Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes [Text Block]	Income Tax Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 14% and 23% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012, respectively, compared to 20% and 21% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2011, respectively. Autodesk’s effective tax rate decreased 6% during the three months ended October 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to restructuring charges, partially offset by non-deductible stock based compensation. Autodesk's effective tax rate increased 2% during the nine months ended October 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, expiration of the federal research credit, and non-deductible stock based compensation, partially offset by discrete tax benefits from closure of the statute of limitations during the first quarter of fiscal 2013 and adjustments related to tax return filings. Discrete tax benefits for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012 were $15.4 million and $19.0 million, respectively, primarily associated with restructuring charges, stock-based compensation, closure of a foreign statute of limitations, and adjustments related to tax return filings, partially offset by the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment. Excluding the impact of these discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for both the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012 was 25%, and was lower than the Federal statutory tax rate of 35% primarily due to foreign income taxed at lower rates partially offset by the impact of non-deductible stock based compensation expense. As of October 31, 2012, the Company had $206.0 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $195.3 million represents the amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would impact the effective tax rate, if recognized. It is possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next twelve months; however, an estimate of the range of the possible change cannot be made at this time. At October 31, 2012, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $176.7 million. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.

Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2012

Income Tax

Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 14% and 23% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012, respectively, compared to 20% and 21% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2011, respectively. Autodesk’s effective tax rate decreased 6% during the three months ended October 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to restructuring charges, partially offset by non-deductible stock based compensation. Autodesk's effective tax rate increased 2% during the nine months ended October 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, expiration of the federal research credit, and non-deductible stock based compensation, partially offset by discrete tax benefits from closure of the statute of limitations during the first quarter of fiscal 2013 and adjustments related to tax return filings. Discrete tax benefits for the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012 were $15.4 million and $19.0 million, respectively, primarily associated with restructuring charges, stock-based compensation, closure of a foreign statute of limitations, and adjustments related to tax return filings, partially offset by the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment. Excluding the impact of these discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for both the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012 was 25%, and was lower than the Federal statutory tax rate of 35% primarily due to foreign income taxed at lower rates partially offset by the impact of non-deductible stock based compensation expense.

As of October 31, 2012, the Company had $206.0 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $195.3 million represents the amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would impact the effective tax rate, if recognized. It is possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next twelve months; however, an estimate of the range of the possible change cannot be made at this time.

At October 31, 2012, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $176.7 million. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.