ANSYS (ANSS) 10-Q 5 Nov 14 2014 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Oct. 31, 2014
DEI - Document and Entity Information [Abstract]	'	'
Document Type	'10-Q	'
Amendment Flag	'false	'
Document Period End Date	30-Sep-14	'
Document Fiscal Year Focus	'2014	'
Document Fiscal Period Focus	'Q3	'
Trading Symbol	'ANSS	'
Entity Registrant Name	'ANSYS INC	'
Entity Central Index Key	'0001013462	'
Current Fiscal Year End Date	'--12-31	'
Entity Filer Category	'Large Accelerated Filer	'
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	'	91,908,430

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$816,805	$742,486
Short-term investments	665	500
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $5,400 and $5,700, respectively	83,253	97,845
Other receivables and current assets	148,069	200,734
Deferred income taxes	26,228	26,031
Total current assets	1,075,020	1,067,596
Property and equipment, net	65,099	60,538
Construction-in-progress - leased facility	32,009	18,136
Goodwill	1,313,754	1,255,704
Other intangible assets, net	277,514	291,390
Other long-term assets	4,074	10,586
Deferred income taxes	21,568	18,432
Total assets	2,789,038	2,722,382
Current liabilities:	'	'
Accounts payable	3,225	7,939
Accrued bonuses and commissions	32,884	43,992
Accrued income taxes	6,094	9,333
Deferred income taxes	112	49
Other accrued expenses and liabilities	63,939	69,343
Deferred revenue	301,026	309,775
Total current liabilities	407,280	440,431
Long-term liabilities:	'	'
Non-cash obligation for construction-in-progress - leased facility	32,009	18,136
Deferred income taxes	41,171	66,899
Other long-term liabilities	52,861	60,670
Total long-term liabilities	126,041	145,705
Commitments and contingencies	'	'
Stockholders' equity:	'	'
Preferred stock, $.01 par value; 2,000,000 shares authorized; zero shares issued or outstanding	0	0
Common stock, $.01 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized; 93,236,023 shares issued	932	932
Additional paid-in capital	911,377	926,031
Retained earnings	1,469,875	1,284,818
Treasury stock, at cost: 1,421,141 and 917,937 shares, respectively	-107,850	-72,891
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	-18,534	-2,644
Total ANSYS, Inc. stockholders' equity	2,255,800	2,136,246
Noncontrolling interest	-83	0
Total stockholders' equity	2,255,717	2,136,246
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$2,789,038	$2,722,382

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_BALANCE1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$5,400	$5,700
Preferred stock, par value	$0.01	$0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	2,000,000	2,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	0	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value	$0.01	$0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	300,000,000	300,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	93,236,023	93,236,023
Common stock, shares outstanding	0	0
Treasury stock, shares	1,421,141	917,937

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Revenue:	'	'	'	'
Software licenses	$139,965	$129,185	$406,883	$381,177
Maintenance and service	94,035	83,473	274,763	244,063
Total revenue	234,000	212,658	681,646	625,240
Cost of sales:	'	'	'	'
Software licenses	7,095	6,244	21,603	19,978
Amortization	9,477	9,215	28,198	29,073
Maintenance and service	20,622	19,710	63,816	59,032
Total cost of sales	37,194	35,169	113,617	108,083
Gross profit	196,806	177,489	568,029	517,157
Operating expenses:	'	'	'	'
Selling, general and administrative	58,172	51,345	174,002	156,620
Research and development	41,033	38,882	123,251	113,559
Amortization	6,793	5,625	17,374	17,367
Total operating expenses	105,998	95,852	314,627	287,546
Operating income	90,808	81,637	253,402	229,611
Interest expense	-149	-226	-578	-967
Interest income	655	656	2,206	2,131
Other expense, net	-395	-357	-772	-851
Income before income tax provision	90,919	81,710	254,258	229,924
Income tax provision	25,440	19,280	69,201	60,526
Net income	$65,479	$62,430	$185,057	$169,398
Earnings per share - basic:	'	'	'	'
Basic earnings per share	$0.71	$0.67	$2.01	$1.83
Weighted average shares - basic	91,875	92,541	92,224	92,770
Earnings per share - diluted:	'	'	'	'
Diluted earnings per share	$0.70	$0.66	$1.96	$1.78
Weighted average shares - diluted	93,905	95,265	94,397	95,157

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME1

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Net income	$65,479	$62,430	$185,057	$169,398
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:	'	'	'	'
Foreign currency translation adjustments	-19,348	5,477	-15,890	-8,825
Comprehensive income	$46,131	$67,907	$169,167	$160,573

CONDENSED_CONSOLIDATED_STATEME2

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:	'	'
Net income	$185,057	$169,398
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:	'	'
Depreciation and amortization	61,223	61,263
Deferred income tax benefit	-13,698	-18,184
Provision for bad debts	1,645	1,129
Stock-based compensation expense	27,583	26,742
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	-9,619	-8,739
Other	20	49
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:	'	'
Accounts receivable	14,093	15,182
Other receivables and current assets	48,561	23,363
Other long-term assets	434	193
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and current liabilities	-18,859	-14,971
Accrued income taxes	5,856	8,860
Deferred revenue	-2,080	1,673
Other long-term liabilities	-7,182	-17,936
Net cash provided by operating activities	293,034	248,022
Cash flows from investing activities:	'	'
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	-102,517	-4,224
Capital expenditures	-20,628	-14,147
Purchases of short-term investments	-265	-147
Maturities of short-term investments	96	97
Net cash used in investing activities	-123,314	-18,421
Cash flows from financing activities:	'	'
Principal payments on long-term debt	0	-53,149
Principal payments on capital leases	-86	0
Purchase of treasury stock	-108,613	-73,457
Restricted stock withholding taxes paid in lieu of issued shares	-5,108	-4,269
Contingent consideration payments	-4,504	-3,174
Proceeds from issuance of common stock under Employee Stock Purchase Plan	3,629	2,987
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	23,094	26,633
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	9,619	8,739
Net cash used in financing activities	-81,969	-95,690
Effect of exchange rate fluctuations on cash and cash equivalents	-13,432	-3,280
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	74,319	130,631
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	742,486	576,703
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	816,805	707,334
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:	'	'
Income taxes paid	90,606	72,160
Interest paid	633	735
Construction-in-progress - leased facility	$13,873	$11,222

Organization

Organization	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Organization	'
	Organization
	ANSYS, Inc. (hereafter the "Company" or "ANSYS") develops and globally markets engineering simulation software and technologies widely used by engineers, designers, researchers and students across a broad spectrum of industries and academia, including aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, electronics, biomedical, energy and defense.
	As defined by the accounting guidance, the Company operates as three segments. However, the Company determined that its three operating segments are sufficiently similar and should be aggregated under the criteria provided in the related accounting guidance.
	Given the integrated approach to the multi-discipline problem-solving needs of the Company’s customers, a single sale of software may contain components from multiple product areas and include combined technologies. The Company also has a multi-year product and integration strategy that will result in new, combined products or changes to or discontinuation of the historical product offerings. As a result, it is impracticable for the Company to provide accurate historical or current reporting among its various product lines.

