Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes [Text Block]	Income Tax Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 30% and 24% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2012, respectively, compared to 24% and 21% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2011, respectively. Autodesk’s effective tax rate increased 6% during the three months ended July 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, expiration of the federal research credit and non-deductible stock-based compensation expense, partially offset by the tax impact of a decrease in the forecasted annual rate from the previous quarter. Autodesk's effective tax rate increased 3% during the six months ended July 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, expiration of the federal research credit and non-deductible stock based compensation expense, partially offset by discrete tax benefits from closure of statute of limitations during the first quarter of fiscal 2013. Discrete tax items for the three and six months ended July 31, 2012 were $2.7 million expense and $3.6 million benefit, respectively, primarily associated with the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, stock-based compensation and closure of a foreign statute of limitations. Excluding the impact of these discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for both the three and six months ended July 31, 2012 was 25%, and was lower than the Federal statutory tax rate of 35% primarily due to foreign income taxed at lower rates partially offset by the impact of non-deductible stock-based compensation expense. As of July 31, 2012, the Company had $206.0 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $192.3 million represents the amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would impact the effective tax rate, if recognized. It is possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next twelve months; however, an estimate of the range of the possible change cannot be made at this time. At July 31, 2012, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $181.6 million. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.

Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2012

Income Tax

Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 30% and 24% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2012, respectively, compared to 24% and 21% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2011, respectively. Autodesk’s effective tax rate increased 6% during the three months ended July 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, expiration of the federal research credit and non-deductible stock-based compensation expense, partially offset by the tax impact of a decrease in the forecasted annual rate from the previous quarter. Autodesk's effective tax rate increased 3% during the six months ended July 31, 2012 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, expiration of the federal research credit and non-deductible stock based compensation expense, partially offset by discrete tax benefits from closure of statute of limitations during the first quarter of fiscal 2013. Discrete tax items for the three and six months ended July 31, 2012 were $2.7 million expense and $3.6 million benefit, respectively, primarily associated with the establishment of a U.S. valuation allowance related to the impairment of an investment, stock-based compensation and closure of a foreign statute of limitations. Excluding the impact of these discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for both the three and six months ended July 31, 2012 was 25%, and was lower than the Federal statutory tax rate of 35% primarily due to foreign income taxed at lower rates partially offset by the impact of non-deductible stock-based compensation expense.

As of July 31, 2012, the Company had $206.0 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $192.3 million represents the amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would impact the effective tax rate, if recognized. It is possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next twelve months; however, an estimate of the range of the possible change cannot be made at this time.

At July 31, 2012, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $181.6 million. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.