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Derivative Instruments And Hedging Activities (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
country
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Derivative [Line Items]      
Minimum number of countries for which entity has operations 50nati_NumberOfCountriesWhereEntityHasOperations    
Percentage of sales outside of the Americas during the period 60.00%nati_PercentageOfSalesOutsideOfAmericasDuringPeriod 59.00%nati_PercentageOfSalesOutsideOfAmericasDuringPeriod 60.00%nati_PercentageOfSalesOutsideOfAmericasDuringPeriod
Period of protection against the reduction in value caused by a fluctuation, minimum (in number of years) 1 year    
Period of protection against the reduction in value caused by a fluctuation, maximum (in number of years) 3 years    
Duration of derivative contracts entered into by the entity to hedge risk of loss 36 months    
Foreign currency forward contracts notional amount $ 199,113,000us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotionalAmount $ 139,624,000us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotionalAmount  
Forward Contracts [Member]      
Derivative [Line Items]      
Estimated amount of reclassification of gains on derivative instruments from accumulated other comprehensive income to net sales 14,500,000nati_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeToNetSales
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
   
Estimated amount of reclassification of losses on derivative instruments from accumulated other comprehensive income to cost of sales 1,200,000nati_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeToCostOfSales
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
   
Estimated amount of reclassification of gains on derivative instruments from accumulated other comprehensive income to operating expenses 766,000nati_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeToOperatingExpenses
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
   
Other Derivatives [Member]      
Derivative [Line Items]      
Foreign currency forward contracts notional amount $ 78,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= nati_OtherDerivativesMember
$ 70,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeAssetNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= nati_OtherDerivativesMember
 
Maximum [Member] | Forward Contracts [Member]      
Derivative [Line Items]      
Percentage of derivative risk hedged 100.00%nati_PercentageOfDerivativeRiskHedged
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
   
Duration of derivative contracts entered into by the entity to hedge risk of loss 40 months    
Maximum [Member] | Other Derivatives [Member]      
Derivative [Line Items]      
Percentage of derivative risk hedged 90.00%nati_PercentageOfDerivativeRiskHedged
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= nati_OtherDerivativesMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
   
Duration of derivative contracts entered into by the entity to hedge risk of loss 120 days