Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes [Text Block]	Income Tax Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 17% and 22% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2013, respectively, compared to 14% and 23% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012, respectively. Autodesk's effective tax rate increased 3% during the three months ended October 31, 2013 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to adjustments related to tax return filings partially offset by stock-based compensation expense. Autodesk's effective tax rate decreased 1% during the nine months ended October 31, 2013 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to foreign income taxed at lower rates and tax benefits from the reinstated federal research credit. Excluding the impact of discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for each of the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2013 was 22% 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 October 31, 2013, the Company had $221.7 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $214.0 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 October 31, 2013, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $171.8 million. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.

Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2013

Income Tax

Autodesk’s effective tax rate was 17% and 22% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2013, respectively, compared to 14% and 23% during the three and nine months ended October 31, 2012, respectively. Autodesk's effective tax rate increased 3% during the three months ended October 31, 2013 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to adjustments related to tax return filings partially offset by stock-based compensation expense. Autodesk's effective tax rate decreased 1% during the nine months ended October 31, 2013 as compared to the same period in the prior fiscal year primarily due to foreign income taxed at lower rates and tax benefits from the reinstated federal research credit. Excluding the impact of discrete tax items, the effective tax rate for each of the three and nine month periods ended October 31, 2013 was 22% 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 October 31, 2013, the Company had $221.7 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding interest, of which approximately $214.0 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 October 31, 2013, Autodesk had net deferred tax assets of $171.8 million. The Company believes that it will generate sufficient future taxable income in appropriate tax jurisdictions to realize these assets.