<PAGE>   1
                                                                          Page 1

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 30, 1996
                                                           Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                            ------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            ------------------------

                                   OrCAD, INC.

               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

               DELAWARE                                    93-1062832
    (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer
    incorporation or organization)                Identification Number)

                            ------------------------
                9300 S.W. NIMBUS AVENUE, BEAVERTON, OREGON 97008
                                 (503) 671-9500
               (Address, including zip code and telephone number,
        including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

                            ------------------------

                                OrCAD, INC. 1996
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                            ------------------------

                               MICHAEL F. BOSWORTH
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                                   OrCAD, INC.
                9300 S.W. NIMBUS AVENUE, BEAVERTON, OREGON 97008
                                 (503) 671-9500
            (Name, address, including zip code and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                            ------------------------
                                 with copies to:
                           GREGORY E. STRUXNESS, ESQ.
                    ATER WYNNE HEWITT DODSON & SKERRITT, LLP
              222 S.W. COLUMBIA, SUITE 1800, PORTLAND, OREGON 97201
                                 (503) 226-1191

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
====================================================================================================================================
 Title of Securities to       Amount to be        Proposed Maximum Offering            Proposed Maximum               Amount of
      be Registered            Registered            Price per Share (1)         Aggregate Offering Price (1)     Registration Fee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                         <C>                            <C>                          <C>    
Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share          200,000 shares              $9.75                          $1,950,000                   $590.91
====================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.


<PAGE>   2
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.         INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

     The following documents are incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement:

     (a)  Final Prospectus of the Company filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 4, 1996.

     (b)  Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB of the Company for the quarter
ended March 31, 1996 filed with the SEC on May 3, 1996, Quarterly Report on Form
10-QSB of the Company for the quarter ended June 30, 1996 filed with the SEC on
August 1, 1996 and Amendment to Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB of the Company
for the quarter ended June 30, 1996 filed with the SEC on August 22, 1996.

     (c)  Registration Statement on Form 8-A of the Company filed with the
SEC on February 1, 1996.

     (d)  All documents filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this
Registration Statement and before the date of filing of a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement stating that all securities offered
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold.

ITEM 4.       DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

     Not applicable.

ITEM 5.       INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

     Not applicable.

ITEM 6.       INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

     As a Delaware corporation the Company is subject to the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware ("GCL") and the exculpation from liability and
indemnification provisions contained therein. Pursuant to Section 102 of the
GCL, Article VII of the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the
"Certificate") eliminates the liability of the Company's directors to the
Company or its stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except
for any liability related to breach of the duty of loyalty, acts or omissions
not in good faith which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of
law, unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchase or redemption, and
certain other liabilities.

     Section 145 of the GCL allows corporations to indemnify their directors and
officers against liability where the director or officer has acted in good faith
and with a reasonable belief that actions taken were in the best interests of
the corporation or at least not adverse to the corporation's best interests and,
if in a criminal proceeding, the individual had no reasonable cause to believe
the conduct in question was unlawful. Under the GCL, corporations may not
indemnify against liability in connection with a claim by or in the right of the
corporation but may indemnify against the reasonable expenses 





                                      -2-

<PAGE>   3

associated with the defense of such claims. Corporations may not indemnify
against breaches of the duty of loyalty. The GCL provides for mandatory
indemnification of directors against all reasonable expenses incurred in the
successful defense of any claim made or threatened whether or not such claim was
by or in the right of the corporation. Finally, a court may order
indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and
reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances
whether or not the director or officer met the good faith and reasonable belief
standards of conduct set out in the statute.

     The GCL also provides that the statutory indemnification provisions are not
deemed exclusive of any other rights to which directors or officers may be
entitled under a corporation's bylaws, any agreement, general or specific action
of the board of directors, vote of stockholders or otherwise.