Accounting_Policies

Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Accounting Policies	'
	Accounting Policies
	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by ANSYS in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information for commercial and industrial companies and the instructions to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, the accompanying statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements (and notes thereto) included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. The condensed consolidated December 31, 2013 balance sheet presented is derived from the audited December 31, 2013 balance sheet included in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements have been included, and all adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period.
	The noncontrolling interest position of an acquired subsidiary is reported as a separate component of consolidated equity from the equity attributable to ANSYS stockholders as of September 30, 2014. The noncontrolling interest in the Company's net income was not significant to the consolidated results for the period presented and therefore has been included as a component of other expense, net in the condensed consolidated statements of income.
	Cash and Cash Equivalents
	Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of highly liquid investments such as deposits held at major banks and money market mutual funds. Cash equivalents are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. The Company’s cash and cash equivalent balances comprise the following:
		30-Sep-14			31-Dec-13
	(in thousands, except percentages)	Amount		% of Total	Amount		% of Total
	Cash accounts	$	447,892	54.8	$	439,348	59.2
	Money market mutual funds	368,913		45.2	303,138		40.8
	Total	$	816,805		$	742,486
	The Company's money market mutual fund balances are held in various funds of a single issuer as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Acquisitions	'
	Acquisitions
	SpaceClaim Corporation
	On April 30, 2014, the Company completed the acquisition of SpaceClaim Corporation ("SpaceClaim"), a leading provider of 3-D modeling technology. Under the terms of the agreement, ANSYS acquired SpaceClaim for a purchase price of $84.9 million, which was paid almost entirely in cash, plus retention vehicles and an adjustment for working capital.
	SpaceClaim's software provides customers with a powerful and intuitive 3-D direct modeling solution to author new concepts and then leverage the power of simulation to rapidly iterate on these designs to drive innovation. The broad appeal of the SpaceClaim technology can help the Company deliver simulation tools to any engineer in any industry. The complementary combination is expected to accelerate development of new and innovative products to the marketplace while lowering design and engineering costs for customers.
	The operating results of SpaceClaim have been included in the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements from April 30, 2014, the date of acquisition. The operating results of the acquired business were not material to the Company's consolidated results of operations during the period from April 30, 2014 to September 30, 2014.
	The assets and liabilities of SpaceClaim have been recorded based upon management's estimates of their fair market values as of the acquisition date. The following tables summarize the fair value of consideration transferred and the preliminary fair values of identified assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date:
	Fair Value of Consideration Transferred:
	(in thousands)
	Cash	$	84,843
	ANSYS replacement stock options	68
	Total consideration transferred at fair value	$	84,911
	Recognized Amounts of Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed:
	(in thousands)
	Cash	$	723
	Accounts receivable and other tangible assets	1,857
	Developed technology (10-year life)	15,800
	Customer relationships (6-year life)	9,400
	Trade name (6-year life)	1,300
	Contract backlog (6-year life)	550
	Non-compete agreement (2-year life)	300
	Net deferred tax assets	5,257
	Accounts payable and other liabilities	(1,925		)
	Deferred revenue	(700		)
	Total identifiable net assets	$	32,562
	Goodwill	$	52,349
	The goodwill, which is not tax-deductible, is attributed to intangible assets that do not qualify for separate recognition, including the assembled workforce of the acquired business and the synergies expected to arise as a result of the acquisition of SpaceClaim.
	The fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are based on preliminary calculations and the estimates and assumptions for these items are subject to change as additional information about what was known and knowable at the acquisition date is obtained during the measurement period (up to one year from the acquisition date). During the period since the SpaceClaim acquisition date, the Company increased the fair value of deferred revenue from $0.5 million to $0.7 million and increased the fair values of net deferred tax assets from $4.1 million to $5.3 million, with the offset recorded as a $1.0 million decrease to goodwill. These adjustments were based on refinements to assumptions used in the preliminary valuation of deferred revenue and information about what was known and knowable as of the acquisition date in the calculation of the net deferred tax assets.
	Pro forma results of operations have not been presented as the effects of the SpaceClaim business combination were not material to the Company's consolidated results of operations.
	In valuing deferred revenue on the SpaceClaim balance sheet as of the acquisition date, the Company applied the fair value provisions applicable to the accounting for business combinations. Acquired deferred revenue with a historical carrying value of $3.3 million was ascribed a fair value of $0.7 million on the opening balance sheet. As a result, the Company's post-acquisition revenue will be less than the sum of what would have otherwise been reported by ANSYS and SpaceClaim absent the acquisition. The impact on reported revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 was $0.8 million and $1.4 million, respectively. The expected impact on reported revenue is $0.6 million for the quarter ending December 31, 2014 and $0.6 million for the year ending December 31, 2015.
	Reaction Design
	On January 3, 2014, the Company completed the acquisition of Reaction Design, a leading developer of chemistry simulation software. Under the terms of the agreement, ANSYS acquired Reaction Design for a purchase price of $19.1 million in cash. Reaction Design's solutions enable transportation manufacturers and energy companies to rapidly achieve their clean technology goals by automating the analysis of chemical processes via computer simulation and modeling solutions.
	The operating results of Reaction Design have been included in the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements since the date of acquisition, January 3, 2014. The total consideration transferred was allocated to the assets and liabilities of Reaction Design based on management's estimates of the fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. The allocation included $7.0 million to identifiable intangible assets, including core technology, customer lists and trade names, to be amortized over periods between two and eleven years, and $8.6 million to goodwill, which is not tax-deductible. The fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are based on preliminary calculations and the estimates and assumptions for these items are subject to change as additional information about what was known and knowable at the acquisition date is obtained and assessed during the measurement period (up to one year from the acquisition date). During the period since the Reaction Design acquisition date, the Company decreased the fair values of identifiable finite-lived intangible assets from $9.2 million to $7.0 million and increased the fair values of net deferred tax assets from $2.3 million to $2.6 million, with the offset recorded as an increase to goodwill of $1.3 million and a reduction in noncontrolling interest of $0.6 million. These adjustments were based on refinements to assumptions used in the preliminary valuation of intangible assets and information about what was known and knowable as of the acquisition date in the calculation of the net deferred tax assets. The operating results of Reaction Design are not material to the condensed consolidated financial statements.
	In valuing deferred revenue on the Reaction Design balance sheet as of the acquisition date, the Company applied the fair value provisions applicable to the accounting for business combinations. Acquired deferred revenue with a historical carrying value of $2.3 million was ascribed no fair value on the opening balance sheet. As a result, the Company's post-acquisition revenue will be less than the sum of what would have otherwise been reported by ANSYS and Reaction Design absent the acquisition. The impact on reported revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 was $0.4 million and $1.8 million, respectively. The expected impact on reported revenue is $0.3 million for the quarter ending December 31, 2014 and $0.3 million for the year ending December 31, 2015.
	EVEN - Evolutionary Engineering AG
	On April 2, 2013, the Company acquired EVEN - Evolutionary Engineering AG ("EVEN"), a leading provider of composite analysis and optimization technology. Under the terms of the agreement, ANSYS acquired EVEN for a purchase price of $8.1 million, which consisted of $4.5 million in cash and an estimated $3.6 million of contingent consideration based on EVEN's achievement of certain technical milestones during the three years following the acquisition date. The Company made its first contingent payment totaling $1.6 million in March 2014.
	The total consideration transferred was allocated to the assets and liabilities of EVEN based on management's estimates of the fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. The allocation included $2.6 million to identifiable intangible assets, including customer lists and core technology, to be amortized over a period of five years, and $5.9 million to goodwill, which is not tax-deductible. The fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are based on management's estimates of their fair values as of the acquisition date.

