content: <PAGE>
  
                                   UNITED STATES
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
      Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  
  <S>                                                     <C>           <C>
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)         January 31, 2001
                                                    -------------------------------------------------------
                                          Kana Communications, Inc.
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                Delaware                               000-26287                          77-0435679
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction                     (Commission                       (IRS Employer
          of incorporation)                           File Number)                   Identification No.)
                        740 Bay Road, Redwood City, California                              94063
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       (Address of principal executive offices)                           (Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code        (650) 298-9282
                                                      -----------------------------------------------------
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  </TABLE>
  <PAGE>
  
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.
  
       On January 31, 2001, the Registrant issued a press release announcing a
  change in management.
  
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
          (c)     Exhibits
                  --------
  
                  Exhibit
                  Number       Description of Document
                  ------       -----------------------
  
                  99.1         Press Release, dated January 31, 2001, announcing
                               management change.
  <PAGE>
  
                                    SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                          KANA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  
  
  Date:  February 1, 2001                 By: /s/ JAMES C. WOOD
                                             -----------------------
                                          Name:  James C. Wood
                                          Title: Chief Executive Officer, Chief
                                                 Financial Officer and Chairman
                                                 of the Board
  <PAGE>
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
            Exhibit
            Number       Description of Document
            ------       -----------------------
  
            99.1         Press Release, dated January 31, 2001, announcing
                         management change.
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3472}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "KANA COMMUNICATIONS INC", "cik": "0001089907", "assigned-sic": "7389", "irs-number": "770435679", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27163", "film-number": "1520999"}, "business-address": {"street1": "740 BAY RD", "city": "REDWOOD CITY", "state": "CA", "zip": "94063", "phone": "6503259850"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "740 BAY RD", "city": "REDWOOD CITY", "state": "CA", "zip": "94063"}}
text: UNITED STATES
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
      Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)         January 31, 2001
                                                    -------------------------------------------------------
                                          Kana Communications, Inc.
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                Delaware                               000-26287                          77-0435679
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction                     (Commission                       (IRS Employer
          of incorporation)                           File Number)                   Identification No.)
                        740 Bay Road, Redwood City, California                              94063
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       (Address of principal executive offices)                           (Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code        (650) 298-9282
                                                      -----------------------------------------------------
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS.
  
       On January 31, 2001, the Registrant issued a press release announcing a
  change in management.
  
  ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.
  
          (c)     Exhibits
                  --------
  
                  Exhibit
                  Number       Description of Document
                  ------       -----------------------
  
                  99.1         Press Release, dated January 31, 2001, announcing
                               management change.
  SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                          KANA COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
  
  Date:  February 1, 2001                 By: /s/ JAMES C. WOOD
                                             -----------------------
                                          Name:  James C. Wood
                                          Title: Chief Executive Officer, Chief
                                                 Financial Officer and Chairman
                                                 of the Board
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
            Exhibit
            Number       Description of Document
            ------       -----------------------
  
            99.1         Press Release, dated January 31, 2001, announcing
                         management change.