<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-06</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001089907</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KANA SOFTWARE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KANA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001259565</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BATT JERRY R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>KANA SOFTWARE, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>181 CONSTITUTION AVE.</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MENLO PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94025</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.95</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>4000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>2.95</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-23</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>4000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>2.95</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>96000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>2.95</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-23</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>96000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>100000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Option begins vesting 08/06/2003 and vests semi-annually over 4 years.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Option begins vesting 08/06/2003 and vests monthly over 4 years after a 6 month cliff.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Michelle Philpot signing under Power of Attorney In Fact for Jerry R. Batt</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

