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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-09-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000844790</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PUTNAM MANAGED MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PMM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001389055</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHOQUETTE DANIEL STEPHANE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>PUTNAM INVESTMENTS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>02109</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Mng. Dir. of Putnam, issuer's</officerTitle>
            <otherText>indirect parent holding co.</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Closed-end Fund</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>0.969</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>7.8328</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Fractional shares were liquidated on 9/14/2010 as part of a settling transaction from shares sold on 9/9/2010.  The previous sale was reported on 9/10/2010.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Daniel S. Choquette</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-09-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
