<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001269847-05-000016
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050315
<FILING-DATE>20050316
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050316
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>TRANSACTION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTS INC
<CIK>0000935036
<ASSIGNED-SIC>7372
<IRS-NUMBER>470772104
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0930
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>224 SOUTH 108TH AVE
<CITY>OMAHA
<STATE>NE
<ZIP>68154
<PHONE>4023907600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>224 SOUTH 108TH
<CITY>OMAHA
<STATE>NE
<ZIP>68154
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DERKACHT GREGORY D
<CIK>0001205471
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-25346
<FILM-NUMBER>05685342
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>4023907600
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>224 SOUTH 108 AVENUE
<CITY>OMAHA
<STATE>NE
<ZIP>68154
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-03-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000935036</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TRANSACTION SYSTEMS ARCHITECTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TSAI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205471</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DERKACHT GREGORY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>224 S. 108 AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OMAHA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>68154</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>11.86</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>23.3154</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.86</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-03-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-01-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>17000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sale price ranged from $23.22 to $23.56, with a weighted average sale price of $23.3154.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The options vest in equal annual installments over a 3 - year period commencing January 2, 2002.  The options reported as exercised herein were vested prior to exercise.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Transaction Systems Architects, Inc. (&quot;TSA&quot;) issued a press release dated September 28, 2004  announcing Mr. Derkacht's plans to retire from TSA not later than June 30, 2006, which press release was attached as an exhibit to TSA's Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 29, 2004.  The transactions reported herein are in contemplation of Mr. Derkacht's planned retirement.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: /s/ Dennis P. Byrnes, Attorney in Fact   For: Gregory D. Derkacht</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-03-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
