Scoutbook is a program that lets you update personal information, such as email address or phone number. It lets you RSVP for outings and track and enter progress on rank and Merit Badges. This page has instructions on how to use the Scoutbook website but you might find it easier to use the iPhone app or Android app.
RSVP
When you click on yourself or your Scout, a bar pops up with 3 options: Yes, No, and Maybe. You can click on Yes or No to change your status. Saying Yes early helps Troop 351 in planning to make sure there’s enough adults, enough drivers, etc.
Marking Progress for Rank
You don’t have to wait and have someone from the troop mark progress for you or your Scout. It’s better if you don’t, as anyone who has lost their book or had pages get wet or damaged can tell you.
Here’s how:
When you log into Scoutbook, the left side of the page should look something like this:
The 31% is the percentage of completing the next rank. For Benson today, that’s Star.
Connections is to adult leaders: Assistant Scoutmasters, Troop Admins, etc. Awards are things like Cyber Chips or 25 Nights of Camping or 50-miler hike Leadership is positions like Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, Scribe, etc.
Click on Advancement
Clicking on Second Class to show it
You can see where items are marked as complete. The notepad is because there’s a note saying which Scoutmaster approved it. You don’t need to do that. It’s much simpler and easier to take a photo of the Handbook with your phone, showing new things that were signed off. Odds are really good that you’ll never need it but again books do get lost or damaged.
You enter the day it’s completed and hit return or click Save. If you do it after each meeting, you can just click Today. Please don’t tick the leader approved box.
The benefit to you or your Scout of marking things completed is that the record can’t be lost. The benefit to the troop is that we can see where we need to focus on training. If we know we have 10 Scouts who need to do Tenderfoot Requirement #3c “Demonstrate a practical use of the taut-line hitch.” we can teach that.
When you or your Scout is done with a rank, the book with initials needs to be shown to the Advancement Chair so that it can be marked as Leader Approved/Recorded and recognized at the next Court of Honor.
Marking Progress for Merit Badges
Merit Badge Counselors basically work the same as Scoutmasters marking in the book except that MB Counselors will usually hold the “blue card” until it’s completed. That’s because the MB Counselor typically guides a Scout through the whole process from start to finish while several different Scoutmasters might work with you or your Scout at a campout.
Again, you are welcome to mark progress on the badge as you or your Scout completes the required tasks. The Advancement Chair will want the completed blue card signed by the Merit Badge Counselor so they can approve the Merit Badge and award it at the next Court of Honor.