Employee and Director Stock Plans - Stock-Based Compensation Expense - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
 0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Jan. 14, 2014
Jan. 31, 2014
Plan
Jan. 31, 2013
Jan. 31, 2012
Jan. 31, 2014
Employee Stock Plan 2012
Jan. 31, 2014
Outside directors stock plan 2012
Jan. 31, 2014
Outside directors stock plan 2012
Minimum
Jan. 31, 2014
Outside directors stock plan 2012
Maximum
Jan. 31, 2014
ESP Plan
Jan. 31, 2013
ESP Plan
Jan. 31, 2012
ESP Plan
Jan. 31, 2014
Stock Options and Restricted Stock
Employee Stock Plan 2012
Jan. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Jan. 31, 2013
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Jan. 31, 2012
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Jan. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Jan. 31, 2013
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Jan. 31, 2012
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Jan. 31, 2014
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Outside directors stock plan 2012
Jan. 31, 2014
Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Jan. 31, 2013
Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Jan. 31, 2014
Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Year One
Jan. 31, 2014
Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Year Two
Jan. 31, 2014
Performance Stock Units (PSUs)
Year Three
Aug. 02, 2012
Socialcam
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Compensation Related Costs Share Based Payments Disclosure [Line Items]                                                  
Number of Active Stock Plans   2                                              
Number of Expired Plans   8                                              
Shares of common stock reserved for issuance (in shares)         32,600,000 2,600,000                                      
Restricted stock award, net of forfeitures (in shares)         26,600,000                                        
Shares forfeited (in shares)         6,000,000                                        
Shares granted to shares issued (in shares)   $ 2.11     $ 1.79                                        
Grants in period, net of forfeitures (in shares)   0 [1]                   14,100,000             400,000            
Number of additional share authorized (in shares) 11,400,000                                                
Share based payment award options expiration term (in years)                       10 years                          
Shares available for future issuance (in shares)   59,700,000     19,400,000 2,200,000     38,100,000                                
Vesting period         3 years   1 year 3 years                                  
Total compensation costs related to non-vested options   $ 8.2                                              
Total compensation costs related to non-vested options, expected to be recognized over a weighted average period (in years)   5 months 25 days                                              
Granted (in dollars per share)                         $ 42.37 $ 33.32 $ 37.07                    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Fair Value                         73.8 33.6 18.4                    
Restricted stock granted (in shares)                         4,077,100     3,500,000       500,000          
Share based compensation expense, restricted stock units       0                       74.9 70.5 29.1   8.7 8.1        
Research and Development Expense   611.1 600.0 566.5                                         16.6
Total compensation cost related to non-vested awards not yet recognized                               152.4       2.3          
Total compensation cost related to non-vested awards not yet recognized, weighted average period of recognition (in years)                               1 year 10 months 17 days       10 months 27 days          
Number of awards granted but unreleased                         6,515,600 5,020,800   5,700,000       800,000          
Vesting percentage (up to percentage)                                           33.33% 33.33% 33.33%  
Percentage of compensation that eligible employees can use to purchase common stock, maximum   15.00%                                              
Percentage of fair market value eligible employees can purchase common stock, minimum   85.00%                                              
Shares available for future issuance, increases on the first trading day of each fiscal year (In shares)   10,000,000                                              
Shares available for future issuance, percentage of outstanding shares plus any shares repurchased by Autodesk (as a percent)   2.00%                                              
Shares issued under the ESP plan (in dollars per share)                 2,900,000 2,900,000 2,800,000                            
Shares issued under the ESP Plan, average price (in dollars per share)                 $ 22.61 $ 21.79 $ 18.26                            
Weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share)   $ 0.00 [2] $ 13.39 [2] $ 14.04 [2]         $ 11.80 $ 12.21 $ 9.95                            
Employee Service Share Based Compensation recognized Compensation Costs On Nonvested Restricted Shares                 $ 22.9 $ 34.0 $ 23.8                            
[1] Autodesk did not grant stock options in the twelve months ended January 31, 2014.
[2] The weighted average grant date fair value per share of stock options granted is calculated, as of the stock option grant date, using the BSM option pricing model. For the twelve months ended January 31, 2014, Autodesk did not grant stock options.