Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Maximum Percentage of Compensation to Purchase Shares By Eligible Participants

No definition available.

Name:	adsk_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMaximumPercentageOfCompensationToPurchaseSharesByEligibleParticipants
Namespace Prefix:	adsk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Minimum Percentage of Common Stock Fair Value Defined to Purchase Shares By Eligible Participants

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	adsk_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMinimumPercentageOfCommonStockFairValueDefinedToPurchaseSharesByEligibleParticipants
Namespace Prefix:	adsk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Number of Exercise Periods

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	adsk_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanNumberofExercisePeriods
Namespace Prefix:	adsk_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Term of Exercise Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	adsk_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanTermofExercisePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	adsk_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Employee Stock Purchase Plan, Term of Offering Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	adsk_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanTermofOfferingPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	adsk_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued, Average Price

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	adsk_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesIssuedAveragePrice
Namespace Prefix:	adsk_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Volatility, Market Capitalization

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	adsk_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityMarketCapitalization
Namespace Prefix:	adsk_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Additional share-based compensation cost recognized as a result of an occurrence of an event that accelerates its recognition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAcceleratedCompensationCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of share-based awards for which the grantee gained the right by satisfying service and performance requirements, to receive or retain shares or units, other instruments, or cash.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96867065&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of vesting of share-based compensation awards.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares issued during the period as a result of an employee stock purchase plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84159872&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=adsk_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUsandPerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=adsk_EmployeeQualifiedStockPurchasePlan1998EspPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stock-based Compensation Expense Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2017 USD ($) period $ / shares shares	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Allocated share-based compensation expense	$ 67.6	$ 54.3	$ 134.4	$ 105.9
Market capitalization			2,000.0
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Performance Shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Awards vested in period, fair value			$ 116.9	93.4
Awards granted in period (shares) \| shares			815,800
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Awards granted in period (shares) \| shares			500,000
Allocated share-based compensation expense	52.0	41.5	$ 102.0	80.3
Acceleration of eligible stock awards	5.9		$ 9.1
Performance Stock Unit
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Awards granted in period (shares) \| shares			300,000
Allocated share-based compensation expense	9.7	$ 5.9	$ 20.6	$ 12.2
Acceleration of eligible stock awards	$ 2.8		$ 7.5
Award vesting period			3 years
Employee Qualified Stock Purchase Plan 1998 ESP Plan
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employee stock purchase plan maximum percentage of compensation to purchase shares by eligible participants			15.00%
Employee stock purchase plan minimum percentage of common stock fair value defined to purchase shares by eligible participants			85.00%
Employee stock purchase plan, number of exercise periods \| period			4
Employee stock purchase plan, term of exercise period			6 months
Employee stock purchase plan, term of offering period			24 months
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plans (shares) \| shares			1,100,000	1,200,000
Awards issued, share average price (in usd per share) \| $ / shares			$ 38.34	$ 36.67
Weighted average grant date fair value per share of stock options granted (in dollars per share) \| $ / shares			$ 25.13	$ 17.88
Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche One \| Performance Stock Unit
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
PSU Annual Vesting Percentage			33.33%
Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two \| Performance Stock Unit
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
PSU Annual Vesting Percentage			33.33%
Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Three \| Performance Stock Unit
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
PSU Annual Vesting Percentage			33.33%