<PAGE>
 
   As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 1997
                                                Registration No. 333-
================================================================================


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                         -----------------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                         -----------------------------

                        WALKER INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                         -----------------------------
       DELAWARE                                        95-2862954
(State of Incorporation)                   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                         -----------------------------
                           Marathon Plaza Three North
                               303 Second Street
                            San Francisco, CA  94107
                                 (415) 495-8811
         (Address and telephone number of principal executive offices)

                         -----------------------------
   1995 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer Employees, as Amended
                           (Full title of the plans)

                                 Leonard Y. Liu
         Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer
                        Walker Interactive Systems, Inc.
                           Marathon Plaza Three North
                               303 Second Street
                            San Francisco, CA  94107
                                 (415) 957-1711
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)

                          ----------------------------
                                   Copies to:
                             Gregory C. Smith, Esq.
                               Cooley Godward LLP
                         One Maritime Plaza, 20th Floor
                         San Francisco, CA  94111-3580
                                 (415) 693-2000

                          ----------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 
                                             PROPOSED MAXIMUM        PROPOSED MAXIMUM      
  TITLE OF SECURITIES    AMOUNT TO BE        OFFERING PRICE PER      AGGREGATE OFFERING        AMOUNT OF     
   TO BE REGISTERED      REGISTERED (1)           SHARE (2)               PRICE             REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>                    <C>                  <C>                    <C>
Stock Options and          500,000                $14.19               $7,095,000             $2,150.00
 Common Stock (par
 value $.001)
============================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  This registration statement is intended to cover the offering of up to
 500,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock pursuant to its 1995 Nonstatutory
 Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer Employees, as amended.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
registration fee. The offering price per share and the aggregate offering price
are based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's Common
Stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on November 3, 1997, in
accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

================================================================================

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  As soon
as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

                                                               Page 1 of _______
                                                         Exhibit Index at Page 5
<PAGE>
 
      INCORPORATION OF THE CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENTS ON FORM S-8

     The contents of Registration Statements on Form S-8 No. 333-08629, filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 23, 1996, are incorporated
by reference into this Registration Statement.


                                    EXHIBITS


EXHIBIT
NUMBER

5.1       Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

23.1      Independent auditors' consent

23.2      Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.1 to this
          Registration Statement

24        Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages.

99.1      1995 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer Employees, as
          amended



                                      2.
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES

     THE REGISTRANT.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Francisco, State of
California, on November 7, 1997.


                                    WALKER INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.



                                    By:  /s/ Leonard Y. Liu
                                       --------------------
                                         Leonard Y. Liu
                                         Chairman of the Board, President and
                                         Chief Executive Officer



                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Leonard Y. Liu and Bruce C. Pollock, and
each or any one of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with
full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith,
as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of
them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.


                                      3.
<PAGE>
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 


SIGNATURE                 TITLE                                 DATE
<S>                       <C>                                   <C> 



/s/ Leonard Y. Liu        Chairman of the Board, President      November 7, 1997
---------------------     and Chief Executive Officer              
    Leonard Y. Liu        (Principal Executive Officer)



/s/ Bruce C. Pollock      Chief Financial Officer               November 7, 1997
---------------------     (Principal Financial Officer)
    Bruce C. Pollock   



/s/ Barbara M. Hubbard    Corporate Controller                  November 7, 1997
------------------------  (Principal Accounting Officer)
    Barbara M. Hubbard



/s/ Richard C. Alberding  Director                              November 7, 1997
------------------------
    Richard C. Alberding



/s/ Tania Amochaev        Director                              November 7, 1997
---------------------
    Tania Amochaev



/s/ William A. Hasler     Director                              November 7, 1997
------------------------
    William A. Hasler



/s/ John M. Lillie        Director                              November 7, 1997
---------------------
    John M. Lillie



/s/ David C. Wetmore      Director                              November 7, 1997
-----------------------
    David C. Wetmore
</TABLE> 

                                      4.
<PAGE>
 

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 

 
 
EXHIBIT                                                                SEQUENTIAL
NUMBER                             DESCRIPTION                         PAGE NUMBER
<S>          <C>                                                       <C>
 5.1         Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

23.1         Independent auditors' consent

23.2         Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5
             to this Registration Statement

24           Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages.

