Income Tax	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Tax	Income Tax Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 8% and 22% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2014, respectively, compared to 17% and 22% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2013, respectively. Autodesk's effective tax rate decreased 9% during the three months ended October 31, 2014 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to greater tax rate benefits from foreign earnings, stock-based compensation expense and true-up of prior year U.S. foreign tax credits, partially offset by tax rate detriments from accrual for uncertain tax positions, tax impact of an increase in the forecasted annual rate from the previous quarter and expiration of the federal research and development tax credit provisions. Autodesk's effective tax rate remained flat during the nine months ended October 31, 2014 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to greater tax rate benefits from foreign earnings and true-up of prior year U.S. foreign tax credits, offset by tax rate detriments from stock-based compensation expense, accrual for uncertain tax positions and expiration of the federal research and development tax credit provision. Excluding the impact of discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for each of the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2014 was 31%, 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 and an accrual for uncertain tax positions. As of October 31, 2014, the Company had $236.7 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $230.6 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, 2014, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $178.4 million. Pursuant to the adoption of ASU 2013-11, $51.7 million of unrecognized tax benefits have been presented as a reduction of deferred tax assets at October 31, 2014. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.

Income Tax

Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 8% and 22% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2014, respectively, compared to 17% and 22% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2013, respectively. Autodesk's effective tax rate decreased 9% during the three months ended October 31, 2014 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to greater tax rate benefits from foreign earnings, stock-based compensation expense and true-up of prior year U.S. foreign tax credits, partially offset by tax rate detriments from accrual for uncertain tax positions, tax impact of an increase in the forecasted annual rate from the previous quarter and expiration of the federal research and development tax credit provisions. Autodesk's effective tax rate remained flat during the nine months ended October 31, 2014 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to greater tax rate benefits from foreign earnings and true-up of prior year U.S. foreign tax credits, offset by tax rate detriments from stock-based compensation expense, accrual for uncertain tax positions and expiration of the federal research and development tax credit provision. Excluding the impact of discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for each of the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2014 was 31%, 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 and an accrual for uncertain tax positions.

As of October 31, 2014, the Company had $236.7 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $230.6 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, 2014, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $178.4 million. Pursuant to the adoption of ASU 2013-11, $51.7 million of unrecognized tax benefits have been presented as a reduction of deferred tax assets at October 31, 2014. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.