Scoutbook Instructions

Today, probably in your spam mail, is an invitation to Scoutbook.  Please accept this invitation and once you accept, please update your profile and add any BSA number to your profile if it is not there already. (they new crossover scouts will receive the invitation shortly).

So what is Scoutbook?  BSA purchased this web-based application that works on any platform, desktop or smartphone.  It has records of your Scouts' advancement.  Scoutbook also shows you what awards you may be close to achieving, and shows if you are eligible to be voted to Join the Order Of The Arrow.    PLEASE NOTE - YOUR SCOUTS ADVANCEMENT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE LAST COURT OF HONOR.  THE NEW RANKS AND MERIT BADGES WILL NOT SHOW AS OF YET.

Spirit of Adventure Council has started to use Scoutbook for Advancement as slowly Packs and Troops are signing up for this application.  We are trying it out now, and although it probably has some bugs here and there, it is really a neat tool.  You have your scoutbook at the tip of your fingers, right on your phone or in your home

How to properly set up your account

Find the email in your spam folder Scoutbook.com - info@scoutbook.com
Your Account Has Been Setup

Scoutbook is an exciting new web app that works in all browsers but is specifically designed for mobile devices like the iPad, iPhone and other tablets.

Visit Scoutbook.com and login using the information below

Login: youremailaddress@provider.com
Password: ABC123
Learn More and Login Now

Parent Account - Your information - Scoutbook will be adding Journey to Excellence in a few months and it would be nice to have all adults records updated.  
  1. Click on My Dashboard
  2. Click on My Account
  3. Click on Password and enter the password that was sent you and then change it to one of your choosing.
  4. Once changed, click on the red "go back button >"
  5. Click on Edit Profile
  6. Please update your contact information - ensure your name exactly matches your registered name with BSA.  (Don't use Dave if your name is David)
  7. Most important - please enter your BSA #.  This will bring in all of your training and YPT (Youth Protection Training).  When you did the paperwork to join the Troop, did you complete the adult application?  If so, you have a BSA#.
  8. Click update and then the "red go back button >
  9. Please enter any position you have held.
  10. You can enter all of the other things at your leisure, such as camping, service etc.
Scout Information
  1. Now click the "Go back again and you will be on the main page.  It's now time to update your scout.
  2. Click on your scouts' name.
  3. Scroll past their rank and awards to Edit Profile
  4. Please enter the date they Joined the Troop.  (Usually, a week after they crossed over).
  5. Please also enter the date they earned the Arrow Of Light if it is not there already. (Blue and Gold date).
  6. Please update the rest of the page.  Have they completed the BSA Swim test?  What date?
  7. Once complete, go back and complete the logs - This is a really helpful place to log all of this in case the handbook is lost or gets wet or your computer crashes.
  8. Click on Camping Log and enter all of the overnights your scout has completed since he joined Troop 13. You may want to look up the temperatures for the overnights as the application awards you "Frost Points"  For example - this past Winter's Campout was 36F high, 18 F low  http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/needham-ma/02492/december-weather/338638.
  9. Click on Hiking Log and enter all of the Troop hikes (remember the hike with the Webelos (Counts for those that were already in Troop 13, not the Webelos)
  10. Click on Service and enter any service hours you worked, Eagle Project help, Scouting for Food, Flag Placement, Church Yard Sale etc)
This will be needed FOR Scoutbook to generate a list of scouts eligible for the Order of the Arrow.   Really important is to update the camping log.  Eligible camping nights are calculated from the Scout's Camping Logs.

"The youth must have experienced 15 nights of Boy Scout camping while registered with a troop or team within the two years immediately prior to the election. The 15 nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of at least five consecutive nights of overnight camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. Only five nights of the long-term camp may be credited toward the 15-night camping requirement. The balance of the camping (10 nights) must be overnight, weekend, or other short-term camps of, at most, three nights each. Youth must be under the age of 21, hold the BSA First Class rank or higher, and following approval by the Scoutmaster or Varsity team Coach, be elected by the youth members of their troop or team."
Order of the Arrow BSA website 

You may create an invitation for your scout to have their own profile, that is up to you.  A scout may not have access to Scoutbook without a parent invitation. The parent can then log in to Scoutbook and edit the profile of their son and click the option to allow their son to connect to his own account. The Scout will need his own email account. A temporary password will be sent to him.