Other_Receivables_and_Current_

Other Receivables and Current Assets	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Other Receivables and Current Assets	'
	Other Receivables and Current Assets
	The Company's other receivables and current assets comprise the following balances:
	(in thousands)	September 30,		December 31,
		2014		2013
	Receivables related to unrecognized revenue	$	103,892	$	140,051
	Income taxes receivable, including overpayments and refunds	24,391		42,357
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	19,786		18,326
	Total other receivables and current assets	$	148,069	$	200,734
	Receivables for unrecognized revenue represent the current portion of annual lease licenses and software maintenance that has not yet been recognized as revenue.

Earnings_Per_Share

Earnings Per Share	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Earnings Per Share	'
	Earnings Per Share
	Basic earnings per share ("EPS") amounts are computed by dividing earnings by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS amounts assume the issuance of common stock for all potentially dilutive equivalents outstanding. To the extent stock options are anti-dilutive, they are excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS.
	The details of basic and diluted EPS are as follows:
		Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	(in thousands, except per share data)	September 30,		September 30,		September 30,		September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Net income	$	65,479	$	62,430	$	185,057	$	169,398
	Weighted average shares outstanding – basic	91,875		92,541		92,224		92,770
	Dilutive effect of stock plans	2,030		2,724		2,173		2,387
	Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted	93,905		95,265		94,397		95,157
	Basic earnings per share	$	0.71	$	0.67	$	2.01	$	1.83
	Diluted earnings per share	$	0.7	$	0.66	$	1.96	$	1.78
	Anti-dilutive options	237		1,148		877		1,145

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Goodwill and Intangible Assets	'
	Goodwill and Intangible Assets
	The Company's intangible assets and estimated useful lives are classified as follows:
		30-Sep-14						31-Dec-13
	(in thousands)	Gross			Accumulated			Gross		Accumulated
		Carrying			Amortization			Carrying		Amortization
		Amount						Amount
	Amortized intangible assets:
	Developed software and core technologies (3 – 11 years)	$	322,093		$	(221,502	)	$	300,493	$	(203,236	)
	Customer lists and contract backlog (3 – 15 years)	240,310			(132,331		)	237,173		(119,368		)
	Trade names (2 – 10 years)	114,593			(60,073		)	102,651		(50,990		)
	Non-compete agreement (2 years)	300			(33		)	—		—
	Total	$	677,296		$	(413,939	)	$	640,317	$	(373,594	)
	Unamortized intangible assets:
	Trade names	$	14,157					$	24,667
	The decrease in unamortized trade names in the table above was due to the movement of certain trade names to amortized intangible assets. Amortization expense for the intangible assets reflected above was $16.3 million and $14.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Amortization expense for the intangible assets reflected above was $45.6 million and $46.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
	As of September 30, 2014, estimated future amortization expense for the intangible assets reflected above is as follows:
	(in thousands)
	Remainder of 2014	$	15,526
	2015	57,069
	2016	47,697
	2017	44,172
	2018	30,566
	2019	16,781
	Thereafter	51,546
	Total intangible assets subject to amortization	263,357
	Indefinite-lived trade names	14,157
	Other intangible assets, net	$	277,514
	The changes in goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 were as follows:
	(in thousands)	2014			2013
	Beginning balance – January 1	$	1,255,704		$	1,251,247
	Acquisitions	61,031			5,936
	Currency translation and other	(2,981		)	(1,908		)
	Ending balance – September 30	$	1,313,754		$	1,255,275
	During the first quarter of 2014, the Company completed the annual impairment test for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets and determined that these assets had not been impaired as of the test date, January 1, 2014. No events or circumstances changed during the nine months ended September 30, 2014 that would indicate that the fair values of the Company's reporting units or indefinite-lived intangible assets are below their carrying amounts.

