Scouting

I would love to track my scout’s progress, but I have had two major problems: 1) the app continually crashes when I try to log in. It seems the only way I can get into my account lately is to delete and reinstall the app and log in fresh. Any attempt to log in after that, and the app will just crash at the login screen. 2) when I was *able* to log in, I went to look at my Scout’s rank requirements, but for each rank I opened, it automatically set it to 100% complete (I did nothing) even though he is nowhere near complete for those ranks. The details show he has many requirements that are not complete. My SM was very confused, as was I. **Update 08/23: I updated to the newest version and it still crashes when it tries to bring up the google account login pop-up screen

As a parent this app provides an easy way to view my Scout’s progress. I wish the notifications would work for calendar events on iOS but with notifications on I have yet to see this work. One issue that makes this app difficult to use is the social login (Google) hangs at a screen “We are loading your experience” and the only way to get past this is to close and reopen the app. Not a great login experience but since I need to use the same account for the other Scouting apps as Cubmaster I cannot change it. **** Please fix the login issue. ***** Otherwise the app seems to have improved over time and many of stability issues have been resolved. UPDATE: the “We are loading your…” seems to be resolved and I am seeing more improvements. I like the attendance feature but I wish the Event Details were compatible with the rich text formatting of Scoutbook Plus. UPDATE: Subscribe option in the Calendar similar to SportsEngine would be a great feature to add events to the device calendar.

As a mobile app developer and Scouter I find the quality and user experience of this app to be greatly disappointing. There are numerous bugs that inhibit my ability to gain any value from this app. When I try to view my scouts’ advancements I always get an error message stating that it is unable to fetch advancement data. The notifications are very broken. I’ve seen a badge over the app icon for months saying I have 155 unread messages, yet when I try to tap on the messages to read or dismiss them (not sure what functionality is supposed to happen there), nothing changes and messages are still marked as unread. A couple weeks ago, the badge started displaying 3, yet I still have the 155 unread messages that I can’t dismiss. Besides that, the user experience is often confusing and unintuitive. I’m at the point where I’m going to delete the app. It’s embarrassing when parents find and download this app, experience these issues and then ask unit leaders why it’s broken and when it’ll be fixed. The only advice I can give is to write their concerns in a review and hope that someone sees it some day.

There was room for improvement before, but it was useable and we could track our progress. Now, every time I try to add achievements for my son it tells me I can’t add them as a youth. I also can’t turn on notifications. I tried to submit feedback through the app, but when it opened my email and auto filled the information in, I was unable to send because the email address entered by the app was wrong. I’m hopeful the team is working on a number of bug fixes that will be released soon.

This app is frustrating and provides little to no help. Feedback from another dad was that it was one of the reasons that he is probably going to not continue next year because the process is so difficult. I think he needs to work harder for his son on that but i get it. It seems like all this needs to be just a little bit easier to lead us down the path of rank advancement, activities and communication. Considering the times this app should be used to communicate at different levels Pack/troop/den/patrol/parent/committee. Additionally why can’t it be used to plan events too for the scouts. Create meal plans, schedule events and more. How about a chat feature with your den/patrol or with your pack/troop leaders. So much this could do but doesn’t. Shoot why can’t you link this to a scout store and buy badges, awards, uniforms and everything else. Make this the true e-platform fo scouting! Someone please step in and help!

Recently, I downloaded this app because I believed it would work to solve all my online scouting record issues. I got things fixed, but this app is very slow, and worst of all is not updated. I was trying to get my Eagle application printed, and this had nothing filled out automatically. I thought, “Huh, weird. Must be an error on my end.” Then, I filled the whole form. Went down to the council office today, and turns out it’s the WRONG FORM. They updated it for June 2022, and I had to go to My Scouting, and Internet Advancements 2.0. Please fix this, it’ll save other scouts time and money. But, if things work faster I think this would genuinely be such a convenient app to use and super helpful for all scouts.

I am a scout and I love the app a lot but sometimes it’s a little glitchy and you have to click twice to actually have the function to work. A think I would recommend the developers to add is a pdf version of the actual scout book that’s what the all purpose of calling the app “ScoutBook” at first I actually thought it would have the actual pages and that’s the only thing I hate about the app I still would have to carry my book to scout meetings instead of just my iPad or iPhone. If you guys add a PDF version of the actual book that would make the app a lot more useful and better. Over all I love the app and how it works.

Updated review: It just keeps getting worse. The calendar is now grey text on grey background. It’s unreadable. Nothing makes sense. Navigation is missing in action. Still don’t see any way to enter service hours. The flopping back and forth between the app and internet advancement is something no one was looking for, no was needs and no one (that I’ve spoken with) wants. Who ever is in charge of this is out of their depth. Is any user interface testing going on? Original review: Up until now, Scoutbook has been great. The changes happening to Scoutbook which are clearly aimed at pushing us to this “not quite done baking” app are frustrating and unwanted. I’ve spent a couple of hours (that I don’t really have to waste) trying to enter service hours for my scouts who participated in scouting for food. It would have taken me about ten to fifteen minutes in previous iterations of Scoutbook (you’ve moved/deleted that feature). I’ve basically given up on doing that for now. You really need to listen to the feedback on the changes for the worse to Scoutbook and the maddening non usability of this app. The UI is dreadful. The parents of my Cubs are also frustrated with this app and the changes to Scoutbook. Stop making things worse, please.

