<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-09-30</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>0</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000813747</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALTRIS SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ALTS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001268874</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MYERS JIM</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>PO BOX 782762</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SABDTIB 2446 RSA</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SOUTH AFRICA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>T3</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>0000</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SOUTH AFRICA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.18</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-04-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-04-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Vests 25% 3 months after date of grant, then 25% on each anniversary date of grant until fully vested.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Stock option grant</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jim Myers</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-11-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

