<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-16</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-05-16</dateOfOriginalSubmission>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001089907</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KANA SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KANA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001207744</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ZARRABIAN MASSOOD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2002-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>53</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3297</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The number of shares for common stock owned reflects the amount remaining after cancellation of shares that had been held in escrow and were cancelled upon escrow settlement.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Michelle Philpot signing under Power of Attorney in Fact for Massood Zarrabian</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

