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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-25</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000072418</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NORSTAN INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NRRD</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001280921</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ANDERSON STEVEN D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>5101 SHADY OAK ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MINNETONKA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MN</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>55343</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>U</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15295</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.60</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Options (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27050</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>27050</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Options (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>29000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>29000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of December 20, 2004 between Black Box Corporation and Norstan, Inc. in exchange for $5.60 per share on the acceptance of the Tender Offer by Black Box Corporation.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These options were cancelled pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of December 20, 2004, between Black Box Corporation and Norstan, Inc.  These options had various exercise prices each greater than the $5.60 per share Tender Offer price and were thus cancelled on the effective date of the merger without payment of any consideration therefor.  These option were: on 6/8/95, 10,000 shares granted at $11.88 vesting in 5 equal annual installments beginning 6/8/96; on 12/14/99, 50 shares granted at $5.62 vesting fully upon grant; on 1/6/00, 1,500 shares granted at $5.73 vesting in three equal annual installments beginning 1/6/01; on 2/28/00,  2,500 shares granted at $7.25 vesting in three equal annual installments beginning 2/28/01; on 6/13/02, 3,000 shares granted at $5.65 vesting in three equal annual installments beginning 6/13/03 and on 6/13/02, 10,000 shares granted at $5.65 vesting in three equal annual installments beginning at issuance.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">These options were canceled pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of December 20, 2004, between Black Box Corporation and Norstan, Inc. in exchange for a cash payment of $64,620 which represents the difference between the various exercise prices of the options and the $5.60 per share tender offer price paid by Black Box pursuant to the Tender Offer.  These options were: on 6/30/00, 3,000 shares were granted at $3.75 vesting over three equal annual installments beginning 6/30/01;  on 3/20/01, 3,000 shares granted at $1.11 - 50% vesting upon grant, 25% vesting 3/20/02 and 25% vesting 3/20/03; on 2/9/04, 20,000 shares granted at $3.59 vesting over three equal annual installments beginning 2/9/05; on 6/5/03, 3,000 shares granted at $3.80 vesting over three equal annual installments beginning 6/5/04.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">These options expire ten years from the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John E. Nardecchia as Attorney-in-fact for Steven D. Anderson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-01-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

