Contingent Consideration Liability, Fair Value Disclosure

No definition available.

Name:	pmtc_ContingentConsiderationLiabilityFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

payment of contingent consideration

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pmtc_Paymentofcontingentconsideration
Namespace Prefix:	pmtc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For contingent consideration arrangements recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the high-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueHigh
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For contingent consideration arrangements and indemnification assets recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the low-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueLow
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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

- Details

Name:	pmtc_StatementofCashFlowsAxis=pmtc_CashProvidedForUsedInFinancingActivitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

Fair Value Measurements (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Jan. 12, 2016
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Payment of contingent consideration	$ 8,925	$ 12,100
Contingent consideration	1,575	8,400	$ 19,570
Cash Provided For (Used In) Financing Activities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Payment of contingent consideration	8,300	11,000	10,600
Kepware [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Payment of contingent consideration	8,400	9,600
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, High				$ 18,000
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration Arrangements, Range of Outcomes, Value, Low				$ 16,900
Contingent consideration	$ 0	$ 8,400	$ 17,070