“Recorded into IA” happens when an item is approved by a leader in the unit. However, Scoutbook and Internet Advancement both use the same database, but leader approved is the important part.
The yellow checkmark is just used by the unit as a way to track when the Scout has been recognized, either by presenting the badge to the Scout or at a court of honor.
@PaulStrasma …
Let me SLOWLY catch up with your comments please.
I am multi-tasking as your comment to share it into Scoutbook Knowledge Base had me thinking about revision dates and corrections I made after comments.
Jennifer…
I believe yours reference to this:
I was running into a problem with space. This is also see by 3 audiences: Scout, Counselor and Scoutmaster/Troop Advancement Chair.
Was thinking that line of thought would be better on another infographic as I thinking to make another of the MB Process because some of the actual markings we see in Scoutbook with Counselor is bit different. I purposely switched out the 'blue checkmark of counselor approved to show the ‘earned’ Counselor approved.
So do you think I should still add your comment to the infrographic?
Looks like I misunderstood @CharleyHamilton comment of where item 12 was to go until @PaulStrasma corrected me that it includes 10-12.
Added in is the point that @JenniferOlinger was stressing on the IA Here is the updated one.
Hopefully I have the arrows in the correct place and the updates correct?
ANY leader with Edit Advancement authority can mark a MB leader approved. It is NOT restricted to the Scoutmaster or Troop Advancement Chair. Per the Guide to Advancement, unless the Scoutmaster delegates this authority to others, only the Scoutmaster should be marking MBs approved.
For example, in my troop, the Troop Advancement Chair is NOT authorized to approve MBs or any other advancement EXCEPT rank Boards of Review. That is the role of the SM and ASM team.
Talking the wording in this box @edavignon
So what best course of action for me to fix the word of…(or Troop Advancement Chair)… please? Or just simply remove it and not replace it with anything?
I would word it “Scoutmaster or designee” or remove it.
@JenniferOlinger @Stephen_Hornak @edavignon @CharleyHamilton @DonovanMcNeil @PaulStrasma
First, THANK YOU for all the education and feedback that allowed me to put it all into these infographics! Much appreciation as I could not have done it without your help!
Second, hopefully everything is corrected and final that we can close this topic.
Third, you are welcomed to add them to the Scoutbook Knowledge Base. I believe you are able to find my email if you need the PDF version. If not, find me in Seneca Waterways Council, very easily!
Later I will take it a step further to create an infographic for the Merit Badge Requirements and Process - ScoutBook Knowledge Base
Thank you for all you do in Scouting and Enjoy your Merit Badge Adventures!
Ursula Seefeld aka Deaf Scouter
The key with the SB MBC list is that any adult leader registered with the unit has access to it. The scouts do not have direct access to the list, so should not be “taking the initiative to reach out to a counselor” without their SM’s approval (or his/her designee).
In practice, this becomes a matter of educating the registered volunteers within each unit on how they should / should not be using the MBC list. Some SMs want to talk to every scout about every MB. Some SMs delegate those discussions to a committee member or ASM who serves as a MB coordinator. Some SMs don’t see any issues with the scouts accessing their parent’s Scoutbook account and then reaching out to MBCs directly (not recommended).
So how would you word it please @PaulStrasma ?
The Scout can start any merit badge, get access to the requirements list, and start marking requirements completed (step one goes to the first green checkbox with text “Scout Starts Badge, Tracks Completion).
When the Scout meets with the SM to discuss interest in the badge, that date can be recorded by the scout on the MB page where requirements are logged in the Initial Unit Leader Signature field
The SM or adult leader designee can then assign a MBC to the Scout
So the step 3 orange arrow should be to a rectangle with the text “Log Initial Discussion, Leader Assigns Counselor”. No checkbox or non-checked box is needed.
Then there is no need for the ** note or the bottom left additional info box.
@PaulStrasma I don’t think you realized the first word is the boxes in the middle column is this… the Scoutbook Legend
I originally had this:
and had to shortened the bottom ** note to add in the idea of the three Tear Off parts because with ScoutBook usage many are not aware that the blue card has 3 parts that get torn off to go to Unit, Scout and MB Counselor
The other is be aware…
the above page is copies from a previous GTA as it was last updated in 2019. We are in 2021 which is where the first column comes from. (GTA is being updated in 2024 for 2025 as I already have the survey link posted to my Facebook wall.)