     The Restated Bylaws require the Company to indemnify its directors and
officers to the fullest extent not prohibited by law. In addition, the Restated
Bylaws deem that all rights to indemnification under the Restated Bylaws are
deemed to be contractual rights and are to be effective to the same extent as if
provided for in a contract between the Company and the director or officer who
serves in such capacity.

     In February 1996, the Company entered into indemnity agreements with each
executive officer of the Company and each member of the Company's Board of
Directors. These indemnity agreements provide for indemnification of the
indemnitee to the fullest extent allowed by law.

ITEM 7.       EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

     Not applicable.

ITEM 8.       EXHIBITS

     Number                         Description
     ------                         -----------
      5.0         Opinion of Ater Wynne Hewitt Dodson & Skerritt, LLP as to the
                  legality of the securities being registered

     23.1         Consent of Ater Wynne Hewitt Dodson & Skerritt, LLP (included
                  in legal opinion filed as Exhibit 5.0)

     23.2         Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

     23.3         Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

     23.4         Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

     24.0         Powers of Attorney (included in signature page in Part II
                  of the Registration Statement)

     99.0         OrCAD, Inc. 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                  (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to
                  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File
                  No. 333-00198-LA))

ITEM 9.       UNDERTAKINGS







                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

                                                                         

         (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file, during any
period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to
this registration statement:

              (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
Securities Act of 1933;

              (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration
statement;

              (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan
of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
material change to such information in the registration statement; provided,
however, that subparagraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the information
required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those subparagraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or
Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by
reference in the registration statement.

         (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for the purpose
of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to remove from
registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being
registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

         (d) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (e) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such a director, officer or controlling person in
connection with securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Beaverton, State of Oregon, on the 29th day of
October, 1996.

                                    OrCAD, INC.

                                    By: /s/ Michael F. Bosworth
                                        -------------------------------------
                                        Michael F. Bosworth
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Michael F. Bosworth and P. David Bundy, and each
of them singly, as true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities to sign the registration statement filed herewith and any
or all amendments to said registration statement (including post-effective
amendments), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other
documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents and each of them, full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the foregoing, as fully to all intents and purposes as
he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that
said attorneys-in-fact and agent or any of them, or their or his substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Witness our hands on the date set forth below.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]





                                      -5-

<PAGE>   6

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 SIGNATURE                     TITLE                            DATE
                 ---------                     -----                            ----
<S>                                            <C>                              <C>

/s/ MICHAEL F. BOSWORTH                        President, Chief Executive       10/29/96
------------------------------                 Officer and Director
    Michael F. Bosworth                        (Principal Executive
                                               Officer)

/s/ P. DAVID BUNDY                             Vice President of Finance        10/29/96
------------------------------                 Officer and Director
    P. David Bundy                             (Principal Financial and
                                               Accounting Officer)

/s/ JOHN C. SAVAGE                             Director                         10/29/96
------------------------------                 
    John C. Savage

/s/ RICHARD P. MAGNUSON                        Director                         10/29/96
------------------------------                 
    Richard P. Magnuson

/s/ STEPHEN W. DIRECTOR                        Director                          10/29/96
------------------------------                 
    Stephen W. Director

/s/ JAMES B. MOON                              Director                          10/29/96
------------------------------                 
    James B. Moon
</TABLE>





                                      -6-


<PAGE>   7
                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

     Exhibit                                                              Page
     Number                Exhibit                                        No.
     ------                -------                                        ---
      5.0         Opinion of Ater Wynne Hewitt Dodson & Skerritt, LLP
                  as to the legality of the securities being
                  registered

     23.1         Consent of Ater Wynne Hewitt Dodson & Skerritt, LLP
                  (included in legal opinion filed as Exhibit
                  5.0)

     23.2         Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

     23.3         Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

     23.4         Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

     24.0         Powers of Attorney (included in signature page
                  in Part II of the Registration Statement)

     99.0         OrCAD, Inc. 1996 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
                  (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to
                  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form
                  SB-2 (File No. 333-00198-LA))





                                      -7-