Computerizing Your Unit

1. Computerizing Your Unit University of Scouting January 2, 2008 Instructor: Jim T. Phillips

2. What is Scouting About? It’s about having FUN. It’s about time spent with your boy. It’s about teaching great values. It’s about learning teamwork. It’s about camping.

3. It’s, also, about Paperwork!! (Remember, It’s only 1 hour per week.) (per scout)

4. Simplify the Paperwork Computerizing Your Unit

5. Benefits of Computerizing Your Unit Less Work Less Storage Space Easier Backup of Data Easier to Transfer Records All Records in One Place

6. Items That Can Be Computerized Awards Records Attendance Records Progress Records Events Just about Anything

7. Go From To This This

8. Types of Programs Available Awards Programs Attendance Programs Progress Programs Pack Derby Programs Online Programs

9. Types of Programs ScoutSoft manages the complete youth program for LDS Stakes and Wards. It includes the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Varsity, Venturing/Sea Scouts & Young Womens program. ScoutSoft provides many Ward & Stake management tools and reports. ScoutSoft allows Stakes & Wards to link to their councils by transmital disks for advancement reporting and rechartering. An individual sponsoring organization's annual license currently is only $59.00 per year for all BSA units in the sponsor! http://www.scoutsoft.net ScoutNET Certified!

10. Types of Programs ScoutNET 2000 Compatible! Submit advancement, recharter, and additional enrollment reports to your council office electronically. PackMaster's recharter report file is also fully compatible with BSA's Internet Rechartering System. Fast and easy to use. A HUGE time-saver! Data encryption! You can now protect your scout and adult personal data. Tracks scout personal data, medical info, and parent info, including parent vehicles. Tracks ALL advancement from Tiger thru Arrow of Light, plus Tiger Track Beads, Arrow Points, Compass Points, Academic/Sports and Special Awards. Includes advancement changes. Track details/sub-requirements for all Rank Advancement, Academic/Sports Awards, Webelos Activity Badges and Wolf / Bear Electives. 1yr license - $39.95* http://www.troopmaster.com ScoutNET Certified!

11. Types of Programs ScoutNET Compatible! Submit advancement, recharter, and additional enrollment reports to your council office electronically.TroopMaster's recharter report file is also fully compatible with BSA's new Internet Rechartering System. Fast and easy-to-use! A huge time saver! Data encryption! You can now protect your scout and adult personal data. Tracks scouts, adults, merit badge counselors, and points of contact. Family links automatically update common information in linked records whenever any of the records are updated. Attach photos of scouts/adults and TroopMaster will display the member's photo when you update his records. Easily generate a unit Photo Directory. Tracks medical info, physical exams, emergency contacts, and insurance info. (View demo of Physical Exam Status report!) Tracks parent and adult leader vehicles. Tour permit assistance! Tracks ALL Boy Scout advancement, including all ranks and palms. Optionally record which counselor taught each merit badge. 1yr license - $39.95* http://www.troopmaster.com ScoutNET Certified!

12. Types of Programs ScoutManage ScoutManage provides an easy to use, intuitive, secure, and inexpensive method for tracking all aspects of your Scouting unit. ScoutManage supports tracking: Cub Scout Packs Boy Scout Troops Venturing Crews  Sea Scout Ships  Using a single, easy-to-use web interface, multiple members of your unit • including leaders, parents, and individual scouts • can access, monitor, track, and update all aspects of their scouting experience in a safe and controlled environment. ScoutManage allows multiple members of your unit to view and update information at the same time, creating a truly powerful system for interacting between everyone in your unit. One year of ScoutManage is available for $34.95 http://www.scoutmanage.com

