Just created your Kananas workspace? Before you start managing members, dues or online registrations, it is important to set up a clean structure.
The goal is simple: configure your organization, import your existing records, then create your online membership form.
1. Configure your organization
The first step is to adapt Kananas to the way your organization actually works.
Every organization has its own structure: member categories, chapters, activities, levels, groups, statuses or roles. Before importing your contacts or creating a form, take a few minutes to define these elements.
In Kananas, go to: Settings / Reference Data / Contact category
This is where you can create the values that will later be used to organize your records.
For example, a youth sports club could create categories such as:
U8
U10
U12
Adults
Recreational
Competitive
A multi-activity nonprofit could instead use categories to identify the activity selected by each member:
Yoga
Dance
Hiking Club
Pickleball
An alumni association or community organization could also use categories such as:
Alumni
Volunteer
Donor
Board Member
Family Membership
This setup will then help you filter contacts, create groups, track registrations and send more targeted communications.
Why set up your reference data from the start?
Reference data is the foundation of your organization in Kananas.
If your categories are clear from the beginning, you will be able to:
find members more easily;
segment your contacts;
prepare lists;
track registrations;
create more relevant forms;
send messages to the right groups;
get clearer statistics.
Take a few minutes to structure your reference data before filling your contact database.
2. Import your existing records
Once your basic setup is complete, you can import your existing contacts into Kananas.
If you already manage your organization with an Excel file, a spreadsheet or a previous software tool, you can export your data as a CSV file and import it into Kananas.
This step saves you from recreating every record manually.
Before importing, take the time to clean your file:
check first and last names;
remove obvious duplicates;
correct invalid email addresses;
standardize categories;
remove unnecessary columns;
keep only the information you actually need.
A clean file makes the import more reliable and your Kananas database easier to use.
Prepare your CSV file
Your CSV file should include the information you want to import. The Last Name and First Name columns are especially important because they identify contacts and create records.
During the import, Kananas allows you to match each column in your file with the correct database field. Columns that are not matched will not be imported.
If you have created custom fields in Kananas, you can also use them to import information specific to your organization.
For example, a US-based organization might import fields such as:
Membership Level
Chapter
Graduation Year
Emergency Contact
T-shirt Size
Volunteer Interest
3. Create your online membership form
Once your database is structured, you can create your online membership form.
This is the step that allows new members to register directly through a form, without spreadsheets, paper forms or manual data entry.
In Kananas, the membership form can collect the information needed for registration:
first name;
last name;
contact information;
selected activity;
member category;
documents;
membership fee option;
online payment, if enabled.
When someone completes the form, a contact record is automatically created in your Kananas workspace, and you receive an email notification.
Adapt the form to your organization
Your form should be simple for members to complete, while still collecting enough information for your internal management.
Avoid asking for too much unnecessary information at the beginning. The longer the form, the more likely people are to abandon it. Focus on the data that is truly required for registration.
For a youth sports club, you may request a medical clearance file, a parent or guardian authorization, or an emergency contact.
For a booster club, PTA or school community, you may collect family information, volunteer preferences, student grade level or event participation choices.
Add membership fee options
If your organization wants to collect membership dues online, you can associate fee options with your form.
For example:
Individual Membership
Family Membership
Student Membership
Senior Membership
Volunteer Membership
Chapter Membership
Each fee option can be linked to a membership product. This makes it easier to track payments clearly in Kananas.
The member selects the appropriate fee, completes the form and can pay online if payment is enabled.