Related videos: How to setup a new year (using one meeting day and last year's defaults) or How to setup a new year (using two meeting days and updating clubs). {Note: the videos do not yet include the features added to the NYS process in 1.6.6 that allow you to archive members and enter missing grades for clubbers. See steps 6 and 7 below for details.}


Before setting up the database for a new year, be sure to finish entering data for the current club year. To add a new year that does not yet exist in the Top Menu Bar's Club Year dropdown menu, select "Setup new year" from that menu.


NOTE: If you skipped a year, you'll need to still go through the process of setting up that club year in order for clubbers to get promoted correctly. See this FAQ for more info.


Setting up a new year is a multi-step process that includes completing the following details:


1. Select the days your clubs will meet

For clubs that have multiple meeting days, select each day when clubs meet; otherwise, select the single day that all clubs meet. Then, tap/click the Next button.


2. Identify active clubs

The list defaults to the clubs used in the previous year. Add new clubs, delete clubs that will no longer be active, or change the name of existing clubs. Each club in the list will have its own calendar created during the setup process allowing each to have its own set of dates and themes. If there is not already an Awana club, we recommend adding it for leaders who don't work in a specific club, such as the commander, secretary, or game director.


The Base Club determines which books and awards are associated with a given Club Name. The Club Name can be customized. It does not need to include the base club in the name. Multiple club names may use the same base club. (i.e. T&T Girls and T&T Boys, or Sparks K and Sparks 1&2)


Drag to rearrange the clubs until they are ordered as they should appear in dropdown menus throughout the app.


Once the list of clubs is correct, tap/click the Next button.


3. Select clubs and dates for each meeting day

For a single meeting day, all clubs will be listed. For multiple meeting days, select the clubs for the first meeting day (as indicated in the label at the top of the dialog). Enter the starting and ending dates. All the club dates will be listed in the dropdown. Uncheck the boxes next to the dates when no clubs will meet (for example, over Christmas break).


Dates can be added or deleted after the new year is set up to handle any errors or to change dates that are unique to one club. During this process, however, choose dates that apply to the majority of the clubs.


Tap/Click the Next button, then repeat this step for the other meeting day(s), if applicable. The club selections for the second day will default to all the remaining clubs. For a club that meets on both days of the week, use the dropdown to select the club that was used on the previous meeting day. The system will append the day of the week if the same club name is used for two different meeting days.


4. Assign clubs to grade/gender combinations

Indicate if Transitional Kindergarten (TK) should be used as a grade option. The grade listing on this screen will then include TK. Additionally, select if TK should be used as the default grade for 4-year-olds, instead of P2.


Note: N is used for nursery, ages 0 and 1. P0 represents pre-school, age 2, which is often Puggles. P1 and P2 are pre-school, ages 3 and 4, which are generally Cubbies.


Below those options, indicate the club assignments the database should make, based on a clubber's grade and gender combination. The list defaults to the settings from the previous year. If gender specific clubs are not used, select the club name for each grade. The assignments will then apply to both genders. If gender specific clubs are used, check the box to "Show genders for gender specific club assignments" to set separate club assignments for each gender.


Review all the club assignments carefully to be sure there aren't any missing grade/gender assignments that are used in your club.  If a club name is <none>, that grade/gender will not be assigned automatically by the database. That's fine for grades you don't have but be sure all others are assigned. When finished, tap/click the Next button.


5. Set the cut-off date for age requirements of grades

For grades below kindergarten, a clubber must meet the age requirement by this date. Grades kindergarten and above are automatically promoted to the next grade. This means that a clubber who is 4 now but will be 5 by the cut-off date will be assigned to kindergarten. This date also applies to all newly added members when the grade assignment is calculated based on the age. Admin users can change this cut-off date at any time in the System Settings located in the dropdown menu under the Username.


6. Select Members to Archive

Members who have not attended during the past club year are listed. (Clubbers first and then Leaders.) Check the box next to members who are not expected to return. During the New Year Setup process, the member status for any selected members will be set to archived. "Select all" options are available at the top of each list. Individual boxes may be unchecked after using the "select all" option if there are only one or two that should not be archived. For those who are archived, no role and session (attendance) records will be created for the new year. The person IS still in the database and can be activated again at a later date if needed.


7. Enter missing Grades

Members without a grade cannot be promoted and given a role for the new year. Any clubbers who are missing a grade are shown and the grade should be set if possible before running the NYS. Any clubbers without a grade will be archived.


8. Run Setup

Tap/click the Previous button on any screen to go back and make changes. When all of the steps are completed, tap/click the Run Setup button. The process takes a few seconds to complete. Besides setting up the clubs and their calendars, it will:

  • promote each clubber to the next Grade. When a clubber completes the last grade in your club, the status is set to Graduated.
  • assign clubbers to a club based on your selections, including promotions to new clubs. If a clubber is promoted to a new base club, the uniform and current handbook fields are cleared. (Leaders remain in the same club with the same role.)
  • clear registration values, permissions, team colors, team names, and leader assignments.
  • set all active and visiting members to inactive.


Once the setup is complete, the app will switch to the Club > Calendar page to easily add additional information to the calendar, such as themes or notes, and review the quarter designations. This is also where club dates can be added or deleted if needed.


For clubs that did not change from the prior year, the same points are used for the new year. For new or updated clubs, the default points are used. This is a good time to switch to the Club > Points page to review all the points.


Also, keep in mind there probably won't be any members showing initially in the member list if the filter does not include the "Inactive" status since all statuses were set to inactive during the setup process. Set the filter to include "Inactive" until registrations are processed and members are set to active for the new year.