Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) from foreign currency translation adjustments and purchase accounting adjustments of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount of finite-lived intangible assets, indefinite-lived intangible assets and goodwill. Goodwill is an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. Intangible assets are assets, not including financial assets, lacking physical substance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pmtc_SegmentSoftwareProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pmtc_SegmentServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pmtc_SolutionsGroupMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pmtc_TechnologyPlatformGroupMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pmtc_ProfessionalServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=pmtc_VuforiaAcquisitionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=pmtc_AcquiredentitynameKepwareDomain
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Apr. 02, 2016	Jan. 02, 2016	Jul. 02, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill			$ 1,169,660	$ 1,069,041
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments			222
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)			1,493,042	1,360,342
Segment, Software Products [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill			1,117,038	1,016,413
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments			228
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)				1,297,900
Segment Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill			52,622	52,628
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments			(6)
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)				$ 62,400
Solutions Group
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill			1,050,013
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)			1,206,400
Technology Platform Group
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill			90,100
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)			255,800
Professional Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill			29,600
Intangible Assets, Net (Including Goodwill)			$ 30,900
Vuforia Acquisition [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		$ 23,316
Vuforia Acquisition [Member] \| Segment, Software Products [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		23,316
Vuforia Acquisition [Member] \| Segment Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period		$ 0
acquired entity name-Kepware [Domain]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	$ 77,081
acquired entity name-Kepware [Domain] \| Segment, Software Products [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	77,081
acquired entity name-Kepware [Domain] \| Segment Services
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	$ 0