Fair_Value_Measurement

Fair Value Measurement	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value Measurement	'
	Fair Value Measurement
	The valuation hierarchy for disclosure of assets and liabilities reported at fair value prioritizes the inputs for such valuations into three broad levels:
	•	Level 1: quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
	•	Level 2: quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly through market corroboration, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument; or
	•	Level 3: unobservable inputs based on the Company's own assumptions used to measure assets and liabilities at fair value.
	A financial asset's or liability's classification within the hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
	The following tables provide the assets and liabilities carried at fair value and measured on a recurring basis:
					Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using:
	(in thousands)	September 30,			Quoted Prices in			Significant Other		Significant
		2014			Active Markets			Observable		Unobservable
					(Level 1)			Inputs		Inputs
								(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Assets
	Cash equivalents	$	368,913		$	368,913		$	—	$	—
	Short-term investments	$	665		$	—		$	665	$	—
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	(2,653	)	$	—		$	—	$	(2,653	)
					Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using:
	(in thousands)	31-Dec-13			Quoted Prices in			Significant Other		Significant
					Active Markets			Observable		Unobservable
					(Level 1)			Inputs		Inputs
								(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Assets
	Cash equivalents	$	303,138		$	303,138		$	—	$	—
	Short-term investments	$	500		$	—		$	500	$	—
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	(7,389	)	$	—		$	—	$	(7,389	)
	Deferred compensation	$	(704	)	$	—		$	—	$	(704	)
	The cash equivalents in the preceding tables represent money market mutual funds.
	The short-term investments in the preceding tables represent deposits held by certain foreign subsidiaries of the Company. The deposits have fixed interest rates with maturity dates ranging from three months to one year.
	The contingent consideration in the tables above represents potential future payments related to the EVEN and Apache Design, Inc. ("Apache") acquisitions in accordance with the respective agreements. The deferred compensation in the table above is attributable to a retention agreement for a key member of Apache management, and was accounted for outside of that business combination. The net present value calculations for the contingent consideration and deferred compensation include significant unobservable inputs in the assumption that all remaining payments will be made, and therefore the liabilities were classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.
	The following tables present the changes in the Company’s Level 3 liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013:
		Fair Value Measurement Using
		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	(in thousands)	Contingent			Deferred
		Consideration			Compensation
	Balance as of January 1, 2014	$	7,389		$	704
	Contingent payment	(1,578		)	—
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	164			3
	Balance as of March 31, 2014	$	5,975		$	707
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	87			4
	Balance as of June 30, 2014	$	6,062		$	711
	Contingent payments	(3,288		)	(712		)
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	(121		)	1
	Balance as of September 30, 2014	$	2,653		$	—
	The final payment related to the retention of a key member of Apache management was paid in the third quarter of 2014. As a result of making this final payment, the Company no longer has a deferred compensation liability at September 30, 2014.
		Fair Value Measurement Using
		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	(in thousands)	Contingent			Deferred
		Consideration			Compensation
	Balance as of January 1, 2013	$	6,436		$	1,394
	Interest expense included in earnings	31			6
	Balance as of March 31, 2013	$	6,467		$	1,400
	EVEN contingent consideration	3,597			—
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	134			7
	Balance as of June 30, 2013	$	10,198		$	1,407
	Contingent payments	(3,288		)	(712		)
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	295			5
	Balance as of September 30, 2013	$	7,205		$	700
	The carrying values of cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses, other accrued liabilities and short-term obligations approximate their fair values because of their short-term nature.

Geographic_Information

Geographic Information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Geographic Information	'
	Geographic Information
	Revenue to external customers is attributed to individual countries based upon the location of the customer. Revenue by geographic area is as follows:
		Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	(in thousands)	September 30,		September 30,		September 30,		September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	United States	$	81,833	$	72,671	$	233,612	$	214,342
	Japan	25,823		25,835		82,543		81,538
	Germany	23,835		23,892		73,337		68,905
	Canada	3,246		3,508		9,735		10,341
	Other European	52,836		48,257		157,992		142,494
	Other international	46,427		38,495		124,427		107,620
	Total revenue	$	234,000	$	212,658	$	681,646	$	625,240
	Property and equipment by geographic area is as follows:
	(in thousands)	September 30,		December 31,
		2014		2013
	United States	$	49,188	$	45,116
	India	3,259		3,226
	Other European	8,551		9,095
	Other international	4,101		3,101
	Total property and equipment	$	65,099	$	60,538

StockBased_Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Stock-Based Compensation	'
	Stock-Based Compensation
	Total stock-based compensation expense and its net impact on basic and diluted earnings per share are as follows:
		Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	(in thousands, except per share data)	September 30,			September 30,			September 30,			September 30,
		2014			2013			2014			2013
	Cost of sales:
	Software licenses	$	490		$	335		$	1,289		$	1,023
	Maintenance and service	549			590			1,587			1,762
	Operating expenses:
	Selling, general and administrative	4,520			4,392			12,766			12,755
	Research and development	4,394			3,764			11,941			11,202
	Stock-based compensation expense before taxes	9,953			9,081			27,583			26,742
	Related income tax benefits	(2,843		)	(2,623		)	(7,703		)	(8,490		)
	Stock-based compensation expense, net of taxes	$	7,110		$	6,458		$	19,880		$	18,252
	Net impact on earnings per share
	Basic earnings per share	$	(0.08	)	$	(0.07	)	$	(0.22	)	$	(0.20	)
	Diluted earnings per share	$	(0.08	)	$	(0.07	)	$	(0.21	)	$	(0.19	)

Stock_Repurchase_Program

Stock Repurchase Program	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Stock Repurchase Program	'
	Stock Repurchase Program
	In February 2014, the Company's Board of Directors increased the authorization for the repurchase of shares from the remaining 1.5 million shares under its then existing authorization to 3.0 million shares. Under the Company’s stock repurchase program, the Company repurchased 1,431,503 shares during the nine months ended September 30, 2014 at an average price per share of $75.87, for a total cost of $108.6 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2013, the Company repurchased 988,000 shares at an average price per share of $74.35, for a total cost of $73.5 million. As of September 30, 2014, approximately 1.6 million shares remained authorized for repurchase under the program. In November 2014, the Company's Board of Directors increased the authorization from the remaining 1.6 million shares to 5.0 million shares.

