Income Taxes (Summary Of Federal Income Tax Rate And Effective Income Tax Rate) (Details)	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Statutory federal income tax rate	35.00%	35.00%	35.00%
State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit	(2.00%)	1.00%	(12.00%)
Federal and state research and development credits	(5.00%)	(1.00%)	(17.00%)
Change in valuation allowance	3.00%	4.00%
Tax audit and examination settlements		1.00%	(12.00%)
Foreign rate differences	(15.00%)	(26.00%)	(33.00%)
Foreign litigation			(44.00%)
Subsidiary reorganization	1.00%	53.00%
Other, net	1.00%	3.00%	(1.00%)
Effective income tax rate	18.00%	70.00%	(84.00%)

Effective income tax rate reconciliation, foreign litigation

Name:	pmtc_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignLitigation
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective income tax rate reconciliation other

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOther
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective income tax rate reconciliation, subsidiary reorganization

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationSubsidiaryReorganization
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 109

-Paragraph 47

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph h

-Subparagraph 2

-Article 4

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 13

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable under enacted tax laws to the Company's pretax income from continuing operations for the period. The "statutory" tax rate is the regular tax rate if there are alternative tax systems.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6889476&loc=d3e330036-122817

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 109

-Paragraph 47

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 13

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to changes in the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 13

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32698-109319

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6889476&loc=d3e330036-122817

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the difference between statutory income tax rates in foreign jurisdictions and the domestic federal statutory income tax rate recorded during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the state and local income tax expense or benefit, net of the federal tax benefit (expense) thereon, recorded during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by research tax credits generated or utilized under enacted tax laws during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The sum of the differences between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all income tax settlements during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration