Stock-based Compensation Expense Assumption Used to Estimate the Fair Value of Stock-Based Awards (Details)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Option [Member]		Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Option [Member]		Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Option [Member] Minimum [Member]		Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Option [Member] Minimum [Member]		Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Option [Member] Maximum [Member]		Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Stock Option [Member] Maximum [Member]		Jul. 31, 2013 Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan 1998 ESP Plan [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan 1998 ESP Plan [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan 1998 ESP Plan [Member] Minimum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan 1998 ESP Plan [Member] Minimum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan 1998 ESP Plan [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan 1998 ESP Plan [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Performance Shares [Member]		Jul. 31, 2013 Performance Shares [Member] Minimum [Member]		Jul. 31, 2013 Performance Shares [Member] Maximum [Member]
Share based Compensation Arrangement by Share based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Method Used [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term (in years)					3 years 7 months 6 days	[1]	3 years 7 months 6 days	[1]	4 years 7 months 6 days	[1]	4 years 7 months 6 days	[1]			6 months	6 months	2 years	2 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility Rate (in %)					41.00%	[1]	41.00%	[1]	43.00%	[1]	45.00%	[1]			27.00%	41.00%	36.00%	43.00%	34.00%	[2]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Dividend Rate (in %)	0.00%	[1]	0.00%	[1]									0.00%	0.00%					0.00%	[2]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Risk Free Interest Rate (in %)					0.50%	[1]	0.50%	[1]	0.60%	[1]	0.80%	[1]			0.10%	0.10%	0.30%	0.30%	0.10%	[2]
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions Expected Forfeitures (in %)	7.70%	[1]					7.70%	[1]			7.80%	[1]			7.20%	7.70%	7.70%	7.80%			7.20%	[2]	7.70%	[2]

[1] Autodesk did not grant stock options in the three and six months ended July 31, 2013.

[2] Autodesk did not grant PSUs in the three and six months ended July 31, 2012 that were subject to market conditions. In addition, Autodesk did not grant PSUs in the three months ended July 31, 2013 that were subject to market conditions.