What App/Program do you use for advancement tracking?

[seattlescouter]

I just joined my Troop with my youngest boy, and was a Cub leader for 6 yrs. We started using ScoutBook last year in my Pack. I will be Advancement Chair in my Troop  now, and want to use scoutbook there. I heard there may be other apps/programs coming up soon? Also that BSA is updating the internet advancement/roster page?

 

Curious what anyone else is using currently.

 

I used PackMaster for several yrs prior to scoutbook as well; I find scoutbook more accessible and user friendly.

[Chadamus]

http://www.troopmaster.com/#

[fred johnson]

We have an advancement box.  Advancements are directly entered into BSA online advancement.

[Torchwood]

We also use Troopmaster. IMHO, it is a much more robust platform.

[RichardB]

Scoutbook is the official application.   

[Scoutmaster Teddy]

Troop Web Host

[fred johnson]

Scoutbook is the official application.   

 

We use ScoutBook to retrieve and present a pretty picture.  But in reality, it just doesn't add value for us.  Reporting is very limited.  We use online advancement because it does provide a few key formatted reports that are very useful.

[mashmaster]

We use ScoutBook to retrieve and present a pretty picture.  But in reality, it just doesn't add value for us.  Reporting is very limited.  We use online advancement because it does provide a few key formatted reports that are very useful.

We also use Scoutbook and it does fine for the advancement tracking.  There is a lot of other things it could do well but they all seem to be 50% thought through.

[Col. Flagg]

I just joined my Troop with my youngest boy, and was a Cub leader for 6 yrs. We started using ScoutBook last year in my Pack. I will be Advancement Chair in my Troop  now, and want to use scoutbook there. I heard there may be other apps/programs coming up soon? Also that BSA is updating the internet advancement/roster page?

 

Curious what anyone else is using currently.

 

I used PackMaster for several yrs prior to scoutbook as well; I find scoutbook more accessible and user friendly.

 

TroopMaster has gone web-based and is very user friendly. I have used Scoutbook too and find the new TM better. They have an app as well. You can port from my.scouting in to TM to make training management and other data easier to use.

[Snow Owl]

We started with Packmaster for the Cubs and Troopmaster for the Scouts.  We tried Scoutbook and found it lacking and switched back to Packmaster & Troopmaster.  They both have a web version as well as a mobile App.  The Mobile app has been a real game changer.  Our council requires all advancement to be entered through the BSA internet advancement and will not allow us to purchase rank without proof we used it.  Packmaster and Troopmaster have an export feature that works fine to get the information to the BSA internet advancement

 

We have a bit of an odd setup in that we also use SOAR to host our websites. 

[T2Eagle]

We have used scoutmaster for well over a decade.  When BSA bought Scoutbook I took a hard look at it but it didn't seem to rise to TM's then offering.  

 

We're currently on a 30 day trial of TM Web, looking at Scoutbook again also, but TM seems to still offer more.  For instance, TM comes with a turnkey web page offering similar to SOAR, Scoubook doesn't offer anything like that, and TM allows more customization, as an example you can customize your permission slip with TM, Scoutbook only provides the BSA default.

[fred johnson]

When BSA bought Scoutbook I took a hard look at it but it didn't seem to rise to TM's then offering.

I'm used to SOAR. When BSA bought Scoutbook, I looked at it too. It's lacking from what we need in so many ways. If we tracked advancement like so many troops do, we'd use TroopMaster.  But we don't.  We keep it thin and only use BSA Online Advancement.

 

Made me wonder why BSA bought ScoutBook?  I recently sat in a ScoutBook presentation and heard the reason.  BSA back-end database is going away.  It's out of date and not supportable.  They are upgrading ScoutBook's database to become BSA's backend database.  That was part of the ScoutBook presentation. So I guess in the long run, our troop will be using ScoutBook.  It's years down the road, but it will happen.  Not sure we'll use the site or some cheap front end.  But it will be BSA's main tool.

Edited May 9, 2017 by fred johnson

[Col. Flagg]

I had to laugh at the thought of BSA taking ANY technology and not screwing it up so much that it's inoperable and bloated beyond any real use. Their track records is not good. Scoutbook may replace some things, but getting folks to drop TroopMaster for Scoutbook (or SOAR) is not going to happen. Some will, most won't.

[blw2]

we use troopwebhost.  They started using it before my time, but I think only a year or two before...

[DadScouts]

Troopmaster over Scoutbooks.  Period.  Email Troopmaster and they will likely have a bug fix out in a week; if you are asking for a Troopmaster enhancement they often give that to you in a month.  Ever try to email BSA tech support?  The owners of BSA Internet Advancement and myscouting.org, or wait it's now my.scouting.org, now own Scoutbooks.  The patient will die quickly.  Ask any Council staff about ScoutNet and they will roll their eyes.  The day BSA requires Scoutbooks to be used over Troopmaster is the day I start doing paper advancement reports again.