<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-02-09</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000949491</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>VODAVI TECHNOLOGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>vtek</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001166432</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SONKIN PAUL D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>153 E. 53RD ST, 55TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>see footnote #1</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Options Right to Purchase</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>7.05</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-02-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.05</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-02-09</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-02-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Paul D. Sonkin is a Director of Vodavi. He is also a member of a Section 13(d) filing group that owns more than 10% than of the Issuer's outstanding Common Stock. The group includes The Hummingbird Value Fund, LP,, The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, LP, Hummingbird Management, LLC, and Hummingbird Capital, LLC. Paul D. Sonkin is the managing member of Hummingbird Capital, LLC, the general partner to both The Hummingbird Value Fund, LP, and The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, LP, and the managing member of Hummingbird Management, LLC, the investment manager to The Hummingbird Value Fund, LP, and The Hummingbird Microcap Value Fund, LP.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Paul D. Sonkin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-03-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

