to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K. The preparation of consolidated financial statements requires management of the Company to make a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include: the carrying amount of property, plant and equipment, identifiable intangible assets and goodwill, equity based compensation, and valuation allowances for receivables, inventories and deferred income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The current economic conditions and the continued volatility in the U.S. and in many other countries in which the Company operates could contribute to decreased consumer confidence and continued economic uncertainty which may adversely impact the Company's operating performance. Although the Company has seen an improvement in the markets which it serves, the continued volatility in these markets could have an impact on purchases of the Company's products, which could result in a reduction of sales, operating income and cash flows. Reductions in these results could have a material adverse impact on the underlying estimates used in deriving the fair value of the Company's reporting units used in support of its annual goodwill impairment test. These conditions may result in an impairment charge in future periods. Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period classification. During the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, the Company sold substantially all of the assets of its Logistics Management business, PAR Logistics Management Systems Corporation (LMS) to ORBCOMM Inc., including but not limited to accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, intellectual property, and customer contracts. The transaction closed on January 12, 2012. The results of operations of LMS for fiscal years 2012 and 2011 have been recorded as discontinued operations in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 205-20, Presentation of Financial Statements – Discontinued Operations.

Note 1 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by PAR Technology Corporation (the "Company" or "PAR") in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X pertaining to interim financial statements. Accordingly, these interim financial statements do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company, such unaudited statements include all adjustments (which comprise only normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the results for such periods. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for any future period. The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes for the year ended December 31, 2011 included in the Company's December 31, 2011 Annual Report to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements requires management of the Company to make a number of estimates and assumptions relating to the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include: the carrying amount of property, plant and equipment, identifiable intangible assets and goodwill, equity based compensation, and valuation allowances for receivables, inventories and deferred income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The current economic conditions and the continued volatility in the U.S. and in many other countries in which the Company operates could contribute to decreased consumer confidence and continued economic uncertainty which may adversely impact the Company's operating performance. Although the Company has seen an improvement in the markets which it serves, the continued volatility in these markets could have an impact on purchases of the Company's products, which could result in a reduction of sales, operating income and cash flows. Reductions in these results could have a material adverse impact on the underlying estimates used in deriving the fair value of the Company's reporting units used in support of its annual goodwill impairment test. These conditions may result in an impairment charge in future periods.

Certain amounts for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period classification.

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, the Company sold substantially all of the assets of its Logistics Management business, PAR Logistics Management Systems Corporation (LMS) to ORBCOMM Inc., including but not limited to accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, intellectual property, and customer contracts. The transaction closed on January 12, 2012. The results of operations of LMS for fiscal years 2012 and 2011 have been recorded as discontinued operations in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 205-20, Presentation of Financial Statements – Discontinued Operations.