Lodge Records: Data Entry Accuracy

[John-in-KC 311]

Brothers in Cheerful Service,

 

Those of us here at ScoutNet have seen the announcement about the new national OA software back last month.

 

The youth leaders of my Lodge are making preparations for the transition. The membership advisors have gathered a small team of computer literate youth and adults to pull data from ScoutNet, preparing to validate and update Lodge records. We've encountered some interesting challenges, and I want to share them with you, so you can Be Prepared!!!:

 

1) The first data dump the professionals can give us seems only to pull dues-paid Arrowmen in the current or previous year. While that should give you a 90%+ cut, it won't catch all the folks wearing flaps from years gone by.

 

2) Data entry is not of the highest quality. We have, literally, dozens of members who had their Ordeal on a certain date. Only one problem: That date is months away from ANY Ordeal our lodge conducts.

 

3) For transfers into the area (as opposed to folks who grew up in the local council and lodge), data entry is spotty. Many known Arrowmen do not any of their critical dates entered.

 

Our solution was to send out a note on our various district list-servs, with a data call from units: Have OATRs bring to chapter meetings a data dump from Troopmaster (or whatever unit software they use), or a hand-built list if the unit is still on hardcopy records. Put the responsibility back on the youth, where it properly belongs.

 

I hope this helps you.

 

In Cheerful Service, John