Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Restricted Stock Units

	Restricted Stock Units			Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (In Years)		Aggregate Fair Value
	(in thousands, except per share and life amounts)
Balance at October 31, 2008		2,676		$	25.45		1.61
Granted		1,311		$	18.78
Vested(2)(3)		(787	)	$	25.64			$	14,859
Forfeited		(67	)	$	24.64
Balance at October 31, 2009		3,133		$	22.63		1.41
Granted		1,228		$	22.00
Assumed(1)		713		$	23.69
Vested(2)(3)		(1,221	)	$	22.40			$	27,345
Forfeited		(123	)	$	22.51
Balance at October 31, 2010		3,730		$	22.71		1.41
Granted		1,483		$	26.89
Vested(2)(3)		(1,522	)	$	23.11			$	35,164
Forfeited		(237	)	$	23.49
Balance at October 31, 2011		3,454		$	24.28		1.48

(1) The Company assumed restricted stock units outstanding under various plans through acquisitions.

(2) Represents the market value of Synopsys common stock on the date the restricted stock unit vests.

(3) The number of vested restricted stock units includes shares that were withheld on behalf of employees to satisfy the statutory tax withholding requirements.

Stock Options And Restricted Stock Units Under All Equity Plans (Except 2005 Directors Plan)

	Available for Grant(3)			Options(2)
				Options Outstanding			Weighted- Average Exercise Price per Share		Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life (In Years)		Aggregate Intrinsic Value
	(in thousands, except per share and life amounts)
Balance at October 31, 2008		4,347			28,777		$	21.52		3.43	$	15,403
Options Granted		(1,395	)		1,395		$	18.16
Options Exercised		—			(2,112	)	$	18.07
Options Canceled/forfeited/expired		2,113			(2,242	)	$	26.06
Restricted stock units granted(1)		(2,476	)
Restricted stock units forfeited(1)		114
Additional shares reserved		4,000
Balance at October 31, 2009		6,703			25,818		$	21.22		2.89	$	58,267
Options Granted		(1,995	)		1,995		$	21.30
Options Assumed(2)					456		$	18.10
Options Exercised					(6,465	)	$	18.16
Options Canceled/forfeited/expired		372			(620	)	$	23.19
Restricted stock units granted(1)		(2,677	)
Restricted stock units forfeited(1)		203
Additional shares reserved		—
Balance at October 31, 2010		2,606			21,184		$	21.83		2.80	$	90,013
Options Granted		(2,228	)		2,270		$	26.07
Options Exercised					(6,800	)	$	20.53
Options Canceled/forfeited/expired		550			(694	)	$	27.24
Restricted stock units granted(1)		(2,182	)
Restricted stock units forfeited(1)		165
Additional shares reserved		7,000
Balance at October 31, 2011		5,911			15,960		$	22.76		2.97	$	74,068
Vested and expected to vest as of October 31, 2011					15,762		$	22.73		2.93	$	73,554
Exercisable at October 31, 2011					12,051		$	22.59		2.06	$	58,779

(1) These amounts do not reflect the actual number of restricted stock units granted or forfeited but rather the effect on the total remaining shares available for future grants after the application of the share reserve ratio. For more information about the share reserve ratio, please see Restricted Stock Units above.

(2) The Company assumed options and stock appreciation rights (SARs) outstanding under various plans through acquisitions.

(3) Excluding shares reserved for future issuance under the 2005 Directors Plan.

Pretax Intrinsic Value Of Options Exercised

	Year Ended October 31,
	2011		2010		2009
	(in thousands, except per share price)
Exercise value	$	42,388	$	29,788	$	7,428
Average exercise price per share	$	20.53	$	18.16	$	18.07

Stock Options Outstanding

	Options Outstanding						Exercisable Options
Range of Exercise Prices	Number Outstanding		Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life (In Years)		Weighted-Average Exercise Price		Number Exercisable		Weighted-Average Exercise Price
	(in thousands)						(in thousands)
$  4.95 - $17.64		2,285		2.49	$	16.15		1,941	$	16.26
$17.70 - $20.46		1,691		1.80	$	18.94		1,526	$	18.90
$20.52 - $21.10		2,629		2.31	$	20.96		2,167	$	20.95
$21.12 - $22.96		1,620		3.79	$	21.61		916	$	21.87
$23.09 - $24.70		1,630		4.03	$	23.60		1,035	$	23.69
$24.92 - $26.17		2,118		2.05	$	25.87		2,042	$	25.89
$26.19 - $27.01		1,959		5.84	$	26.79		429	$	26.66
$27.04 - $39.81		2,028		2.03	$	28.81		1,995	$	28.83
		15,960		2.97	$	22.76		12,051	$	22.59

Summary Of Restricted Stock Award Activities Under The 2005 Director Plan

	Restricted Shares			Weighted- Average Grant Date Fair Value
	(in thousands)
Unvested at October 31, 2010		57		$	21.33
Granted		27		$	27.50
Vested		(30	)	$	20.83
Forfeited		—		$	—
Unvested at October 31, 2011		54		$	24.73

Stock Option Plans And Stock Purchase Rights Granted Under The ESPP

	Year Ended October 31,
	2011	2010	2009
Stock Options
Expected life (in years)	4.8	3.65 - 5.73	4.60
Risk-free interest rate	0.96% - 2.28%	1.08% - 2.57%	1.43% - 2.43%
Volatility	26.96% - 30.30%	26.92% - 30.76%	31.28% - 44.86%
Weighted average estimated fair value	$7.04	$7.10	$6.66
ESPP
Expected life (in years)	0.5 - 2.0	0.5 - 2.0	0.5 - 2.0
Risk-free interest rate	0.09% - 0.68%	0.18% - 0.78%	0.32% - 0.94%
Volatility	19.48% - 27.08%	22.4% - 31.27%	30.93% - 45.14%
Weighted average estimated fair value	$6.82	$6.16	$3.37

Stock Compensation Expense

	Year Ended October 31,
	2011			2010			2009
	(in thousands)
Cost of license	$	5,658		$	6,497		$	6,649
Cost of maintenance and service		1,416			1,908			2,166
Research and development expense		26,747			26,551			24,222
Sales and marketing expense		11,068			12,372			12,231
General and administrative expense		11,525			12,660			11,666
Stock compensation expense before taxes		56,414			59,988			56,934
Income tax benefit		(14,798	)		(14,525	)		(12,862	)
Stock compensation expense after taxes	$	41,616		$	45,463		$	44,072

Deferred Plan Assets And Liabilities

	As of October 31, 2011		As of October 31, 2010
	(In millions)
Plan assets recorded in long-term other assets	$	90.1	$	83.3
Plan liabilities recorded in long-term other liabilities(1)	$	90.1	$	83.3

(1)    For undistributed deferred compensation due to participants.

Summary Of Impact Of The Deferred Plan

	Year Ended October 31,
	2011		2010			2009
	(in thousands)
Increase (reduction) to cost of revenue and operating expense	$	2,449	$	9,426		$	8,957
Other income (expense), net		2,449		8,810			9,969
Net increase (decrease) to net income	$	-	$	(616	)	$	1,012