<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-05-05</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000104348</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WALLACE COMPUTER SERVICES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>wcs</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001201829</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RICHTER WAYNE E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Sr.Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Profit Sharing Fund</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-05</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <deemedExecutionDate>
            <value>2003-05-05</value>
        </deemedExecutionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>I</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>1174</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>25.76</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>0</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>I</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <natureOfOwnership>
                <value>by Trust</value>
            </natureOfOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares previously approximated due to plan administration unitized accounting procedure, where equities held in comingled fund.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Filing originally submitted on May 5, 2003 and assigned accession #0000104348-03-000019.  Was not accepted due to change in Edgar filing system.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By:Robert J. Kelderhouse</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>For:Wayne E. Richter</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>
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4
2003-05-05
0
0000104348
WALLACE COMPUTER SERVICES INC
wcs
0001201829
RICHTER WAYNE E
0
1
0
0
Sr.Vice President
Profit Sharing Fund
2003-05-05
2003-05-05
4
I
0
1174
25.76
D
0
I
by Trust
Shares previously approximated due to plan administration unitized accounting procedure, where equities held in comingled fund.
Filing originally submitted on May 5, 2003 and assigned accession #0000104348-03-000019.  Was not accepted due to change in Edgar filing system.
By:Robert J. Kelderhouse
2003-05-05
For:Wayne E. Richter
2003-05-05