Condensed Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Member]	Total Compuware Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Non-controlling Interest [Member]	Total Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Total
BALANCE at Mar. 31, 2012	$ 2,175	$ 685,904	$ 372,408	$ (10,550)	$ 1,049,937		$ 1,049,937
BALANCE (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2012	217,506,319
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)			46,402		46,402		46,402	46,402
Foreign currency translation, net of tax				(2,057)	(2,057)		(2,057)
Issuance of common stock	2	2,053			2,055		2,055
Issuance of common stock (in shares)	231,595
Repurchase of common stock	(82)	(26,732)	(50,365)		(77,179)		(77,179)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)	(8,321,587)
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6)	26	10,245			10,271		10,271
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6) (in shares)	2,646,128
Stock awards compensation, net		20,663			20,663		20,663
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2012	2,121	692,133	368,445	(12,607)	1,050,092	0	1,050,092
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012	212,062,455
BALANCE at Mar. 31, 2013	2,132	713,580	301,298	(18,784)	998,226	0	998,226	998,226
BALANCE (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2013	213,218,048
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)			51,329		51,329	(2,186)	49,143	49,143
Foreign currency translation, net of tax				14,571	14,571	5	14,576
Dividends		819	(81,627)		(80,808)		(80,808)
Dividends (in shares)	14,059
Impact of equity transactions of non-controlling interest		(9,903)			(9,903)	9,903	0
Issuance of Covisint common stock		53,191			53,191	13,131	66,322
Issuance of common stock	2	1,874			1,876		1,876
Issuance of common stock (in shares)	179,047
Repurchase of common stock	(8)	(2,619)	(5,901)		(8,528)		(8,528)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)	(300,000)
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6)	52	28,714			28,766		28,766
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6) (in shares)	4,660,970
Stock awards compensation, net		26,686			26,686		26,686
BALANCE at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 2,178	$ 812,342	$ 265,099	$ (4,213)	$ 1,075,406	$ 20,853	$ 1,096,259	$ 1,096,259
BALANCE (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	217,772,124