I was a scout when I was a kid, and I have always loved scouting for what it brings to the youth. I have always tried to give back to a program and organization. For years I have been a merit counselor to troops in underprivileged areas and have always helped scouts I have come across. Merit Badge counselors are extremely hard to find for the scouts, at least in the area of Los Angeles County where I am. For as much time and effort as I put in, I just can’t be everywhere all the time and that is where scoutbook has been a blessing.
With these weird changes to everything that do not make a whole lot of sense to me, I just find myself getting frustrated and tired of going back and forth from here to there when before it only took a few clicks to help the scout and update their progress. Even adding a new scout for a merit badge has become a time consuming burden that I don’t wish to continue to deal with anymore.
I am already aware of going to the legacy website and trying it there and that has become an issue itself both with adding scouts and updating merit badges. Add in the parents and troop leaders experiencing the same issues and not knowing what to do or where to go it becomes even more frustrating when trying to explain that as a merit badge counselor I can’t add their scout or update their badges because I have to wait for support or some other reason I am given.
I am only one person here and probably won’t be missed. I am just putting this here out of frustration and in hopes that someone sees what is really going on at the troop level with this update or whatever was done to scoutbook. Merit badges and awards keep the scouts motivated to participate and stay in the program. The scouts of today like to see their progress. I see this myself and I hope somebody realizes what a terrible thing this has become.
@RobertMontalvo- i understand the frustration but will say that mbc functions are still in scoutbook classic from connections to scouts to bulk and individual recording.
I have tried but unfortunately, not everyone is on the same page. Between the scout masters and leaders and the scouts parents, there is so much confusion and frustration with this whole situation. I received a message from a parent just this morning with questions about their scout’s merit badge progress. For weeks I have not been able to connect or update anything for them and the scout has a scheduled presentation today. Nobody can find or see their awards or accomplishments. I feel terrible because these kids work hard and I feel like everyone is failing them.
@RobertMontalvo - Nobody can see their awards or accomplishments… well they can either log into advancements.scouting.org or use the scouting app. There is little you can do to fix folks who either either confused or have never logged in nor allowed their scout to take ownership of THEIR advancement. I have worked with many scouts outside of my own council, been connected to them and updated their MB progress and even completed the MB. I have worked with scouts from Long Island NY and the jersey shore… not a single issue. All i needed was the scout name as registered and their MID and I connected myself to them successfully.
The changes from Scoutbook to Scoutbook plus, combined with changes in permissions for those who have advancement roles are frustrating. I’m biding my time, as I have enjoyed this role. I say hang in there.
Try running a scouts bsa history report from the scout’s page on legacy Scoutbook.
I am going to try, but my time and patience are running thin. I have to say it doesn’t look like this transition was well thought out at all. Being part of this program and helping our scouts succeed and advance should not be this difficult, frustrating, or stressful.