If your Scout has his own email and has parents permission to receive Troop messages directly, here's how to add the Scout email: 

The parent must first have a Scoutbook account and log in. Then go to the Edit the Scout's profile. At the *very bottom* of the page there is a red bar button to add the Scout email. The parent enters the Scout's email address to invite the Scout. The Scout gets an email in his inbox to accept and log in. Scouts who have completed the login process following the parent generated email will now appear under the Scout Roster in the message list under Send Message. Leaders do not have direct access to the Scout's email address. 

Step by Step: 
>Log into your own parent account on ScoutBook
>Open ‘My Dashboard.'
>Click the ‘Son’ under My Family
>Click on your Son's ‘Edit Profile.'
>Go to the very bottom and click button ‘Invite ___ to Connect.'
>Enter your son’s email address
>Have your son Accept your invitation and choose a password from the message sent to his email inbox
>Scout will now appear as available choice to receive a message in the Send Message area. Parents will always be auto copied also on any message sent to Scout.


Now - to check out what Scoutbook does.

First, on your scouts' page, you can see their current rank and merit badges (From before the June court of honor).  You or your scout can go into the current rank and tick off all of the rank requirements that have already been signed off in your scout handbook by a older scout.  Just enter the date it was signed off.  Please note - this does not take the place of having your book signed off - they still must do that.  This gives you a visual percentage of how much work is left to go before the next rank is achieved.  

The fun part is to log into awards.  You might notice partials on some of them already.  Awards your scout might not even know exist.  

We are learning about scoutbook at this time and exploring all it can do.  If scoutbook is not updated, don't worry as the troop is still using our troops existing software to update council.  

Think of this as a parent and scout tool to keep you on track and the more we learn about it, the more applications we will use.

Also, please note, the new crossovers are not on the roster as of yet, and the older scouts have not been asked to use it at this time.  

Remember to ask questions if you have them.

Lisa

Safety and Security
1. Scoutbook is hosted at a secure, state of the art virtual data center facility in Texas owned and operated by IBM.

Redundant, Best-in-Class Infrastructure
Our datacenter maintains multiple power feeds, fiber links, dedicated generators, and battery backup. They are built from industry-leading hardware and equipment, ensuring the highest level of performance, reliability, and interoperability.

2. We comply with Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). No child under the age of 13 can register on Scoutbook by themselves.  A parent must be registered with them.



3. We utilize HTTPS encryption on every page of the site ensuring your data is secure from the very first page visit to the last.

4. All passwords are one way hashed using SHA-256 encryption with salt. If our database is ever compromised, hackers cannot get users passwords. Nor can we see any passwords.

5. Secure, transparent communication between leaders and parents. All communication done on Scoutbook goes through the parents. Parents are the only one who can add a Scout's email address to his profile. Parents are the only one who can give their Scout access to their account.

6. Mailings from leaders to Scouts always include the parents. Parents are CC'd on all communication between adults and the Scout.

7. No storage of SSN. Other software products like PackMaster and TroopMaster store social security numbers. Scoutbook does not nor do we need to. ScoutNET Internet Advancement works fine without it.

8. Real Time Protection Against Hackers.
We utilize the latest technologies to detect and block unwanted visitors to Scoutbook. Our web app tracks failed login attempts, 404's, form errors, etc. Our system automatically blocks any visitor or automated bot attack that produces more than x faults in a specified period of time.

9. Scoutbook protects all Scouts photos and last names. If a user attempts to join a pack or troop they will not be able to see any details until they are approved and added as a connection to the Scout.



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