Can the folks at Scoutbook generate a feature that would allow us to print out by troop, patrol, and by Scout on a bar or “Gantt” chart basis each Scout’s advancement from Scout to Eagle? This way we can see at a glance the entire troop, or the SPL and PL’s and the individual Scout where they are at, advancement wise? This could be printed on 11x17 or possibly 24x36 paper (similar to the hand-edited versions they sell in the Scout Shops). We are doing our best to put out one in Excel for our Troop, but it is tedious to update when we have to go back and look at every Scout’s record. By automating it in Scoutbook it would be MUCH easier. Thanks, Chris Vaughan, CC, Troop 654, Poway, CA
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Unit Key 3/Key 3 Delegates or Scoutbook Unit Admins can export all advancement to CSV. I used to do this for my PL so he could coordinate what the patrol needed in terms of advancement.
They can also create a custom report using Report Builder. I don’t find the format ideal for printing large-format personally, but other folks I know like it a lot.
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I wrote a utility that’s takes the csv exports and writes an excel file separated by patrols. It’s… not user friendly in the slightest. If you have a software developer background in C#, you might give it a try. If you have questions I might be able to help, but I would assume it’s going to be more effort than you’re looking for.
Edit: attaching example. We call it the “dot chart”. The trick is to use Excel to define print areas, then print each rank on a single landscape 8.5x11.
TroopAdvancementChart copy.xlsx (39.2 KB)
LOL that is the taking Scout Law #1 to the Max
Andrew,
Thanks. Yes, this is similar to what we’ve already created, but the key is for Scoutbook to automatically download into the sheet so that the work is all automated. I’m sure that’s probably a programming exercise that National IT wouldn’t relish taking on. Thanks, Chris Vaughan
At some point, there was a request put forward that an API with read/write ability* to the database be added. I believe it got a hard no back from the BSA. I’d be very surprised if they were willing to consider an automated download, irrespective of the programming effort involved. The objections were less related to the effort involved and more based on design intent and security.
Honestly, it’s not that gigantic a task for a unit admin/Key 3/Key 3 delegate to manually download the advancement backup file in CSV format periodically, if you’re willing write something to parse that download into whatever format you’re after for unit use. The downloading of the file is the easiest bit of the whole process (assuming the BSA doesn’t at some point eliminate that ability).
*The request might just have been for a read-only API. I can’t find the thread with the request offhand.
Charley,
We do not have “programmer-types” in our unit - we’re pretty simple folks. i’ll take a look at the CSV download and look at that. Thanks, CV
Report Builder can basically do this - but I will say as a Multi-year SM - I NEVER considered it my job, or any adults job to monitor advancement. That was the individual Scouts Job. Once 15, I would remind of timeline/Tenure issues so they were aware. I did not run the troop holding their hands, I let the Scouts SCOUT as they wished, and everyone was different.
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Yeah, it does get into the “blurry edges” as to when helping the youth leaders support their fellow scouts rolls over into “adult driving” of advancement. My goal in supplying the info was just to provide access for the youth leaders if it had utility to them. What they did with it was up to them (and their “constituent” scouts).
This was “easier” for the youth leaders to track this in the paper & pencil days when we had a big wall chart that the PLs could update as their scouts got stuff signed-off. You just walk over and look if you want to know where things stand. :^)
Didn’t the BSA, at one time, have a poster you could fill in with all of the scout’s names and track their advancement? Perhaps that was a third-party poster I remember.
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They did. My search shows just having ones for cub dens now.
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Yes, we have one, but it’s pretty trashed now. That’s why we’d prefer a digital edition!
Charley, I tried the Report Builder and that gives us what we need to update our “Excel Spreadsheet” format advancement chart. If BSA would put the names down the left side and the requirements across the top, it would work better. But we’ll live with it. Thanks, Chris Vaughan, T654, Poway, CA
Just Pivot the report
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@ChristopherVaughan2 - whose advancement is it…
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Thanks!!! Didn’t see that right away.
The entire Troop. We wanted to get away from the paper charts they sell at Council Office and go more digitals that we can put both in Google Docs as well as print on a large-format printer/plotter say once a month. Scouts are very visual and they look at to to see where they are and also compare themselves to the other Scouts. We call it the “Wall of Self-Motivation.”
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Scout-to-First-Poster 2020.pdf (40.0 KB)
@ChristopherVaughan2 I will provide you this - can get printed 2’ X 3’ for a little over $1. Not updated yet for the new small changes. I find Scouts that hang this in bedroom advance and plan.
@ChristopherVaughan2 - yeah i get that but the scouts can also track their own progress on scoutbook if their parents invite them to connect.
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@DonovanMcNeil - have you ever thought about exploring publishing as a career:-)