Contingencies_and_Commitments

Contingencies and Commitments	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Contingencies and Commitments	'
	Contingencies and Commitments
	The Company is subject to various investigations, claims and legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business, including alleged infringement of intellectual property rights, commercial disputes, labor and employment matters, tax audits and other matters. In the opinion of the Company, the resolution of pending matters is not expected to have a material, adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position. However, each of these matters is subject to various uncertainties and it is possible that an unfavorable resolution of one or more of these proceedings could materially affect the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
	An Indian subsidiary of the Company received a formal inquiry after a service tax audit was held in 2011. The Company could incur tax charges and related liabilities, including those related to the service tax audit case, of approximately $6 million. The service tax issues raised in the Company’s notice are very similar to the case, M/s Microsoft Corporation (I) (P) Ltd. Vs Commissioner of Service Tax, New Delhi, wherein the Delhi Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has passed a favorable ruling. The Company can provide no assurances on whether the Microsoft case’s favorable ruling will be challenged in higher courts nor on the impact that the present Microsoft case’s decision will have on the Company’s audit case. The Company is uncertain as to when the service tax audit will be completed.
	The Company sells software licenses and services to its customers under proprietary software license agreements. Each license agreement contains the relevant terms of the contractual arrangement with the customer, and generally includes certain provisions for indemnifying the customer against losses, expenses and liabilities from damages that are incurred by or awarded against the customer in the event the Company’s software or services are found to infringe upon a patent, copyright or other proprietary right of a third party. To date, the Company has not had to reimburse any of its customers for any losses related to these indemnification provisions and no material claims asserted under these indemnification provisions are outstanding as of September 30, 2014. For several reasons, including the lack of prior material indemnification claims, the Company cannot determine the maximum amount of potential future payments, if any, related to such indemnification provisions.

SaleLeaseback_Arrangement

Sale-Leaseback Arrangement	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Sale-Leaseback Arrangement	'
	Sale-Leaseback Arrangement
	On September 14, 2012, the Company entered into a lease agreement for 186,000 square feet of rentable space located in an office facility in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, which will serve as the Company's new headquarters. The lease was effective as of September 14, 2012, but because the leased premises were under construction, the Company is not obligated to pay rent until three months following the date that the leased premises were delivered to ANSYS, which occurred on October 1, 2014. The term of the lease is 183 months, beginning on October 1, 2014. The lease agreement terms provide that the Company is responsible for paying the cost of certain tenant improvements that exceed an allowance to be paid by the landlord. There is no cap to the Company's obligation in excess of the landlord allowance, and the improvements do not meet the definition of "normal tenant improvements" as defined in the accounting guidance. As a result, the Company is considered the owner of the building during the construction period and the lease is subject to sale-leaseback treatment.
	As of September 30, 2014, the Company has recorded a $32.0 million construction-in-progress asset and a corresponding liability for construction debt funded by the lessor on its condensed consolidated balance sheet. The building was completed and delivered to the Company on October 1, 2014. The sale-leaseback treatment of the lease during the construction period did not have any impact on the Company's results of operations or cash flows.

New_Accounting_Guidance

New Accounting Guidance	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
New Accounting Guidance	'
	New Accounting Guidance
	Revenue from contracts with customers: In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (ASU 2014-09). ASU 2014-09 supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. Previous guidance requires an entity to recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the seller's price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and collectibility is reasonably assured. Under the new guidance, an entity is required to evaluate revenue recognition by identifying a contract with a customer, identifying the performance obligations in the contract, determining the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and recognizing revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. This guidance will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. Entities have the option of using a full retrospective, cumulative effect or modified approach to adopt the guidance. This update will impact the timing and amounts of revenue recognized. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that implementation of this update will have on its financial results upon adoption.

Accounting_Policies_Policies

Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Basis of Presentation	'
	Basis of Presentation
	The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by ANSYS in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information for commercial and industrial companies and the instructions to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, the accompanying statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete financial statements. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements (and notes thereto) included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. The condensed consolidated December 31, 2013 balance sheet presented is derived from the audited December 31, 2013 balance sheet included in the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements have been included, and all adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future period.
	The noncontrolling interest position of an acquired subsidiary is reported as a separate component of consolidated equity from the equity attributable to ANSYS stockholders as of September 30, 2014. The noncontrolling interest in the Company's net income was not significant to the consolidated results for the period presented and therefore has been included as a component of other expense, net in the condensed consolidated statements of income.
Cash and Cash Equivalents	'
	Cash and Cash Equivalents
	Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of highly liquid investments such as deposits held at major banks and money market mutual funds. Cash equivalents are carried at cost, which approximates fair value. The Company’s cash and cash equivalent balances comprise the following:
		30-Sep-14			31-Dec-13
	(in thousands, except percentages)	Amount		% of Total	Amount		% of Total
	Cash accounts	$	447,892	54.8	$	439,348	59.2
	Money market mutual funds	368,913		45.2	303,138		40.8
	Total	$	816,805		$	742,486
	The Company's money market mutual fund balances are held in various funds of a single issuer as of September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

Accounting_Policies_Tables

Accounting Policies (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Cash and Cash Equivalents	'
	The Company’s cash and cash equivalent balances comprise the following:
		30-Sep-14			31-Dec-13
	(in thousands, except percentages)	Amount		% of Total	Amount		% of Total
	Cash accounts	$	447,892	54.8	$	439,348	59.2
	Money market mutual funds	368,913		45.2	303,138		40.8
	Total	$	816,805		$	742,486

Acquisitions_Tables

Acquisitions (Tables) (SpaceClaim Corporation [Member])	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]	'
Schedule Of Consideration Transferred Components	'
	Fair Value of Consideration Transferred:
	(in thousands)
	Cash	$	84,843
	ANSYS replacement stock options	68
	Total consideration transferred at fair value	$	84,911
Schedule of Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed	'
	Recognized Amounts of Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed:
	(in thousands)
	Cash	$	723
	Accounts receivable and other tangible assets	1,857
	Developed technology (10-year life)	15,800
	Customer relationships (6-year life)	9,400
	Trade name (6-year life)	1,300
	Contract backlog (6-year life)	550
	Non-compete agreement (2-year life)	300
	Net deferred tax assets	5,257
	Accounts payable and other liabilities	(1,925		)
	Deferred revenue	(700		)
	Total identifiable net assets	$	32,562
	Goodwill	$	52,349

Other_Receivables_and_Current_1

Other Receivables and Current Assets (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Schedule of Other Receivables and Current Assets	'
	The Company's other receivables and current assets comprise the following balances:
	(in thousands)	September 30,		December 31,
		2014		2013
	Receivables related to unrecognized revenue	$	103,892	$	140,051
	Income taxes receivable, including overpayments and refunds	24,391		42,357
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets	19,786		18,326
	Total other receivables and current assets	$	148,069	$	200,734

Earnings_Per_Share_Tables

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Details of Basic and Diluted EPS	'
	The details of basic and diluted EPS are as follows:
		Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	(in thousands, except per share data)	September 30,		September 30,		September 30,		September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Net income	$	65,479	$	62,430	$	185,057	$	169,398
	Weighted average shares outstanding – basic	91,875		92,541		92,224		92,770
	Dilutive effect of stock plans	2,030		2,724		2,173		2,387
	Weighted average shares outstanding – diluted	93,905		95,265		94,397		95,157
	Basic earnings per share	$	0.71	$	0.67	$	2.01	$	1.83
	Diluted earnings per share	$	0.7	$	0.66	$	1.96	$	1.78
	Anti-dilutive options	237		1,148		877		1,145