13. Types of Programs ScoutTrack.com Pack/Troop leaders can: Add and remove dens/patrols, scouts and parents Add and remove other pack/troop leaders and advancements coordinators Track which scouts have paid their pack/troop registration fees Promote dens/scouts to the next rank at the end of the scouting year (only applies to Cub Scouts) Send e-mail to everyone in the pack/troop Advancements Coordinators can: View the "Badges Earned" report that shows which scouts have earned which badges. There are three forms of this report: Award service year pins to the entire pack or troop Enter badges earned for previous years Send e-mail messages to the den/patrol leaders or to announce cut-off dates for earning badges Den leaders and Scoutmasters (including Assistant Scoutmasters): See the progress of their den/patrol Assistant Scoutmasters can get a report of which scouts only need Scoutmaster conferences or Board of Reviews to complete a badge Add and remove scouts and parents from their den/patrol Choose whether their den is using the new 2004 requirements or the old 1998 requirements (applicable for Wolf, Bear and Webelos ranks). Decide if parents of the scouts are allowed to mark activities completed at home Track which scouts have paid their den/patrol dues Enter badges earned for previous years Promote their den/scouts to the next rank at the end of the scouting year (only applies to Cub Scouts) Send e-mail messages to the parents in their den/patrol Parents: See the up-to-date status of their scout(s) activities Mark activities completed at home (if allowed by leaders) Keep control of the Scout book — especially important towards the end of the scouting year when all those requirements need to be finished! Send e-mail messages to the leaders 12-month license to use ScoutTrack.com is $45 http://www.scouttrack.com

14. Types of Programs Or You can use http://www.scouttrack.com

15. Online Advancement Required by December 31, 2008 By: Bill Bexley Vice Chairman Council Advancement Committee. Online Advancement is an outstanding tool to insure that advancement records are correct and up-to- date. If you have not accessed this online program, you are missing a great opportunity to make sure your Scouts are actively registered and their advancement records match the records of the National Boy Scout database. As of December 31, 2008, Circle Ten Council will require that all advancement records be inputted by unit leaders via the National BSA Online Advancement program. This is an easy process and very user friendly. What are the benefits? · Unit Leaders have direct access to the National Boy Scout database. · It eliminates multiple people handling the information. · Improves accuracy. · Unit Leaders have the ability to print a Unit Roster to make sure the contact information and advancement information is current and correct. · It eliminates the need for third party advancement programs especially for smaller units. · It allows for electronic updating of advancement information via third party programs (i.e.: PackMaster and TroopMaster) if a large units prefer to keep their records using one of these software programs. · No more hand written Advancement Reports. The online program prints out the information required to turn into the Scout Shop for obtaining the appropriate patches and activity badges. · The online program can print a shopping list to assist in purchasing the patches and activity badges. · Scout Shop will accept faxed copies and fill the orders during off peak times. You can pick up the order the next day or they will charge your unit account and ship your order. (There will be a small shipping fee for this service). · Eagle Scout applications cannot be process using the online program. However, the accuracy of the advancement records eliminates delays in processing the application. Most districts will require online advancement reports as of December 31, 2008 to process an Eagle application. Unit Login information is available by contacting your District Advancement Chair, or your District Executive.

16. If you have not accessed this program, we encourage you to go online and take advantage of this online program. You can find a link by going to www.circle10.org click on “Resources” and then “Internet Advancement”. Below are the initial steps for getting started: 1. Assign this responsibility to one individual in you unit. This is preferable since there is only one login username and password per unit. If den leaders are responsible for their specific den, it is OK to give them the username and password, but be aware that they have access to the contact information and advancement records for the entire Pack. 2. Create a report of the current information of your unit records. If you use a computer program mentioned above, simply print an Advancement Report showing the names, and date of birth of each of your Scouts. 3. Obtain the login information from your District Executive and/or District Director 4. Login and follow the online instructions. 5. It is recommended that you print a Unit Roster showing the contact information from the National Database before attempting to make automatic updates. 6. Make a visual comparison of your records and the National records. It is very important that the first name and last name match. If they don’t match, automatic updates via third party computer programs cannot be made to those records. Sometimes Scouts go by “nicknames” and the National Database uses their proper name. IMPORTANT: Changes of contact information such as names and date of birth to the National Database have to be coordinated through your District Executive and/or District Director. 7. If the National database is correct, simply make the changes to your information to match National’s database. At this point you are ready to make advancement updates to the National Database. This can be accomplished manually by simply making changes to each Scout’s advancement records. If you have a small unit, this is the recommended process. If you have a larger troop and utilize one of the computer programs mentioned above you can upload the information into the National Database by creating a current electronic advancement report, saving it on the same computer you use to access the National online program. (Remember where you save the program.) Make sure your first advancement report goes back far enough to reconcile old information. After the first electronic report, subsequent electronic reports are simply chronological updates. The Circle Ten Council and your district will be conducting training events at roundtables and special training events. Watch for these dates within your District or on the Council Website. If you have questions, contact your District Executive and/or District Director or your District Advancement Chairman.