FYI… I will NOT change the wording of the ‘Scout’s Visual Tracker’ because this really helps many who are unaware that Scouts can do this within Scoutbook. I was one of them and it was this misunderstanding that brought me here (along with a leader approved marks that should not have been.)
The second box ties into the blue cards and the action that takes place. There are avenues that the Scout can without the unit’s help connect with the counselor (or without the Scoutmaster discussion).
The purpose of the ** note box is for many to realize it is ‘discussion’, not ‘approval’ that is needed with the Scoutmaster.
Per the Guide to Advancement, the SM does not “assign” a MBC to the Scout. The SM provides the name and contact information of one or more MBCs to the Scout. It is then up to the Scout to contact an MBC the Scout wants to work with. A Scout is able to work with any MBC, even if he SM disagrees with the selection.
@UrsulaSeefeld The key is that any Scoutbook user with edit advancement permissions for the scout – the scout, the parent, or a unit leader, can click “Start a Merit badge”, causing the badge to appear initially with an empty box, then a % complete visual tracker. See 6:30 of this video Troop Advancement Using Scoutbook (Video) - Scoutbook Knowledge Base for a nice walkthrough from the Scout’s perspective.
@edavignon In Scoutbook, only an adult leader registered with the unit can invite a specific merit badge counselor to connect with the scout through Scoutbook and mark requirements / badges as counselor-approved.
One way to handle the nuance for the infographic would be to use “Scoutmaster**” with the ** legend “Scoutmaster or designated adult leader”.
How to resolve disagreements between the Scout, Scoutmaster and leaders in the unit seems beyond the scope of an infographic. The graphic can simply help everyone understand the tools and the guidance. But by removing confusion a good infographic like this might resolve current issues, clarify the point of disagreement, or avoid new issues coming up.
What I love about this particular infographic is how it shows how GTA, Scoutbook and Blue Card all line up so it can help get everyone on the same page. GTA is the authority. Scoutbook and Blue Cards are equivalent ways to record advancement that upon unit leader approval (or designee) is submitted to council through Internet Advancement.
This is incorrect. An MBC with the Scout’s BSA Member ID and last name can connect themselves to the Scout.
A parent can also make the connection with the right combination of PII. But it’s usually easier to let an adult leader do it.
Agreed. Normal flow is for the scout to start a badge, discuss interest with unit leader, be given a recommended counselor(s) and initiate the conversation. Connection in Scoutbook can then be established by either MBC or adult leader (sometimes also a parent).
Alternative flow allowed per GTA 7.0.0.3 is that Scout selects a different MBC (possibly from a different council) who agrees to work with the scout. Once counselor approval is obtained (on blue card or via Scoutbook), the unit leader or designee then approves the MB. Implications of choosing this path are not discussed but range from no consequence to a constructive discussion / Scoutmaster conference (recommended by GTA). Too often this path is associated with other issues that result in escalation to district advancement committee / commissioners who are trained to help resolve the issue amicably and follow the GTA.
@PaulStrasma I reached out to some Scoutmasters to have them review this. Let me see what they say.
I will be honest… this ‘Please Be Aware’ was put in as this is an issue that crops up often in the Council Advancement Committee. From a Counselor’s prespective, I have never seen this Scoutmaster Discussion box. To me, putting it on the infographic has the unit making decisions and convey that info out to their Scouts in how they will go about things and still follow the GTA. No one else seems to have an issue with it’s inclusion, except you.
From you comments, I am also seeing the strong stand that you view that ‘Scoutmaster discussion’ as the ‘Scoutmaster’s approval’ which is NOT what the Guide to Advancement says. Several times @edavignon corrected your line of thought to what was actually in the Guide to Advancement.
As someone who specialized and plans merit badge events, I see many Scouts who are motiviated to earn more merit badges than they need, either to earn them all or to experience new interests and meet new adults, yet want to use Scoutbook as their record keeper. Sometimes the Scoutmaster discussion is the last thing on their mind as they easily know how to connect to the counselor to ensure the counselor is a registered counselor or the counselor knows how to connect to the Scout to ensure the Scout they (the counselor) is a registered Merit Badge Counselor.
I look forward to a final copy including any revisions you should choose to make after gathering as much feedback as you desire. Thank you for your contributions!
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