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets1

Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Intangible Assets and Estimated Useful Lives	'
	The Company's intangible assets and estimated useful lives are classified as follows:
		30-Sep-14						31-Dec-13
	(in thousands)	Gross			Accumulated			Gross		Accumulated
		Carrying			Amortization			Carrying		Amortization
		Amount						Amount
	Amortized intangible assets:
	Developed software and core technologies (3 – 11 years)	$	322,093		$	(221,502	)	$	300,493	$	(203,236	)
	Customer lists and contract backlog (3 – 15 years)	240,310			(132,331		)	237,173		(119,368		)
	Trade names (2 – 10 years)	114,593			(60,073		)	102,651		(50,990		)
	Non-compete agreement (2 years)	300			(33		)	—		—
	Total	$	677,296		$	(413,939	)	$	640,317	$	(373,594	)
	Unamortized intangible assets:
	Trade names	$	14,157					$	24,667
Estimated Future Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets	'
	As of September 30, 2014, estimated future amortization expense for the intangible assets reflected above is as follows:
	(in thousands)
	Remainder of 2014	$	15,526
	2015	57,069
	2016	47,697
	2017	44,172
	2018	30,566
	2019	16,781
	Thereafter	51,546
	Total intangible assets subject to amortization	263,357
	Indefinite-lived trade names	14,157
	Other intangible assets, net	$	277,514
Changes in Goodwill	'
	The changes in goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 were as follows:
	(in thousands)	2014			2013
	Beginning balance – January 1	$	1,255,704		$	1,251,247
	Acquisitions	61,031			5,936
	Currency translation and other	(2,981		)	(1,908		)
	Ending balance – September 30	$	1,313,754		$	1,255,275

Fair_Value_Measurement_Tables

Fair Value Measurement (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis	'
	The following tables provide the assets and liabilities carried at fair value and measured on a recurring basis:
					Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using:
	(in thousands)	September 30,			Quoted Prices in			Significant Other		Significant
		2014			Active Markets			Observable		Unobservable
					(Level 1)			Inputs		Inputs
								(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Assets
	Cash equivalents	$	368,913		$	368,913		$	—	$	—
	Short-term investments	$	665		$	—		$	665	$	—
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	(2,653	)	$	—		$	—	$	(2,653	)
					Fair Value Measurements at Reporting Date Using:
	(in thousands)	31-Dec-13			Quoted Prices in			Significant Other		Significant
					Active Markets			Observable		Unobservable
					(Level 1)			Inputs		Inputs
								(Level 2)		(Level 3)
	Assets
	Cash equivalents	$	303,138		$	303,138		$	—	$	—
	Short-term investments	$	500		$	—		$	500	$	—
	Liabilities
	Contingent consideration	$	(7,389	)	$	—		$	—	$	(7,389	)
	Deferred compensation	$	(704	)	$	—		$	—	$	(704	)
Changes in Level 3 Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs	'
	The following tables present the changes in the Company’s Level 3 liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013:
		Fair Value Measurement Using
		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	(in thousands)	Contingent			Deferred
		Consideration			Compensation
	Balance as of January 1, 2014	$	7,389		$	704
	Contingent payment	(1,578		)	—
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	164			3
	Balance as of March 31, 2014	$	5,975		$	707
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	87			4
	Balance as of June 30, 2014	$	6,062		$	711
	Contingent payments	(3,288		)	(712		)
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	(121		)	1
	Balance as of September 30, 2014	$	2,653		$	—
	The final payment related to the retention of a key member of Apache management was paid in the third quarter of 2014. As a result of making this final payment, the Company no longer has a deferred compensation liability at September 30, 2014.
		Fair Value Measurement Using
		Significant Unobservable Inputs
	(in thousands)	Contingent			Deferred
		Consideration			Compensation
	Balance as of January 1, 2013	$	6,436		$	1,394
	Interest expense included in earnings	31			6
	Balance as of March 31, 2013	$	6,467		$	1,400
	EVEN contingent consideration	3,597			—
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	134			7
	Balance as of June 30, 2013	$	10,198		$	1,407
	Contingent payments	(3,288		)	(712		)
	Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	295			5
	Balance as of September 30, 2013	$	7,205		$	700

Geographic_Information_Tables

Geographic Information (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenue by Geographic Area	'
	Revenue by geographic area is as follows:
		Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
	(in thousands)	September 30,		September 30,		September 30,		September 30,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	United States	$	81,833	$	72,671	$	233,612	$	214,342
	Japan	25,823		25,835		82,543		81,538
	Germany	23,835		23,892		73,337		68,905
	Canada	3,246		3,508		9,735		10,341
	Other European	52,836		48,257		157,992		142,494
	Other international	46,427		38,495		124,427		107,620
	Total revenue	$	234,000	$	212,658	$	681,646	$	625,240
Property and Equipment by Geographic Area	'
	Property and equipment by geographic area is as follows:
	(in thousands)	September 30,		December 31,
		2014		2013
	United States	$	49,188	$	45,116
	India	3,259		3,226
	Other European	8,551		9,095
	Other international	4,101		3,101
	Total property and equipment	$	65,099	$	60,538

StockBased_Compensation_Tables

Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Stock-Based Compensation Expense and Its Net Impact on Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share	'
	Total stock-based compensation expense and its net impact on basic and diluted earnings per share are as follows:
		Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	(in thousands, except per share data)	September 30,			September 30,			September 30,			September 30,
		2014			2013			2014			2013
	Cost of sales:
	Software licenses	$	490		$	335		$	1,289		$	1,023
	Maintenance and service	549			590			1,587			1,762
	Operating expenses:
	Selling, general and administrative	4,520			4,392			12,766			12,755
	Research and development	4,394			3,764			11,941			11,202
	Stock-based compensation expense before taxes	9,953			9,081			27,583			26,742
	Related income tax benefits	(2,843		)	(2,623		)	(7,703		)	(8,490		)
	Stock-based compensation expense, net of taxes	$	7,110		$	6,458		$	19,880		$	18,252
	Net impact on earnings per share
	Basic earnings per share	$	(0.08	)	$	(0.07	)	$	(0.22	)	$	(0.20	)
	Diluted earnings per share	$	(0.08	)	$	(0.07	)	$	(0.21	)	$	(0.19	)

