v2.4.1.9

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 1,000,992us-gaap_Goodwill	$ 1,012,527us-gaap_Goodwill
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	(180)us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	(11,355)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Segment, Software Products [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	948,321us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pmtc_SegmentSoftwareProductsMember	959,768us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pmtc_SegmentSoftwareProductsMember
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	(11,267)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pmtc_SegmentSoftwareProductsMember
Segment, Services [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill	52,671us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pmtc_SegmentServicesMember	52,759us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pmtc_SegmentServicesMember
Goodwill, Acquired During Period	0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pmtc_SegmentServicesMember
Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments	$ (88)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = pmtc_SegmentServicesMember

X

- 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



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Goodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Amount of increase in asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized resulting from a business combination.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) from foreign currency translation adjustments and purchase accounting adjustments 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

-Subparagraph (f)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=14024403&loc=d3e13816-109267

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pmtc_SegmentServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=pmtc_SegmentSoftwareProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: