Derivative Instruments (Foreign Currency Forward Contracts) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	May 31, 2018	Nov. 30, 2017
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Value	$ 128,263	$ 119,654
Fair Value	(1,471)	(27)
Forward contracts to sell U.S. dollars
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Value	127,560	119,192
Fair Value	(1,473)	(27)
Forward contracts to purchase U.S. dollars
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Value	703	462
Fair Value	$ 2	$ 0

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of the assets less the liabilities of a derivative or group of derivatives.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109250915&loc=d3e13433-108611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=prgs_ForeignCurrencyForwardContractsToSellUSDollarsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=prgs_ForeignCurrencyForwardContractsToPurchaseUSDollarsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: