Segments - Operations by geographic area (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
		Jan. 31, 2016		Oct. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2015	[2]	Apr. 30, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2014	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue		$ 648.3	[1]	$ 599.8	$ 609.5		$ 646.5	$ 664.6	$ 618.0	$ 637.1	$ 592.5	$ 2,504.1	$ 2,512.2	$ 2,273.9
Total long-lived assets	[3]	169.3						159.2				169.3	159.2
Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue												972.8	898.0	818.9
Total long-lived assets	[3]	122.0						111.9				122.0	111.9
Americas | U.S.
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue												803.9	736.4	672.3
Total long-lived assets	[3]	118.8						108.8				118.8	108.8
Americas | Other Americas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue												168.9	161.6	146.6
Total long-lived assets	[3]	3.2						3.1				3.2	3.1
Europe Middle East And Africa [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue												934.6	980.0	851.8
Europe, Middle East, and Africa | Europe Middle East And Africa [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total long-lived assets	[3]	25.7						25.0				25.7	25.0
Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue												596.7	634.2	603.2
Total long-lived assets	[3]	$ 21.6						$ 22.3				21.6	22.3
Asia Pacific | Japan
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue												219.7	269.0	274.5
Asia Pacific | Other Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net revenue												$ 377.0	$ 365.2	$ 328.7

[1] Subsequent to furnishing preliminary financial statements on Form 8-K on February 25, 2016 for the three and twelve months ended January 31, 2016, Autodesk identified a $4.5 million tax adjustment associated with deemed foreign withholding taxes related to non-permanently reinvested earnings in foreign jurisdictions which have not yet repatriated resulting in changes to the Consolidated Financial Statements as reflected in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This non-cash adjustment resulted in an increase to GAAP diluted loss per share from $(0.15) to $(0.17) for the three months ended January 31, 2016.

[2] Certain second quarter fiscal 2016 balances have been revised to include the correction of an error identified in the third quarter of fiscal 2016, resulting in an additional $33.1 million of income tax expense from the previously reported results, primarily related to the establishment of a valuation allowance. See Note 1, "Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" for further discussion.

[3] (1)Long-lived assets exclude deferred tax assets, marketable securities, goodwill, and other intangible assets.