<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-07-31</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-07-30</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001079880</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ONESOURCE INFORMATION SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ones</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001239774</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KAHN MARTIN F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>924 WEST END AVENUE #25</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $0.01 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-07-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate>
                <value>2003-07-30</value>
            </deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.47</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>124642</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On July 30, 2003, the reporting person mistakenly included brokerage commissions and other costs of execution in the price, and filed a Form 4 reporting a sale of 50,000 shares of common stock at a price of $7.42/share.  The reporting person sold 50,000 shares of common stock at a price of $7.47/share, excluding brokerage commissions and other costs.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Martin F. Kahn</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

