Scoutbook Plus

A Den Leader’s Field Guide to Advancement, Events & Communication

Presented by Tyler Malone
Assistant Cubmaster, Pack 3116

What We’ll Cover

01

Your Den

Logging in, finding your den on the roster, and filtering it down.

02

Advancement

Status definitions, recording adventures for one Scout or the whole den, and approvals.

03

Calendar

Creating den events with reminders, RSVP, and attendance.

04

Messaging

Emailing (and texting) just your den’s families.

Bring a laptopRoster and den editing is desktop/laptop only right now — plan to do your Scoutbook work at a computer, not on your phone.

Your Den

Logging in and finding your Scouts

Logging In

advancements.scouting.org
  1. Sign in with your my.Scouting username and password — the same account you use for YPT and registration.
  2. Open the Currently viewing pulldown in the top right.
  3. Select your Pack leadership position.
The Currently viewing pulldown listing the user's positions Pick the position you’re working as
TipIf you hold more than one role or belong to more than one unit, that pulldown controls what you see. Wrong menu options? Check it first.

Your Home Base: The Roster

Scoutbook Plus pack roster with left navigation and roster toolbar Left nav: Roster, Calendar, Reports · Toolbar: Unit Quick Entry, Run Report, Show: Filtered

Finding Your Den on the Roster

Show your dens

  1. Go to the Roster page.
  2. Click the Den column heading to toggle and display existing dens.
Roster header row with the Den column heading circled

Filter to just your den

  1. Click Show: Filtered on the right of the toolbar.
  2. Check your den, then Show Results.
Show Roster filter panel with den checkboxes and Show Results button
Heads upScouts must be moved into a den before advancement can be recorded. Missing a Scout? Ask your Cubmaster or Pack admin to move them.

Advancement

Recording adventures and getting them approved

The Four Advancement Statuses

Started

Work is in progress.

Scout, parent, or leader
›

Completed

Marked done by the Scout or a parent/leader on their behalf. Still needs leader sign-off.

Scout, parent, or leader
›

Approved

A leader verified it. This is the official “earned” status.

Registered leaders only
›

Awarded

Optional. The approved item was physically presented to the Scout.

Leaders · optional
  • Parents who aren’t registered leaders—and Scouts themselves—can mark Completed but cannot mark Approved.
  • Families can enter Completed items from Scoutbook or the Scouting mobile app.
  • Marking an item Awarded removes it from open Purchase Orders — coordinate with whoever buys your pack’s loops and pins.

Checking a Scout’s Progress

  1. On the Roster, click the Scout’s name.
  2. Their profile shows every rank with a progress bar.
  3. Click View More on the current rank to drill in.
Youth profile showing Cub Scout ranks with progress bars and View More buttons The arrow marks View More on the current rank

Inside a Rank

Bear rank page showing six required adventures and elective adventures with their status The six required adventures on top, electives below, each with its status
Whole den at once?There’s currently no single “den at a glance” progress view. Go Scout by Scout, or run Reports › Advancements › History › Quick Report.

One Scout: Individual Quick Entry

Best for a Scout who did an adventure at home or made up a missed meeting.

  1. Open the Scout’s adventure page.
  2. Click Quick Entry (top right).
  3. Check requirements under Complete or Approve — Approve auto-checks Complete.
  4. Enter the date and click Save.
TipLeaders can also back-fill previous ranks — handy for transfers or work that was never recorded.
Quick Entry dialog with Complete and Approve checkbox columns for each requirement

The Whole Den: Unit Quick Entry

Your after-meeting workhorse: record one adventure for every Scout who was there.

  1. From the Roster toolbar, open Unit Quick Entry.
  2. Choose Enter Adventures.
Roster toolbar with the Unit Quick Entry menu open showing Enter Adventures
Heads upUnit Quick Entry only works for Scouts who are in the correct den. Missing someone? Check their den assignment.

