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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-06-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>false</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000713425</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMSWA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001207383</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DOW H ALLAN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>470 EAST PACES FERRY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>2Q</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30305</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>GEORGIA (COUNTRY)</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>false</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>true</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>false</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>false</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-06-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>28693.00</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.54</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>110008.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-06-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>28693.00</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>24.6507</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>81315.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.54</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-06-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>false</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>28693.00</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-08-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>28693.00</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>71307.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On June 16, 2021, the Reporting Person converted 28,693 options into an equal number of shares of Class A Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On June 16, 2021, the Reporting Person sold 28,693 shares of Class A Common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On June 16, 2021, the Reporting Person converted 28,693 options into an equal number of shares of Class A Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Vests 24,000 share(s) on 26-Aug-2016, 24,000 share(s) on 26-Aug-2017, 24,000 share(s) on 26-Aug-2018, 24,000 share(s) on 26-Aug-2019, 24,000 share(s) on 26-Aug-2020</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Harold A Dow</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-06-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
