Scoutbook is the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) free official tool for advancement record-keeping and reporting. Its primary purpose is to help Scouts, parents, and registered leaders track and report advancement records. It can also help Scout units track who needs to take or retake Youth Protection Training, plan events, and send messages to their members.

Answers to some basic questions:

Why do I need Scoutbook?

It’s shocking, we know, but there have been times when Scouts have lost their handbook where they keep the proof they’ve completed certain requirements. Or, the signatures of a leader or parent approving advancement in those handbooks sometimes get wet or damaged. Scoutbook lets parents and Scout units maintain a web-based record of Scouts’ advancement.

Doesn’t the Council office track Scout advancement?

Scout units keep track of their own Scouts’ advancement and then make sure that information is synced with BSA’s national records (which are the ones that determine whether a Scout receives the Eagle, Quartermaster, or Summit Award) when they update Internet Advancement (through Scoutbook) or file unit advancement reports. Units who use Scoutbook can sync those records without waiting for our council office to do it.

Who uses Scoutbook?

Adults (parents and leaders) and Scouts. The rules are a little different for each:

Adults (leaders) – BSA creates your account when you join; an adult volunteer designated as a Scout unit’s Scoutbook Administrator can also create an adult’s account. This Administrator has the power to say which adults can be connected to your Scout unit.

Adults (parents) – Parents use their adult account to control who can access their Scout’s account. A Unit’s Administrator controls which adult accounts are connected to their unit.

Youth account – Scouts can’t get an account until their parent “invites” them to join. Once a Scout has an account, they can track their advancement progress just like they would if they had adults “sign off” on requirements in their handbook.

How do I get started in Scoutbook?

Open an internet browser (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari) on your computer, tablet, or phone and visit www.scoutbook.com. There is not a specific mobile app called “Scoutbook” on the AppStore or Google Play.

There is an app called “Scouting” that lets Scouts and parents connect to their unit’s Scoutbook account (but this app doesn’t work for Leaders). Once your profiles are set up through Scoutbook, you can follow your Scout’s progress and report completed advancement in this app. The app is available in the App Store or Google Play.

Adult account – Created by BSA or an Administrator. You log in using your username and password from My.Scouting.org (that’s the BSA online training site). Parents use their Adult account to control who can access their Scout’s account. A Unit’s Administrator controls which Adult accounts are connected to their unit.

Youth account – Parents must invite their child to join. How? Go to the Scout’s profile and scroll to the very bottom of the page. Select “INVITE” (Scouts must have their own email address to join). Enter the email address. Scoutbook will send a password to the Scout to his/her email. Log in with that email and password and you’re set. Any email sent to a youth through Scoutbook is automatically copied to a parent’s email. Leaders CAN NOT enter a Scout’s email address or create a profile for Scouts; only parents can set those up.

Emails

All scouts and parents are able to send emails to other scouts/adults in the troop via Scoutbook. When a scout sends emails via Scoutbook, his parents and the parents of the scout receiving the email are CC’d on the email under BSA Youth Protection policies.

Once a week, the SPL will send out the weekly email to scouts informing them of upcoming meetings, campouts, and activities. The information on each weekly email is also available on the Troop Bulletin.

Calendar

All troop activities (meetings, campouts, service activities, Courts of Honor, etc.) are put on the Troop 10 Calendar on Scoutbook. For some events (campouts, service activities, weekend activities, etc.), RSVPs (Yes or No) are required by scouts, and sometimes adults, by a certain date. RSVP reminders are emailed to the troop by Scoutbook automatically a set number of days/weeks before events that require RSVPs.

Details for activities can also be found on the Scoutbook Calendar. Details include information like location, schedule, and packing list and can be found by opening a certain event on the SCoutbook Calendar. Details for upcoming events are filled in at least one week before the event is to take place, and events that require RSVPs will include the details in RSVP reminders sent by Scoutbook.

Advancement Tracking

Scoutbook tracks each requirement that a scout earns. Each requirement will be marked as either completed, approved, or awarded.

• Completed: A scout himself is able to mark a requirement completed. Whenever a scout signs off a requirement, he must mark that he has completed that requirement in Scoutbook.

• Approved: Once a scout has marked a requirement complete, the Scoutmasters will double-check that the requirement has indeed been signed off in the Scout’s book. This is done when the scout registers that his book is signed by submitting a picture of his book here.

• Awarded: A requirement will be marked awarded when a scout has been awarded the rank/merit badge at a Court of Honor or in a meeting.

Scouts must keep their Scoutbook records up to date. While Scoutmasters can record completed Scoutmaster conferences and requirements they signed off themselves, they will not know when a scout has signed off a requirement with another scout and so it is the scout’s responsibility to log it in Scoutbook. If a scout does not log his progress in Scoutbook, he will not appear in the advancement reports to the Advancement Coordinator and may be overlooked at the next Court of Honor.

Activity Logs

Camping

Scoutbook logs camping nights in the very same way scouts log their camping nights at the back of their scout book. While the Scoutmasters will usually put in camping nights for all scouts that attended a campout once the campout has finished, scouts must check the Scoutbook Camping Log regularly to be sure their nights are being recorded.

Hiking

Hiking distance is required for a number of Merit Badges and is also tracked on Scoutbook. Similar to camping nights, Scoutmasters will log hiking distance after a hike for all attendees, but scouts must check the Scoutbook Hiking Log regularly to be sure their troop hikes are being recorded.

Service Hours

Service Hours completed on Scouting activities will be filled in by Scoutmasters, but all service activities done outside of the troop need to be corroborated by an adult or Scoutmaster. To get these hours, Scouts must log it on the Service Log in the back of their scout books, get a signature on that page by an adult or Scoutmaster, and then submit their signed page to Scoutbook like they would any rank requirement. Scouts can check their progress on the Scoutbook Service Log.

Leadership Positions

Any leadership positions held in the troop will be logged by the Scoutmasters at the beginning and end of the leadership term. Scouts should check regularly to see that their leadership positions are being logged correctly on the Scoutbook Leadership Log.