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 you setup your database for a new year, be sure you have finished entering data for the current club year. You will have the opportunity to archive members that have not attended in the past year and enter missing grades for clubbers. 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 requires you to complete the following:


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 you don't already have an Awana club, we recommend that you add 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 whatever you would like. It does not need to include the base club in the name. You may also have multiple club names using the same base club. (i.e. T&T UA Girls and T&T UA Boys, or Sparks K and Sparks 1&2)


Drag to rearrange the clubs until they are ordered as you would like them to appear in dropdown menus throughout the app.


Once your 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 (notice the meeting day in the label at the top of the dialog). Then 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 are going to meet (for example, over Christmas break).


You will be able to add or delete dates 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 will apply to the majority of your 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. If you have a club that meets on both days of the week, you can use the dropdown to select clubs that were used on the previous meeting day. The system will append the day of the week if you use the same club name for two different meeting days.


4. Assign clubs to grades/genders

You may choose to include Transitional Kindergarten (TK) as a grade option. The grade listing on this screen will then include TK. You may also choose to make TK the default grade for 4 year olds, instead of P2.


Below those options, indicate the club assignments the database should make, based on a clubber's grade and gender combination. The list will default to the settings from the previous year. If you do not have any gender specific clubs, select the club name for each grade. Those assignments will then apply to both genders. If you do have gender-specific clubs, check the "Show genders for gender specific club assignments" so you can set separate club assignments based on gender.


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.


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. Once you're done, 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 will automatically be promoted to the next grade. This means that a clubber who is 4 now but will be 5 by the date you select, will be assigned to kindergarten. This date will also apply 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 User Name.


6. Select Members to Archive

Members who have not attended during the past club year will be listed. (Clubbers first and then Leaders.) Check the box next to members who are not expected to return. The member status will then be set to archived during the NYS.  "Select all" options are available at the top of each list. You can uncheck boxes after using the "select all" option if there are only one or two that you do not want archived. For those who will be 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. If you have clubbers missing a grade, those will be shown and allow you to set the grade 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. Once you are satisfied with your settings, tap/click the Run Setup button. The process will take 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 used by your club, the status will be 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 will be cleared. (Leaders will 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 so you can easily add additional information to the calendar, such as themes or notes, and review the quarter designations. This is also where you can add or delete dates if needed.


If your clubs did not change, the same points will be used as the previous year. For new or updated clubs, the default points were used. This is a good time to switch to the Club > Points page to review all the points.


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