99.1         1995 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer
             Employees, as amended
</TABLE>


                                      5.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9350}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "WALKER INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS INC", "cik": "0000883983", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "943151052", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-39913", "film-number": "97712177"}, "business-address": {"street1": "MARATHON PLZ THREE NORTH", "street2": "303 SECOND ST", "city": "SAN FRANCISCO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94107", "phone": "4144958811"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "MARATHON PLAZA THREE NORTH", "street2": "303 SECOND STREET", "city": "SAN FRANCISCO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94107"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 1997
                                                Registration No. 333-
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                         -----------------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                         -----------------------------

                        WALKER INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                         -----------------------------
       DELAWARE                                        95-2862954
(State of Incorporation)                   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                         -----------------------------
                           Marathon Plaza Three North
                               303 Second Street
                            San Francisco, CA  94107
                                 (415) 495-8811
         (Address and telephone number of principal executive offices)

                         -----------------------------
   1995 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer Employees, as Amended
                           (Full title of the plans)

                                 Leonard Y. Liu
         Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer
                        Walker Interactive Systems, Inc.
                           Marathon Plaza Three North
                               303 Second Street
                            San Francisco, CA  94107
                                 (415) 957-1711
 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code,
                             of agent for service)

                          ----------------------------
                                   Copies to:
                             Gregory C. Smith, Esq.
                               Cooley Godward LLP
                         One Maritime Plaza, 20th Floor
                         San Francisco, CA  94111-3580
                                 (415) 693-2000

                          ----------------------------

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
PROPOSED MAXIMUM        PROPOSED MAXIMUM      
  TITLE OF SECURITIES    AMOUNT TO BE        OFFERING PRICE PER      AGGREGATE OFFERING        AMOUNT OF     
   TO BE REGISTERED      REGISTERED (1)           SHARE (2)               PRICE             REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stock Options and          500,000                $14.19               $7,095,000             $2,150.00
 Common Stock (par
 value $.001)
============================================================================================================
(1)  This registration statement is intended to cover the offering of up to
 500,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock pursuant to its 1995 Nonstatutory
 Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer Employees, as amended.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the amount of the
registration fee. The offering price per share and the aggregate offering price
are based upon the average of the high and low prices of the Registrant's Common
Stock as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on November 3, 1997, in
accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

================================================================================

     Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  As soon
as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

                                                               Page 1 of _______
                                                         Exhibit Index at Page 5
INCORPORATION OF THE CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENTS ON FORM S-8

     The contents of Registration Statements on Form S-8 No. 333-08629, filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 23, 1996, are incorporated
by reference into this Registration Statement.

                                    EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT
NUMBER

5.1       Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

23.1      Independent auditors' consent

23.2      Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5.1 to this
          Registration Statement

24        Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages.

99.1      1995 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer Employees, as
          amended

                                      2.
SIGNATURES

     THE REGISTRANT.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to
believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Francisco, State of
California, on November 7, 1997.

                                    WALKER INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS, INC.

                                    By:  /s/ Leonard Y. Liu
                                       --------------------
                                         Leonard Y. Liu
                                         Chairman of the Board, President and
                                         Chief Executive Officer

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Leonard Y. Liu and Bruce C. Pollock, and
each or any one of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with
full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same,
with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith,
as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of
them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be
done by virtue hereof.

                                      3.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE                 TITLE                                 DATE
/s/ Leonard Y. Liu        Chairman of the Board, President      November 7, 1997
---------------------     and Chief Executive Officer              
    Leonard Y. Liu        (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ Bruce C. Pollock      Chief Financial Officer               November 7, 1997
---------------------     (Principal Financial Officer)
    Bruce C. Pollock   

/s/ Barbara M. Hubbard    Corporate Controller                  November 7, 1997
------------------------  (Principal Accounting Officer)
    Barbara M. Hubbard

/s/ Richard C. Alberding  Director                              November 7, 1997
------------------------
    Richard C. Alberding

/s/ Tania Amochaev        Director                              November 7, 1997
---------------------
    Tania Amochaev

/s/ William A. Hasler     Director                              November 7, 1997
------------------------
    William A. Hasler

/s/ John M. Lillie        Director                              November 7, 1997
---------------------
    John M. Lillie

/s/ David C. Wetmore      Director                              November 7, 1997
-----------------------
    David C. Wetmore
4.
EXHIBIT INDEX
EXHIBIT                                                                SEQUENTIAL
NUMBER                             DESCRIPTION                         PAGE NUMBER
5.1         Opinion of Cooley Godward LLP

23.1         Independent auditors' consent

23.2         Consent of Cooley Godward LLP is contained in Exhibit 5
             to this Registration Statement

24           Power of Attorney is contained on the signature pages.

99.1         1995 Nonstatutory Stock Option Plan for Non-Officer
             Employees, as amended
5.