Reset our Troop's Scoutbook data

I’ve been asking Scoutbook tech support for months (literally started asking in January) to reset the information for our Troop’s records on Scoutbook. We use another database to track our information, but a couple years ago tested Scoutbook to see if it would work for us. It did not, we stayed with our other database and are happy with it. Now with the legacy internet advancement going away and the forced switch to Scoutbook for Advancement, we want the data from our testing wiped out.

Some examples of what is in there that will make it difficult to do advancements moving forward:

  • Scouts in patrols that don’t really exist. Don’t want to spend the time updating patrols, just want all our scouts listed in No Patrol. The scouts that we tested into a patrol seem trapped there. The only option is to reassign to another patrol.
  • We tested the advancement features of Scoutbook and awarded scouts ranks, merit badges, and awards they didn’t really earn. (this was all prior to BSA buying Scoutbook and databases merging). I’ve spot checked some scouts, but without going through each one, I can’t be sure they are all correct. We have 70 scouts - do you know how long it would take to check every record for every scout.

Please, can our database just be reset/wiped to what is in Internet Advancement?

What do you see when you go to Internet Advancement 2.0?

Unfortunately, I don’t have access to Internet Advancement 2.0 (not key 3 and I haven’t been assigned delegate access yet to Internet Advancement 2.0). We have a meeting later this week where I hope to get my access to that resolved. However, with the deadline looming next Monday, I want to make sure we can get working on it.

I do have access to legacy Internet Advancement and am an admin on our Scoutbook account.

Here are some things that you can do:

  1. Go to Legacy Internet Advancement 1.0 and run the “Member Summary Export”. This will give you a csv file of everything currently in Internet Advancement.

  2. Make sure that there at least 1-2 other adult leaders in your troop who are Troop Admins and connected to all Scouts in the troop with Full Control. An easy way to do this is to go to the Troop Roster page, click on their name, click on their Troop Admin position, then Update.

  3. It is easier to rename and reassign Scouts between patrols. But for the Scouts you do not want in patrols, you will need to go to each [Scout]'s Membership page, click on the Scout’s current membership, and add a Date Ended. Stay on the Membership page and “+ Add” a membership with your troop, leave the “Patrol” field blank, and add a Date Started. Make sure that the Scout’s current membership with your troop is approved (green shield with checkmark).

  4. There isn’t an easy way to just reset the troop’s data, because the advancement data between Internet Advancement and Scoutbook are synced. Are most of the items you used to test with marked as “Approved”? Or just “Completed”? Items must be marked as “Approved” before they will sync.

  1. I already have our data exported (and as I mentioned initially, we track our advancements in another program that we use as database of record). Unless there is a way to take this export from internet advancement and use it to re-populate/overwrite the data in Scoutbook that won’t do me any good.

  2. We have other adults that are set as Admins just like I am, and we have our Key 3, as well. The problem is, no one uses Scoutbook and other than advancement reporting to BSA, we don’t plan to start. Adding additional admins does not solve our problem.

  3. I will try this workaround to get them back to our default list of scouts (ie not in a patrol). Thanks.

  4. I realized there wouldn’t be an easy way to do this, which is why i asked Scoutbook as soon as they were purchased by BSA to reset our account. They assured me this would not end up being a problem. Guess it isn’t a problem.

I’m really just trying to make sure the advancement data in Scoutbook is correct for all our scouts without having to manually check all 70 scouts. Resetting our account should be something they built in or dealt with.

I’m pretty sure the patrols don’t matter in IA2, just like IA1

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The reason I recommended that you run the Member Summary Export is to use the csv file as a comparison tool.

Are you the Unit Advancement Chair? It might be easier to wait until one of your Key 3 adds you as “Unit Advancement Chair” or a “Key 3 Delegate” at my.scouting.org.

If you get the member summary report, you could ask each scout to check their own, reminding them that a scout is trustworthy.

William, I am confused. Internet Advancement (IA) is not going away, the interface has bene updated significantly. If you wish to continue using a 3rd party unit management software, I recommend you continue to use what you like.

As of the IA upgrade a couple of weeks ago, both Scoutbook and Internet Advancement are using the same database. In short this means these are simply 2 very different mechanisms to look at the exact same pieces of data, with different workflows. If you wipe out the approved advancement data visible in Scoutbook, therefore, you would be wiping out the approved advancement data visible in IA.

At the bottom in red highlight we are told not to go back & forth between Scoutbook and IA. Us either 1 or the other. So, my advise is to completely ignore Scoutbook, and focus on your 3rd party tool along with Internet Advancement 2.0.