December Scoutbook Update
- Quick Nav
-
This popup contains your top 10 most visited pages.
Get quick access to your favorite links no matter where you are on Scoutbook. They're just a click away!
Got it...thanks!
December Scoutbook Update
Youth Advancement Sync Reminder
We are migrating advancement off the database behind Internet Advancement and will be making Scoutbook database the database of record for advancement data. This first step is making sure the current data that is in Internet Advancement reflects what is in Scoutbook and visa-versa. This gives you the opportunity to see what is in the permanent record and to make any necessary changes from Scoutbook to your Scouts’ permanent record. This is of real long term benefit to the Scouts.
Starting January 1, 2018 units with active Scoutbook subscriptions will only be able to approve advancements for Scouts who are in the advancement sync. If you have not activated your unit and Scout within the unit, you will not be able to approve advancements for that Scout. For more information and instructions, go to the forum thread here: http://bit.ly/syncadv
A Look at What We are Working On and What is Planned
We are frequently asked what we are working on. Well, now that we have the advancement sync in place and we are one more step closer to separating from ScoutNet, Here is a list of major items in store for Scoutbook that do not include bug fixes. Realize unforeseen changes in BSA programs and other factors may change priorities as we go along. This list is not necessarily in chronological order.
- Bringing in all the BSA youth awards to Scoutbook
- Updating Scoutbook to support the Boy Scout 2018 advancement changes
- Improve reporting
- Improve migration of Scouts between Dens/Patrols and Units.
- Improve the Merit Badge Counselor list support and functionality
- Single Sign On between Scoutbook and other BSA Applications
- Continue work on Venturing support
- Enable Sea Scouting Subscriptions
- JTE Support
- Enable Exploring Subscriptions
- Forums revision
- Prepare for Family Scouting
- Improve Calendaring and Event support
- Improve membership handling
An updated IT Blueprint and Timeline can be found here: http://bit.ly/BSAITimeline
Scout App (Be A Scout)
An app for Scouts and Parents to use that works on-line and off-line and interfaces with Scoutbook data. App is available on iOS and Android devices. Initial release will contain the following:
---- Scout and Parent access
---- View profile
---- Track advancement progress
---- Update hiking, service, and camping logs
---- View unit events
---- Access based on registration
Scoutbook Lite
As mentioned above, Scoutbook database will be the database of record for advancement data. In preparation, Internet Advancement will be retired and replaced in 2018 by a system named “Scoutbook Lite.” Scoutbook Lite will have the major features of Internet Advancement. Units will be able to hand enter data into the system like they do with Internet Advancement today. There are no current plans of supporting a file upload of data to Scoutbook Lite.
Updated Support for Nova Awards
The Webelos Dr. Charles H. Townes Supernova Award has been updated with the new requirements that become mandatory on January 1, 2018. On a Webelos Awards page you will now see entries for both the 2015 and 2018 versions of the award.
The Dr. Bernard Harris and Thomas Edison Supernova Awards have been added to the Boy Scout Award page.
The Boy Scout Nova Let It Grow Award is now supported by Scoutbook and has been added to the Boy Scout Award page. Other NOVA awards have been updated to reflect current requirements.
New History Reports sheds light on a Scout’s trail
One thing most Scoutbook Admins are asked to produce is advancement reports for scouts, particularly when a scout is working on becoming an Eagle Scout, or needs to show requirements for a rank or merit badge. Previously, an admin would run the advancement report and hand it to the scout – which was a bit cryptic for most to follow. In the earlier days, this report sometimes didn’t even work, so many admins stopped using it all together.
Scoutbook has stepped in and greatly improved their reporting capabilities to help the admins AND the scouts pull the reports in an easy to follow format. The report is called Scout History Report and is found just under the Individual Advancement Record report in the Reports menu on the Scout’s page in Scoutbook.
This report will show what is recorded in Scoutbook (and Internet Advancement, for those units who are linked) for Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. This takes the guess work out of a lot of questions, such as when did a Boy Scout earn his first rank – even back to Cub Scouts.
This includes only the items which are on file on Scoutbook, or ranks from Cub Scouts from Internet Advancement in synched units – so if your scout is a Boy Scout but didn’t have a Scoutbook account as a Cub, only the dates they earned ranks will be present.
Explain what occurred, their names, and your name, member ID, unit type and number, and council name
The long term plan is that the service hours reporting tool functionality will be incorporated into both Scoutbook and Scoutbook Lite.
- Updating Scoutbook to support the Boy Scout 2018 advancement changes
What advancement changes are coming in 2018?
We have not been notified of any Cub Scout changes coming at the first of the year. There will be some wording changes sometime in 2018 to accommodate Family Scouting.
Scoutbook is already in a good position to support Family Scouting. We will be making some small changes and, of course testing Scoutbook prior to the time you need us.
.
On the Boy Scout side there are always a few merit badges that are updated and minor changes to requirement wording. They are usually announced with the new Boy Scout Requirements Book in late January. We can say that there are no major changes that we know of at this time.
Please keep in mind that the Key 3 member must be designated in the same position at Scoutbook and at my.scouting.org.
Muy buena herramienta para los jóvenes y los líderes.
De nada.
There was a problem with the file that validates BSA#s on Saturday. We have been told this problem has been resolved. Please try entering your BSA#s again.
Will the Advancement updates make provisions for the Recharge Pin for the Cyber Chip?
Right now the way this award is handled is cumbersome at best, and not really suited to tracking how a scout earns the original patch, and then does the required annual recharge.
Another nice feature to consider would be the ability to add a few pictures to the hiking and camping log entries
Thanks for all your hard work!