Organization_Additional_Inform

Organization - Additional Information (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
	Segment
Organization and Nature of Operations [Line Items]	'
Number of operating segments	3

Cash_and_Cash_Equivalents_Deta

Cash and Cash Equivalents (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Cash accounts, Amount	$447,892	$439,348	'	'
Money market mutual funds, Amount	368,913	303,138	'	'
Total	$816,805	$742,486	$707,334	$576,703
Cash accounts, % of Total	54.80%	59.20%	'	'
Money market mutual funds, % of Total	45.20%	40.80%	'	'

Acquisition_Additional_Informa

Acquisition - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)

Sep. 30, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Sep. 30, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Apr. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Apr. 30, 2014

Jan. 03, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Apr. 03, 2013

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

In Thousands, unless otherwise specified

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

Reaction Design [Member]

Reaction Design [Member]

Reaction Design [Member]

EVEN-Evolutionary Engineering Aktiengesellschaft [Member]

EVEN-Evolutionary Engineering Aktiengesellschaft [Member]

Minimum [Member]

Maximum [Member]

Reaction Design [Member]

Reaction Design [Member]

Business Acquisition [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Total consideration transferred at fair value

'

'

'

'

$84,911

'

'

'

$19,100

'

'

$8,100

'

'

'

Deferred revenue

'

'

'

'

'

700

700

500

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Net deferred tax assets

'

'

'

'

'

5,257

5,257

4,100

2,300

2,600

2,600

'

'

'

'

Goodwill, period increase (decrease)

'

'

'

'

'

'

-1,000

'

'

'

1,300

'

'

'

'

Acquired deferred revenue, amount lower than the historical carrying value recorded on the opening balance sheet

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

3,300

2,300

'

'

'

'

'

'

Business acquisition write down of deferred revenue impact on reported revenue

'

'

'

'

'

772

1,426

'

'

412

1,762

'

'

'

'

Acquired deferred revenue, expected impact on reported revenue in next quarter

'

'

'

'

'

566

566

'

'

270

270

'

'

'

'

Business acquisition write down of deferred revenue expected impact on revenue next fiscal year

'

'

'

'

'

614

614

'

'

254

254

'

'

'

'

Finite-lived intangibles

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

9,200

7,000

7,000

'

2,600

'

'

Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'5 years

'2 years

'11 years

Goodwill

1,313,754

1,255,704

1,255,275

1,251,247

'

52,349

52,349

'

'

8,600

8,600

'

5,900

'

'

Noncontrolling interest, period increase (decrease)

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

-600

'

'

'

'

Cash paid

'

'

'

'

84,843

'

'

'

'

'

'

4,500

'

'

'

Business combination, contingent consideration, liability

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

3,600

'

'

'

Contingent consideration, installment payments

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

$1,600

'

'

Recognized_Amounts_of_Identifi

Recognized Amounts of Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed (Detail) (USD $)

Sep. 30, 2014

Dec. 31, 2013

Sep. 30, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Apr. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Apr. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

Sep. 30, 2014

In Thousands, unless otherwise specified

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

Developed Technology

Customer Relationships

Trade Names

Contract Backlog

Non-compete Agreements

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

SpaceClaim Corporation [Member]

Business Acquisition [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Cash paid

'

'

'

'

$84,843

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

ANSYS replacement stock options

'

'

'

'

68

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Total consideration transferred at fair value

'

'

'

'

84,911

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Cash

'

'

'

'

'

723

'

'

'

'

'

'

Accounts receivable and other tangible assets

'

'

'

'

'

1,857

'

'

'

'

'

'

Finite-lived intangibles

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

15,800

9,400

1,300

550

300

Net deferred tax assets

'

'

'

'

'

5,257

4,100

'

'

'

'

'

Accounts payable and other liabilities

'

'

'

'

'

-1,925

'

'

'

'

'

'

Deferred revenue

'

'

'

'

'

-700

-500

'

'

'

'

'

Total identifiable net assets

'

'

'

'

'

32,562

'

'

'

'

'

'

Goodwill

$1,313,754

$1,255,704

$1,255,275

$1,251,247

'

$52,349

'

'

'

'

'

'

Recognized_Amounts_of_Identifi1

Recognized Amounts of Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed (Parenthetical) (Detail) (SpaceClaim Corporation [Member])	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Developed Technology	'
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'10 years
Customer Relationships	'
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'6 years
Trade Names	'
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'6 years
Contract Backlog	'
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'6 years
Non-compete Agreements	'
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'2 years

Other_Receivables_and_Current_2

Other Receivables and Current Assets - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Other receivables and current assets	$148,069	$200,734
Receivables Related to Unrecognized Revenue	'	'
Other receivables and current assets	103,892	140,051
Income Taxes Receivable, Including Overpayments and Refunds	'	'
Other receivables and current assets	24,391	42,357
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets	'	'
Other receivables and current assets	$19,786	$18,326

Details_of_Basic_and_Diluted_E

Details of Basic and Diluted EPS (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Earnings Per Share [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Net income	$65,479	$62,430	$185,057	$169,398
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic	91,875	92,541	92,224	92,770
Dilutive effect of stock plans	2,030	2,724	2,173	2,387
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted	93,905	95,265	94,397	95,157
Basic earnings per share	$0.71	$0.67	$2.01	$1.83
Diluted earnings per share	$0.70	$0.66	$1.96	$1.78
Anti-dilutive options	237	1,148	877	1,145

Intangible_Assets_and_Estimate

Intangible Assets and Estimated Useful Lives (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Amortized intangible assets, gross carrying amount	$677,296	$640,317
Amortized intangible assets, accumulated amortization	-413,939	-373,594
Developed Software and Core Technologies	'	'
Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Amortized intangible assets, gross carrying amount	322,093	300,493
Amortized intangible assets, accumulated amortization	-221,502	-203,236
Customer Lists and Contract Backlog	'	'
Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Amortized intangible assets, gross carrying amount	240,310	237,173
Amortized intangible assets, accumulated amortization	-132,331	-119,368
Trade Names	'	'
Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Amortized intangible assets, gross carrying amount	114,593	102,651
Amortized intangible assets, accumulated amortization	-60,073	-50,990
Non-compete Agreements	'	'
Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Amortized intangible assets, gross carrying amount	300	0
Amortized intangible assets, accumulated amortization	-33	0
Trade Names	'	'
Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Indefinite-lived intangible assets (excluding goodwill)	$14,157	$24,667

