How to Edit Programs and Ranks

If you need to update your programs and ranks, this article shows you how. Perhaps you have a new class that needs a new program and new ranks, or maybe you recently opened your Kicksite account and you’re ready to customize your programs and ranks.

To edit or add a program:

1. Click Quick Links in the left panel, click Settings, and then click Programs Settings. (Alternatively, click your username in the upper-right corner, and then click Settings in the menu. Click Programs near the top of the screen.)

2. You see a list of the already-created programs.

If you just opened your Kicksite account, you may see a program called “Rename-this-in-program-settings” or a few example programs.

Tip: If you are new to Kicksite, create and/or update your programs and ranks before you start adding new students. This way, you will be able to add the correct program and rank to each student as you enter a new student. (If you requested to have your student data imported, you will need to have programs and ranks set up before the student data can be imported.) Also, it’s easier to delete programs or ranks before you add students (described in the Delete bullet later).

From here, you can:

• View ranks in the program: Click the program’s name to see the ranks and update the ranks as needed (keep reading for the instructions to change a rank’s belt graphics).
• Edit: Click the three vertical dots and select Edit in the menu to change the program’s name, add a description, and add which memberships apply to this program. Keep in mind that the program names need to be unique within your account.
• Delete: Click the three vertical dots and select Delete in the menu to remove the program permanently. Remember, however, that you can’t delete a program if any students (either active or inactive) have this program attached. You will need to remove the program from all students before you can delete the program.

3. To add a new program, click the Add New Program+ button.

4. In the Title field, enter the name of the program.

5. (Optional) In the Description field, type a brief description of the program.

6. (Optional) In the Connected Memberships drop-down list, select the desired memberships. (Note: You can add memberships later if you don’t yet have memberships added. Here’s how to add memberships.)

7. (Optional) Enter a number for the Attendance Minimum (the number of classes students need to attend per week or per month to not be considered absent). Enter a number for the Daily and Weekly Attendance Limit (the number of classes a student may attend per day or per week). If you do not wish to place any minimums or limits, enter 0 (zero) in each field.

8. From the Ranks drop-down list, select which ranks to use for this program:

• N/A: Select N/A to create a program with no ranks. Examples include a Fitness, Yoga, or Cardio Kickboxing program.
• Custom Ranks (This program will have a custom set of ranks): Select this option if you want to create a program and customize each rank. By default, this creates a program with one rank, N/A, as a starting point. You then can add and customize all ranks in the new program. (See the next section for instructions to add and customize the ranks.)
• Copy ranks from [Program]: If you already have at least one program created, you can copy the ranks from the other program by selecting the desired program name. This can be helpful for splitting a program or creating programs that share the same ranking structure. (For example, a Kids Martial Arts and Teens & Adults Martial Arts programs that use the same ranks.)

9. Click the Add button.

To edit or add ranks:

1. On the Programs page (see the previous section for instructions), click the program’s name to view the ranks for that program.

2. You see the program’s information (Name, Description, number of students attached, Connected Memberships). From here, you can:

• Edit program: Click the large three vertical dots and then click Edit to update the program’s name, connected memberships, or attendance details.
• Delete program: Click the large three vertical dots and then click Delete to permanently delete the program. If any students have the program attached, you will not be able to delete it. You will need to remove the program from all students (active and inactive) first.
• Move ranks: Click the three vertical lines on the left side of a rank and drag up or down the list to change the order of the ranks.
• Edit or delete ranks: Click the three vertical dots on the right side of a rank and click Edit to update the rank’s name or graphics; the steps to edit a rank are the same as adding a new rank (see below). Click Delete to delete the rank. (Again, you can’t delete a rank if any students are attached.)

3. Click the Add New Rank button to add a rank. (If you need to edit a rank later, the options are the same, as shown in the screenshots below.)

4. In the Title field, type the name of the rank (for example, White Belt or Green Belt).

5. (Optional) If desired, add an abbreviation for the belt.

6. In Color 1, select the belt’s color. If the belt has a stripe down the middle or is two-toned, you can select the stripe color in Color 2. To create a camouflage belt, select the Camo Pattern check box. (As you add the belt color and other options, the belt graphic at the bottom of the window will update to show what the belt looks like with the currently selected options.)

7. If the belt needs a tip, star, or stripe at the end, select the desired option from Emblem 1. You can choose from Vertical Stripe, I, V, X, and *. (Tip: Vertical Stripe creates a thick line, which looks like a tape tip on a belt.) From the Color drop-down list, select the emblem’s color; from the Count drop-down list, select the number of emblems that should appear on the belt.

If needed, repeat Step 7 under Emblem 2.

8. Click the Add button to add the rank.

Repeat Steps 3 through 8 for each rank you need in the program.

Helpful hints when you create programs and ranks

Programs have two main jobs in Kicksite:

• Tracking a student’s current rank and promotion history.
• Tracking a student’s attendance for that program.

With those two jobs in mind, Kicksite recommends creating programs and ranks based on a few criteria:

• Age groups: Most Kicksite clients find this is an easy way to break up programs and to get the best use of Kicksite. For example, many martial arts schools have three programs based on age group: A program for pre-school age children (such as Tiny Tigers, Little Ninjas, Lil’ Dragons, Super Tykes), a program for school-age kids, and a program for teenagers and adults. The advantage here is that you can easily see how many students in each age group attend because the program will be recorded when students check-in.
• Style or class type: Another way to break up programs is by the class type or style. For example, if your school offers Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai, you will want to create separate programs for each style. You will also want to create a separate program for “extras” or other classes. So if you offer a weapons class, a fitness class, or perhaps a tournament preparation class, create a program for each! For example, a school might have Tiny Ninjas, Kids Martial Arts, Teens/Adults Martial Arts, and Weapons programs. Some other examples of creating programs based on class type include a Fast-Paced Boxing, Slow-Paced Boxing, and No Floor Work Boxing programs.
• Other offerings or regular events: If your school offers other classes or options for students, such as an after-school program, summer camp, or a regular self-defense class, create a program for each of those options. For activities such as after-school programs and summer camps, you may even want to create two programs so you can track when students arrive and leave. For example, creating both an After School – CHECK IN program and an After School – CHECK OUT program enables you to easily find out (using the Attendance Log) the times and dates when students arrived and left your location.

Generally speaking, Kicksite does not recommend creating programs based on class times (a roster system). The reason is that it gets complicated both for the school’s administrator (to attach the correct programs to the students and to promote them in multiple programs) and for the students when they check-in (they will need to select the correct program from a list). **Kicksite’s developers have deployed the scheduler beta; the scheduler enables you to add class days and times to a program. Stay tuned for more capabilities to be added to the scheduler!**

As well, Kicksite generally does not recommend creating programs based on belt level (such as Kids Beginner, Kids Intermediate, Kids Advanced). This creates more work for the administrator as students advance ranks because you will need to to promote students and move them from one program to another.

What’s Next?

After you’re happy with your programs and ranks, consider setting up Testing Eligibility, adding Attendance Details, and setting up Attendance Awards. Also, make sure you set up memberships.