UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 25, 2004

                               BMC SOFTWARE, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)


<Table>
                                                  
        DELAWARE                    001-16393                  74-2126120
(State of Incorporation)    (Commission File Number)       (I.R.S. Employer
                                                        Identification Number)
</Table>


               2101 CITYWEST BLVD.                           77042-2827
                 HOUSTON, TEXAS                              (Zip Code)
   (Address of principal executive offices)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (713) 918-8800


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
Act (17 CFR 204.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))






ITEM 5.02. Election of Director.

On October 28, 2004, BMC Software, Inc. announced the appointment of Louis J.
Lavigne, Jr. to its Board of Directors (the "Board"). Mr. Lavigne's membership
on the Board is effective October 25, 2004. Mr. Lavigne was nominated by the
Board's Nominating Committee after such committee conducted a national search,
utilizing a third-party recruiting firm, for an additional independent director.
Mr. Lavigne has not been appointed to any Board committees at this time.

Mr. Lavigne is the executive vice president and chief financial officer of
Genentech, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company.

ITEM 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

<Table>
<Caption>
Exhibit No.                Description
- -----------                -----------
                        
99.1                       Press Release dated October 28, 2004
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                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: October 28, 2004

                                        BMC SOFTWARE, INC.


                                        By: /s/ ROBERT H. WHILDEN, JR.
                                            --------------------------------
                                            Robert H. Whilden, Jr.
                                            Senior Vice President, General
                                            Counsel and Secretary



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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No. 99.1