v2.4.1.9

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Goodwill and Acquired Intangible Assets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2015		Sep. 30, 2014
Goodwill (not amortized), Net Book Value	$ 1,000,992us-gaap_Goodwill		$ 1,012,527us-gaap_Goodwill
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Gross Carrying Amount	674,051us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	[1]	684,015us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross	[1]
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Accumulated Amortization	355,030us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	[1]	347,142us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization	[1]
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Net Book Value	319,021us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	[1]	336,873us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet	[1]
Total goodwill and acquired intangible asset, Net Book Value	1,320,013pmtc_AcquiredIntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwill		1,349,400pmtc_AcquiredIntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwill
Purchased Software
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Gross Carrying Amount	274,592us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember		278,012us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Accumulated Amortization	164,060us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember		162,259us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Net Book Value	110,532us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember	[1]	115,753us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_ComputerSoftwareIntangibleAssetMember	[1]
Acquired finite-lived intangible asset, weighted average useful life	9 years
Capitalized Software
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Gross Carrying Amount	22,877us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = pmtc_CapitalizedSoftwareMember		22,877us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = pmtc_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Accumulated Amortization	22,877us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = pmtc_CapitalizedSoftwareMember		22,877us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = pmtc_CapitalizedSoftwareMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Net Book Value	0us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = pmtc_CapitalizedSoftwareMember	[1]	0us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = pmtc_CapitalizedSoftwareMember	[1]
Customer Lists and Relationships
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Gross Carrying Amount	354,319us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerListsMember		360,530us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Accumulated Amortization	153,248us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerListsMember		147,469us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerListsMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Net Book Value	201,071us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerListsMember	[1]	213,061us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerListsMember	[1]
Acquired finite-lived intangible asset, weighted average useful life	10 years
Trademarks and Trade Names
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Gross Carrying Amount	18,229us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TrademarksMember		18,479us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TrademarksMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Accumulated Amortization	11,278us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TrademarksMember		10,964us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TrademarksMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Net Book Value	6,951us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TrademarksMember	[1]	7,515us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_TrademarksMember	[1]
Acquired finite-lived intangible asset, weighted average useful life	9 years
Other
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Gross Carrying Amount	4,034us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember		4,117us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Accumulated Amortization	3,567us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember		3,573us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember
Intangible assets with finite lives (amortized), Net Book Value	$ 467us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember	[1]	$ 544us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_OtherIntangibleAssetsMember	[1]
Acquired finite-lived intangible asset, weighted average useful life	3 years
[1] The weighted average useful lives of purchased software, customer lists and relationships, trademarks and trade names and other intangible assets with a remaining net book value are 9 years, 10 years, 9 years, and 3 years, respectively.

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- Definition

Acquired intangible assets net including goodwill

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Weighted average amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets acquired either individually or as part of a group of assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)(3)

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- Definition

Accumulated amount of amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

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-Paragraph 2

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- Definition

Amount before amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

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-Paragraph 2

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- Definition

Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

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-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

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- Definition

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.

+ References

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=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267



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