Scoutbook

[fred johnson 936]

Anyone here any updates or news about BSA's new ScoutBook?  

[DuctTape 1230]

I had a dream they decided to reprint the HandBook and Fieldbook from the 1950s. It was just a dream.

[Scoutmaster613 12]

Are you talking about the website?

 

I loved it till BSA bought it, now the servers are slower and the tech support is not there like it used to be.

 

Typical BSA, they go cheap

[BamBam 3]

My son uses it to keep track of his requirements when his handbook isn't handy. His troop uses another tracking program so it's for his personal use. It looks nice on his phone, but that's about it in my opinion.

[mashmaster 783]

We use it and it is ok.  Frankly I prefer scouttrack which is lower tech and faster.

[Krampus 696]

Used the demo site for 30 days. Meh. We will stick with TM and our spreadsheets.

[Scoutmaster613 12]

I dont think you guys are using its full potential. It has tons of useful items.

 

I have been using it for a year. Came off of TM and other tracking programs.

 

Scoutbook.com has made it so much easier to track my scouts ranks, keeping track of camping log, hiking log, service hours ect.

 

Entering merit badges and advancements, printing off PO's and advancement reports.

 

Tracks leader training on whats been done, and what needs to be done with accuracy. Nothing worse then doing your recharter and finding out someone is behind.

[Krampus 696]

I dont think you guys are using its full potential. It has tons of useful items.

 

I have been using it for a year. Came off of TM and other tracking programs.

 

Scoutbook.com has made it so much easier to track my scouts ranks, keeping track of camping log, hiking log, service hours ect.

 

Entering merit badges and advancements, printing off PO's and advancement reports.

 

Tracks leader training on whats been done, and what needs to be done with accuracy. Nothing worse then doing your recharter and finding out someone is behind.

 

Compared all those features, also the use of communications lists, use of mobile, security, customer service, up time (availability) and a host of other items. Had a hi-tech guy in our unit put together a comparison of all features and a cost comparison. TM came up more robust than SB. No compelling reason to switch. Nothing SB did that TM didn't already do. The lack of customer service to answer simple issues closed it for us.

 

What did you find SB did that TM didn't?

[mashmaster 783]

I dont think you guys are using its full potential. It has tons of useful items.

 

I have been using it for a year. Came off of TM and other tracking programs.

 

Scoutbook.com has made it so much easier to track my scouts ranks, keeping track of camping log, hiking log, service hours ect.

 

Entering merit badges and advancements, printing off PO's and advancement reports.

 

Tracks leader training on whats been done, and what needs to be done with accuracy. Nothing worse then doing your recharter and finding out someone is behind.

Scouttrack does all this and is actually responsive and fast.....  You can send mail to selected patrols, enter data for multiple requirements for scouts all the same time.

 

I work in the tech industry and it is clear that they don't have a big enough backend.  I'm hoping that will change.

[Krampus 696]

I work in the tech industry and it is clear that they don't have a big enough backend.  I'm hoping that will change.

 

They don't. And they don't have a good DR structure either. Lose your data and you are attached to another object by an incline plane wrapped helically around an axis.   

Edited October 19, 2015 by Krampus

[JasonG172 244]

The selling feature for me is the visualization.  I do enjoy seeing all the patches and awards on the home page.

 

I use it for my Webelos Patrol

[fred johnson 936]

The selling feature for me is the visualization.  I do enjoy seeing all the patches and awards on the home page.

 

That's a huge sale incentive.  And, seeing what the scout "could" do.  

 

I know several parents that avoiding any solution until we had it.  Now they periodically peak.  

 

The big negative is the system is still very immature, inefficient, slow and putzy to use.  Hopefully, that improves over the next year or two.  Not to mention a few more "reports" is a minimum expectation.