Selected Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2012	Aug. 31, 2012	May 31, 2012	Feb. 28, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Aug. 31, 2011	May 31, 2011	Feb. 28, 2011	Nov. 30, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 296,527	$ 255,021	$ 247,363	$ 225,702	$ 289,511	$ 228,973	$ 216,421	$ 185,341	$ 1,024,613	$ 920,246	$ 754,007
Gross profit	220,938	182,772	178,476	159,612	220,164	165,619	154,694	132,394	741,798	672,871	556,214
Total operating expenses	147,886	139,620	141,117	135,459	149,919	129,031	125,965	113,529	564,082	518,444	441,059
Income from operations	73,052	43,152	37,359	24,153	70,245	36,588	28,729	18,865	177,716	154,427	115,155
Provision for income taxes	15,300	7,400	7,200	3,300	17,504	11,800	6,000	1,996	33,200	37,300	32,401
Net income attributable to TIBCO Software Inc.	$ 48,788	$ 26,086	$ 26,492	$ 20,641	$ 51,878	$ 23,529	$ 21,046	$ 15,953	$ 122,007	$ 112,406	$ 78,088
Basic (usd per share)	$ 0.30	$ 0.16	$ 0.17	$ 0.13	$ 0.32	$ 0.15	$ 0.13	$ 0.10	$ 0.76	$ 0.70	$ 0.49
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 0.29	$ 0.15	$ 0.16	$ 0.12	$ 0.30	$ 0.14	$ 0.12	$ 0.09	$ 0.72	$ 0.65	$ 0.46
Shares used in computing net income per share attributable to TIBCO Software Inc., Basic (in sharess)	160,115	159,308	160,437	161,460	161,586	161,876	161,911	160,503	160,330	161,469	160,959
Shares used in computing net income per share attributable to TIBCO Software Inc., Diluted (in shares)	169,284	169,165	169,477	170,866	171,978	172,957	174,666	173,486	169,698	173,272	170,953