Unit Quick Entry: Record & Approve

  1. Select the Rank, Adventure, and Version, then Apply.
  2. On the left, select the Scouts who did the work.
  3. On the right, select the requirements.
  4. Enter the date, check Mark as Approved (leaders only).
  5. Click Apply.
Bulk Entry Adventures screen with rank, adventure, and version selectors, Scout list, and requirement checklist

Approving What Families Submit

When parents mark work Completed at home, it waits for you.

  1. Click the Pending Items tab above the Roster toolbar.
  2. Review everything marked Completed but not yet Approved.
  3. Click into the Scout to verify and approve.
Pending Items tab with Ranks, Adventures, and Awards sub-tabs and their counts
Make it a habitCheck Pending Items on a regular schedule (say, the night before each den meeting) so families see their Scout’s work acknowledged quickly.

Calendar & Events

Reminders, RSVPs, and attendance on autopilot

Creating a Den Event

  1. One-time setup: set the unit’s time zone under unit Settings.
  2. Click Calendar in the left nav.
  3. Click a date, then the + icon (or the general + and set the date yourself).
  4. Choose which calendar(s) it appears on — e.g., both the Pack and your Den.
Scoutbook Plus month calendar with event list and the plus button in the top right Month view · the blue + in the top right adds an event

Event Details That Do the Work

  • Description is required and visible to everyone.
  • Notes / Agenda / Minutes are admin-only — a good home for your meeting plan.
  • Permission slip: optionally require the standard form.
  • Location: add an address and map link.
  • Reminders: up to three, sent automatically.
  • Attendees: add your den, plus outside guests.
Event form sections: recurrence, permission slips, RSVP, location, and reminders

Collecting RSVPs

As the leader

  • Check Event with RSVP on the event.
  • Add attendees, or RSVP won’t work.
Event with RSVP checkbox checked

Track replies

  • Yes / No; non-responders show as Maybe.
  • Got a reply by text? Use Quick Entry RSVP.
Invitees panel with RSVP Yes, No, and Maybe counts and Quick Entry RSVP

For families

  • Open the event; use the RSVP dropdown.
  • A Scout with a login can RSVP for self and parents.
Member view of an event with RSVP dropdown and RSVP Report button
Your callScoutbook RSVP is optional. Decide with your pack whether to use it, then tell families where to reply.

After the Event: Attendance

  • After the event, invitees automatically become “attended.”
  • Edit the list like you edited invitees: remove no-shows, add walk-ins.
  • Accurate attendance shows exactly who needs a make-up.
Pair it upClean up attendance, then run Unit Quick Entry for the Scouts who were there. Same five minutes, both records done.
Invitees and attendees panel with Quick Entry Attendance and counts by Adults, Youths, Den Chiefs

Messaging

Reaching just your den’s families

Emailing Your Den

  1. Click Messaging in the left menu.
  2. Click into your Den to message only that group, or Select All for everyone.
  3. Write in the WYSIWYG editor: bold, lists, and links work as-is (no BBCode like legacy Scoutbook).
  4. Send.
TextingWorks only for members whose profile has a mobile number, carrier, and the opt-in box checked. Ask families to set it up at the first meeting.
New Email composer with recipients, subject, formatting toolbar, and Youth Protection notice

Putting It Together: A Den Leader’s Rhythm

When In Scoutbook Plus
Start of year Confirm every Scout is in your den; save your roster filter; ask families to set up the Scouting app and text opt-in.
Each month Put the month’s meetings on the Den calendar with reminders (and RSVP, if you use it); send one organized message covering Den and Pack activities.
Before a meeting Check RSVPs and nudge the “Maybes”; clear the Pending Items tab.
After a meeting Fix attendance, then Unit Quick Entry › Approved for what you covered.
Before Pack meeting Hand your Advancement Chair an up-to-date den so awards can be ordered.

Resources

Screenshots courtesy of the Scoutbook Knowledge Base, Scouting America. Scoutbook Plus changes often; screens may differ from what you see today.

Questions & Discussion

Tyler Malone

Assistant Cubmaster, Pack 3116

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