17. Units can enter ranks, merit badges, and awards online

18. Internet Advancement is provided to assist units with recording ranks, merit badges, and awards and reporting to the council.

19. Features • Simple and intuitive interface • Works from any Internet-connected PC with Internet Explorer • Will be updated with the latest rank, merit badge, and award options

20. Benefits to Scouting Units • Unit enters its own advancement records • Unit prints a convenient advancement report • Unit obtains current unit roster and unit history

21. Benefits to the Council • Youth member records are updated • Advancement statistics are current • Record keeping is simplified for all units

22. Units will: • Have one unit advancement processor register to use Internet Advancement • Access with a unit ID that does not change annually • Enter ranks and awards appropriate to their unit type

23. Advancement Reports • Units set their own schedule for submitting advancement reports • The council recommends submitting the report once per month, before the month end • The unit must submit one final report each December

24. How Councils Are Affected • Council advancement procedures that guide units will remain the same • Unit statistics are updated by submittals and will display on council reports • Current unit roster will be online

25. Ranks, Awards, and Merit Badges • Nominated awards, such as meritorious action awards, cannot be entered • Eagle Scout rank cannot be entered with Internet Advancement and must be completed through the council • Ranks must be added in sequence based on unit type and program

26. What should the unit do now? • 1. Appoint the unit advancement processor. • The unit advancement processor will then: • 2. Obtain the unit ID from the council. • Go to the council Web site and enter Internet Advancement. • Review instructions, Help, and FAQ. • Register as a new user. • Review current Unit Advancement Summary. • Gather youth advancement records and begin entry.

27. Types of Programs SCOUT RECORDS-U.S.Scout Troop Admin. Software - Commercial(Palm Pilot) WINSCRIBE 2000-U.S.Scout Troop Admin. Software - Freeware(WIN) SCOUTMATE-U.S.Scout Troop Admin. Software - Shareware(DOS & WIN) SCOUT TRACKER-U.S.Troop Admin. Software - Shareware(WIN) WINDOWS TO YOUR PACK-U.S.Cub Pack Admin. Software - Shareware(WIN) CUBMATE-U.S.Cub Pack Admin. Software - Shareware(DOS & WIN) SCOUT TRACKER-U.S.Troop Admin. Software - Freeware(MAC) SCOUT TRACKER-U.S.Troop Admin. Software - Freeware(WEB) SCOUTWISE-U.S.Troop Admin. Software - Commercial(DOS) SCOUT RECORD KEEPER-U.S.Cub, Scout Admin. Software - Shareware(MAC & WIN) RANK N' FILE-U.S.Troop and Pack Admin. Software - Commercial(WIN) TROOPMASTER-U.S.Troop and Pack Admin. Software - Commercial(DOS and WIN) WINSCOUT-U.S.Troop Admin. Software - Commercial(WIN) SCOUTWARE-U.S.Boy Scout/ Cub Admin. Software - Shareware(WIN) SCOUTSOFT-U.S.LDS Scouting Admin. Software - Commercial(DOS) EAGLEQUEST-U.S.Troop Admin. Software - Commercial(WIN) TROOPER-U.S.Troop Admin. Software - Commercial(WIN) DEN / AWARDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM-U.S.Pack Admin. Software - Commercial(WIN) COUNCELOR KEEPER-U.S.Badge Councelor Admin. Software - Freeware(MAC & WIN) SCOUTER'S AID-U.S.Scout Troop Admin. Software - Commercial(WIN) SCOUTING PLANNER-U.S.Cub Pack Admin. Software - Commercial(WEB) TRAX SPREADSHEETS-U.S.Scouting Tracking Spreadsheets - Freeware(WIN) MYSCOUTLINK-U.S.Scouting Event Software - Freeware(WEB) Also, visit: http://clipart.usscouts.org/Software.asp

28. Computerizing Your Unit Questions and Answers