Implementing Cyber Chip Recharge is on the requested enhancement list but we do not know when this may be scheduled for implementation. Unfortunately when the BSA added the Cyber Chip program to the rank requirements it was not well thought out. The one year expiration of Cyber Chip does not fit will with the way ranks work. What I did was use the Note field to indicate the previous Cyber Chip dates and used the completion date to hold the current recharge.
I will add pictures to log entries to the requested enhancement list but I have no idea if or when the BSA will schedule it for implementation.
The ability to automatically place an order from a PO has not been implemented. Many Scout Shops will pick an order for later pick up if you e-mail them the PO.
My question - I've set everything up as specified, everything has the little A next to it and all of the Scouts advancement data came over. I went in and added an approved advancement for a Scout. But when I went into Internet Advancement, it didn't pull over. Does that function not work yet? Or is it not instant?
I'd like to roll this out to my den leaders next week and then train my advancement chair, so I'm just making sure I know excatly how this all works. Thank you in advance!
Not everything you enter into Scoutbook will appear in Internet Advancement. Some items will, but there are many that don't. In any event, you must click Start Over if you were not on the Load Roster page in IA. It can take as long as 2 days for items to appear in IA.
A rambling question that's probably been answered someplace that I have yet to find.
Before the sync, I would import our units roster via Scoutnet into Scoutbook. I would compare it to the roster shown in our Council's advancement portal, and match up the registered scout's names with what was shown in Scoutbook. Something I would do fairly often due to delays from getting an application from our unit and processed through council. We recently set up our Scoutbook account to sync to Scoutnet all done by the Key 3 procedure and we are good to go with that. We did recently complete our rechartering and I want to be sure that all of our registered scouts get into our Scoutbook account once they get processed.There is no longer an import roster function direct to Scoutnet I believe. Is there anything we should be aware of, or need to do with Scoutbook itself to update our current enrollment list or sit back and Scoutbook updates automatically once the Scout's membership has gone though the system?
Thank you in advance-
There are no plans at this time to add awards other than national BSA awards to Scoutbook. This may come in the future, but not in the short term.
Since the Key 3 step is a 1 time step to get Sync started, you may need to take a laptop or mobile device to one of the Key 3 members and have them log in while you help them. This step was necessary because anyone can start a Scoutbook subscription for a unit. Since syncing causes Scoutbook to become the official BSA record for the Scouts in the troop, there had to be a way to ensure the Key 3 were aware of what was happening. They Key 3 only need to perform the one step towards activating sync. The other steps can be done by any unit admin.
Scoutbook will not automatically pull in new Scouts. Sync is currently for advancement only. Scoutnet import is still available via the Edit Pack screen, however, I recommend against using it as there are side effects that can take longer to clean up than just entering the Scouts manually. Another option is to use the Feature Extension Assistant for Chrome or Firefox. It has the ability to import a csv file containing new members and their parents. Search the Chrome or Firefox add on store for Scoutbook.
There is no requirement by the BSA for units to use Scoutbook. As announced above, there will be a free tool called Scoutbook LIte that will replace Internet Advancement. If you prefer tracking advancement on paper, you may do so. If you have questions on how to use Scoutbook, please post in the Using Scoutbook forum. A volunteer Scouter will be happy to assist you.
If you want to talk to someone in the same timezone you can hit me up brian.neukom@outlook.com.
Can you shoot me an email?
Marian McQuaid
Registrar, The Spirit of Adventure
marian.mcquaid@scouting.org
Send an email to SUACInformation@gmail.com and remind me of your post. I will send you my contact information.
On a related note, do you have three pack admins? Think of that as who should have the keys in case I’m unexpectedly unavailable?
The rules of who can approve have not changed. Any leader with Edit Advancement or Full Control can approve. I have found a discussion with the leaders reminding them of their duties is all it takes. If it is not the duty of a parent to approve advancement then they should not approve advancement in Scoutbook. If your troop's policy is someone who is responsible for approving advancement should not approve for their own Scout, make sure the leaders understand this. Fortunately, sync allows you to unapprove things that should not have been approved and they will be removed from the other BSA databases. You no longer need to contact your registrar to remove advancement that was entered incorrectly.
Parents cannot approve advancements in Scoutbook, even those given full control over their son. Those who also have a leadershp positions (like ASM) can. However you can remove the ASM position in Scoutbook if a parent is abusing their position. By the way there is no restriction given by the BSA on parents approving their son's advancement if they are in a position otherwise to do so. In general, if an adult leader is abusing their position, they should be removed from the position by BSA policy.
I have one frustration and that's the email system. I'm very disappointed it's not on the agenda for 2018. At the very least, four things need to be handled soon: (1) having access to a sent and auto saved draft folder (2) ability to format (3) ability to manually type in an email address for someone not in scoutbook (4) ability to handle messages copied from one source and pasted in scoutbook without converting some characters to garbage characters.
I know there are workarounds, but for all my new users it's a constant job for me to teach and remind them how to do it all.
A scout should never be deleted from Scoutbook. Click the SUAC logo to the left of this post, select Page 2 at the bottom of the list then select 03G(a) -- Managing Memberships - Adding-Removing and Moving Scouts Between Units-Dens-Patrols (PDF) for instruction on removing a scout from your unit roster.
You will need to enable your unit for sync. On the Purchase Order page is an Advancement Report button. The report generated by Scoutbook is an official advancement report. All Scout Shops have been notified they need to accept this report.
You print out the Unit Advancement Report from Scoutbook and bring that in. There is a short video here on how to do that here: http://bit.ly/syncadv
post exactly where you are stuck
Delete Comment?
Are you sure you want to delete your comment?
This action cannot be undone.