Intangible_Assets_and_Estimate1

Intangible Assets and Estimated Useful Lives (Parenthetical) (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Minimum [Member] | Developed Software and Core Technologies	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'3 years
Minimum [Member] | Customer Lists and Contract Backlog	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'3 years
Minimum [Member] | Trade Names	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'2 years
Minimum [Member] | Non-compete Agreements	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'2 years
Maximum [Member] | Developed Software and Core Technologies	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'11 years
Maximum [Member] | Customer Lists and Contract Backlog	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'15 years
Maximum [Member] | Trade Names	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'10 years
Maximum [Member] | Non-compete Agreements	'
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life	'2 years

Goodwill_and_Intangible_Assets2

Goodwill and Intangible Assets - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Amortization	$16,270	$14,840	$45,572	$46,440

Estimated_Future_Amortization_

Estimated Future Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Schedule of Estimated Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Remainder of 2014	$15,526	'
2015	57,069	'
2016	47,697	'
2017	44,172	'
2018	30,566	'
2019	16,781	'
Thereafter	51,546	'
Total intangible assets subject to amortization	263,357	'
Other intangible assets, net	277,514	291,390
Trade Names	'	'
Schedule of Estimated Amortization Expense for Intangible Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Indefinite-lived intangible assets (excluding goodwill)	$14,157	$24,667

Changes_in_Goodwill_Detail

Changes in Goodwill (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Goodwill [Line Items]	'	'
Beginning balance	$1,255,704	$1,251,247
Acquisitions	61,031	5,936
Currency translation and other	-2,981	-1,908
Ending balance	$1,313,754	$1,255,275

Fair_Value_of_Assets_and_Liabi

Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'	'
Cash equivalents	$368,913	$303,138
Short-term investments	665	500
Contingent consideration	-2,653	-7,389
Deferred compensation	'	-704
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)	'	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'	'
Cash equivalents	368,913	303,138
Short-term investments	0	0
Contingent consideration	0	0
Deferred compensation	'	0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	'	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'	'
Cash equivalents	0	0
Short-term investments	665	500
Contingent consideration	0	0
Deferred compensation	'	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	'	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'	'
Cash equivalents	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Contingent consideration	-2,653	-7,389
Deferred compensation	'	($704)

Fair_Value_Measurement_Additio

Fair Value Measurement - Additional Information (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Short-term investment time deposits maturity minimum, in months	'3 months
Short-term investment time deposits maturity maximum, in years	'1 year

Changes_in_Level_3_Liabilities

Changes in Level 3 Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Detail) (Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3), USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013
Contingent Consideration	'	'	'	'	'	'
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Beginning balance	$6,062	$5,975	$7,389	$10,198	$6,467	$6,436
Contingent payments	-3,288	'	-1,578	-3,288	'	'
Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	-121	87	164	295	134	31
EVEN contingent consideration	'	'	'	'	3,597	'
Ending balance	2,653	6,062	5,975	7,205	10,198	6,467
Deferred Compensation	'	'	'	'	'	'
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'
Beginning balance	711	707	704	1,407	1,400	1,394
Contingent payments	-712	'	0	-712	'	'
Interest expense and foreign exchange activity included in earnings	1	4	3	5	7	6
EVEN contingent consideration	'	'	'	'	0	'
Ending balance	$0	$711	$707	$700	$1,407	$1,400

Revenue_by_Geographic_Area_Det

Revenue by Geographic Area (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total revenue	$234,000	$212,658	$681,646	$625,240
UNITED STATES	'	'	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total revenue	81,833	72,671	233,612	214,342
JAPAN	'	'	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total revenue	25,823	25,835	82,543	81,538
GERMANY	'	'	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total revenue	23,835	23,892	73,337	68,905
CANADA	'	'	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total revenue	3,246	3,508	9,735	10,341
Other European	'	'	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total revenue	52,836	48,257	157,992	142,494
Other International	'	'	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total revenue	$46,427	$38,495	$124,427	$107,620

Property_and_Equipment_by_Geog

Property and Equipment by Geographic Area (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Total property and equipment	$65,099	$60,538
UNITED STATES	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Total property and equipment	49,188	45,116
INDIA	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Total property and equipment	3,259	3,226
Other European	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Total property and equipment	8,551	9,095
Other International	'	'
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]	'	'
Total property and equipment	$4,101	$3,101

StockBased_Compensation_Expens

Stock-Based Compensation Expense and Its Net Impact on Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Employee Service Share-Based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Stock-based compensation expense before taxes	$9,953	$9,081	$27,583	$26,742
Related income tax benefits	-2,843	-2,623	-7,703	-8,490
Stock-based compensation expense, net of taxes	7,110	6,458	19,880	18,252
Basic earnings per share	($0.08)	($0.07)	($0.22)	($0.20)
Diluted earnings per share	($0.08)	($0.07)	($0.21)	($0.19)
Software Licenses	'	'	'	'
Employee Service Share-Based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Stock-based compensation expense before taxes	490	335	1,289	1,023
Maintenance and Service	'	'	'	'
Employee Service Share-Based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Stock-based compensation expense before taxes	549	590	1,587	1,762
Selling, General and Administrative	'	'	'	'
Employee Service Share-Based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Stock-based compensation expense before taxes	4,520	4,392	12,766	12,755
Research and Development	'	'	'	'
Employee Service Share-Based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Stock-based compensation expense before taxes	$4,394	$3,764	$11,941	$11,202

Stock_Repurchase_Program_Addit

Stock Repurchase Program - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Feb. 28, 2014
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items]	'	'	'
Stock repurchase program, remaining number of shares authorized to be repurchased	1,568,497	'	1,500,000
Stock repurchase program, repurchase authorization	5,000,000	'	3,000,000
Treasury stock, shares, acquired	1,431,503	988,000	'
Treasury stock acquired, average cost per share	$75.87	$74.35	'
Purchase of treasury stock	$108,613	$73,457	'

Contingencies_and_Commitments_

Contingencies and Commitments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]	'
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss	$6,000

SaleLeaseback_Arrangement_Deta

Sale-Leaseback Arrangement (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified			Canonsburg Office, New Company Headquarters [Member]
Sale-Leaseback Transaction [Line Items]	'	'	'
Construction-in-progress - leased facility	$32,009	$18,136	'
Original lease term	'	'	'15 years 3 months