Income Taxes	6 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes [Text Block]	Income Tax Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 25% and 24% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2013, respectively, compared to 30% and 24% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2012, respectively. Autodesk's effective tax rate decreased five percentage points during the three months ended July 31, 2013 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 during the second quarter of fiscal 2013 and tax benefits from the reinstated federal research credit, partially offset by a discrete tax expense in the second quarter of fiscal 2014 related to the remeasurement of an uncertain tax position. Autodesk's effective tax rate remained flat during the six months ended July 31, 2013 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year. Excluding the impact of discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for each of the three and six month periods ended July 31, 2013 was 23% 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, 2013, the Company had $219.6 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $210.2 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, 2013, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $176.9 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, 2013

Income Tax

Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 25% and 24% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2013, respectively, compared to 30% and 24% during the three and six months ended July 31, 2012, respectively. Autodesk's effective tax rate decreased five percentage points during the three months ended July 31, 2013 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 during the second quarter of fiscal 2013 and tax benefits from the reinstated federal research credit, partially offset by a discrete tax expense in the second quarter of fiscal 2014 related to the remeasurement of an uncertain tax position. Autodesk's effective tax rate remained flat during the six months ended July 31, 2013 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year. Excluding the impact of discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for each of the three and six month periods ended July 31, 2013 was 23% 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, 2013, the Company had $219.6 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $210.2 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, 2013, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $176.9 million. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.