Debt (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Additional borrowing capacity on credit facility if agreed to by lenders	$ 250,000,000
Borrowings outstanding	605,600,000
Voting interest in foreign subsidiaries pledged against credit facility	65.00%
Investment limit in foreign subsidiaries	75,000,000
Cash investment limit for acquisition of business	150,000,000
Maximum leverage ratio allowed under debt covenant	3.00pmtc_DebtCovenantLeverageRatioMaximum
Minimum fixed charge coverage ratio allowed under debt covenant	3.50
Leverage ratio, actual	1.74pmtc_LeverageRatioActual
Fixed charge coverage ratio, actual	12.83pmtc_FixedChargeCoverageRatioActual
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity	456,000,000
Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Variable Interest Rate, Length of Time Between Updates	30 days
Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Variable Interest Rate, Length of Time Between Updates	180 days
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility amount	493,700,000.0
Revolving Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowings outstanding	111,900,000
Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility amount	1,000,000,000
Component of Base Rate, Basis Spread on Federal Funds Effective Rate	0.005%
Component of Base Rate, Basis Spread on Adjusted LIBOR	1.00%
Line of Credit [Member] \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility commitment fees percentage	0.175%
Line of Credit [Member] \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility commitment fees percentage	0.25%
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility amount		500,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months		25,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate at Period End	1.625%
Repayments of principal in 2015		50,000,000
Repayments of principal in 2016		50,000,000
Repayments of principal in 2017		75,000,000
Repayments of principal in 2018		$ 300,000,000
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.25%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.50%
Base Rate [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.25%
Base Rate [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member] \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.50%

Additional borrowing capacity on credit facility if agreed to by lenders

No definition available.

Name:	pmtc_AdditionalBorrowingCapacityOnCreditFacilityIfAgreedToByLenders
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cash Investment Limit For Acquisition of Business

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_CashInvestmentLimitForAcquisitionOfBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Component of Base Rate, Basis Spread on Adjusted LIBOR

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_ComponentOfBaseRateBasisSpreadOnAdjustedLibor
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Component of Base Rate, Basis Spread on Federal Funds Effective Rate

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_ComponentOfBaseRateBasisSpreadOnFederalFundsEffectiveRate
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Consolidated trailing four quarters EBITDA less capital expenditures to consolidated fixed charges

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_DebtCovenantFixedChargeCoverageRatioMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Consolidated funded indebtedness to consolidated trailing four quarters EBITDA

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_DebtCovenantLeverageRatioMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Actual fixed charge coverage ratio -- metric for determining debt covenant compliance

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_FixedChargeCoverageRatioActual
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Investment in Foreign Subsidiaries Authorized Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_InvestmentInForeignSubsidiariesAuthorizedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Actual leverage ratio -- metric for determining compliance with debt covenant

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_LeverageRatioActual
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Variable Interest Rate, Length of Time Between Updates

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_LineOfCreditFacilityVariableInterestRateLengthOfTimeBetweenUpdates
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Voting interest in foreign subsidiaries pledged against credit facility

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_VotingInterestInForeignSubsidiariesPledgedAgainstCreditFacility
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for the line of credit facility regardless of whether the facility has been used.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The effective interest rate at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802200&loc=d3e1835-112601

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt, sinking fund requirements, and other securities redeemable at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_BaseRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
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