As a scouter with two scouts, I find this app reliable, attractive, and useful. It’s easy to navigate and the look and feel is consistent with the newer Scoutbook+Internet Advancement. I mostly use the calendar rsvp to events (it’s so quick and easy) and to see where my scouts are at in their merit badge or rank work. Our troop relies on the hard copy Scout Handbook as primary record and my scouts are responsible for those, but having an electronic copy for me is quite useful in having conversations with my scouts about what they want to pursue next. Some of our older scouts with smartphones use this app often. I have observed them at meetings or in the car going to a camp out to verify the specific details of a requirement to ensure they follow it. I also like that they use the app to augment their scout handbook rather than to replace it. I have had this app for some years now and find it has come a long way since the earlier versions.

This Scouting app is a great and easy way for me (as a Scout) to check my rank and merit badge requirements. The app is pleasing aesthetically, although I have two main issues with it (minor but noticeable. First, for some reason, every time I open the app, a message comes up saying “RefreshSessionFailed”. After sign in, that issue goes away until the next time I open the app. The second issue is that the pages, especially when clicking on a rank, take a long time to load. However, neither of these issues are annoying or problematic. I will update this review if the issues are resolved.

The idea of this app is excellent. However, each update seems to randomly break bits and pieces of its basic functionality. The latest update (2.5.20) will not allow you to scroll down on an individual Scout’s profile, advancement, activities, or payment log, and it is pulling unit data (e.g. charter org, unit POC, address, etc.) from an obsolete database. This makes the app relatively useless and issues like this have been par for the course since it’s introduction. These very basic issues make this app almost feel like a port of an app that was originally built for some other OS. Better to just use the Scoutbook website - it’s infinitely more reliable and definitely more accurate.

I have been using this app for my tracking for several years, im still a scout and still use it as so. But several time Ive been booted from my account then log back in to find my account is now an adult account with no access to my info. Is this just a bug? If so how do I work around? Also, the load up times for ranks take quite a while, and then the requirements also take a while, usually 6-10 minutes. But other than these problems I enjoy the app and have no further problems I can think of.

If you want to link your account with your youth scout and see their calendar for meetings days then you’re in luck. Otherwise, the app is mostly functionless. You can’t add service work or activities or any other projects. You can enter all the information but it won’t save. You’ll just receive an error message. You can update the app or uninstall and redownload it. It doesn’t fix anything. Menus pop up at odd screen locations when typing making it difficult to read what is being entered. I can only guess that this app was developed as a service project by a scout. It looks great but needs a lot of professional repair to make it a useful app.

It would be nice if the most recent update for ineligibility of age wasn’t all blacked out. The cub scouts have to do not only their age, but if they haven’t done Bobcat, they have to get that too! Trying to work on my children’s Bear, Tiger, & both on Bobcat and now I can’t pull it up. Ridiculous. My older Scout’s rank percentage is never accurate. 1 day it will say 68% complete the next it will say only 13% complete. And it almost never shows what she has pending or complete. This is such a handy tool for parents & Scouts it’s a shame it isn’t smoother running.

I would request that you remove the following discontinued merit badges from your listing within the Advancement section: carpentry, computers, medicine, pathfinding, signaling, and tracking. One of our scouts started working on Tracking without checking with the Troop leadership because it was in the app. We had to tell him he could not earn it, and he was disappointed because he had already done a lot of the requirements. It would eliminate confusion for those scouts who use the app for most of their scouting activities. Thank you.

I’ve been in scouting for about 3 years and have been using the app for about 2. Up til now I have had a few issues but have been able to over look them, but the recent update makes it impossible for me to look at my merit badge completion. Which was one of the major reasons I had and liked the app. Without being able to look at merit badge completion I can’t look at what I need to work on or see what merit badges I have earned. I used it a lot when working with a merit badge councilors. I am almost at eagle and just needed to get a few things sign off on merit badges and now I can’t see what I need to do which is very stressful for me.

This app appears to be so slow that it is unusable. In the event that I am able to get to my scout’s current rank, expand on the requirement, enter the date it was completed, and press submit I’ll receive an error message of some sort. The error message isn’t the most frustrating thing though. I have tried multiple times but just getting to the opportunity to get the error feels like a triumph because the steps in between are so unresponsive. This is easily the worst app that I have ever used and it was so promising. It should probably be removed from the App Store because I don’t think it was ready for wide usage.

Love scouts and understand development takes money, but come on. Scouts rely on this for tracking achievements, but most users can’t even use it.* About everything in this app doesn’t work out has significant issues. Usually it’s been login broken. Years of that, now I can get in if I login then force quit. Now I can’t read anything because it’s dark text on dark background. RSVP gone. List goes on. * I say this from talking to the parents in our Troops over the years so it’s not just me. Many have given up trying. Most report achievements to the scout master so he can do it. That’s the only way.

Missing the most basic things, like calendar integration or an 'add to calendar' button. I shouldn't have to copy paste all the details of an event to my calendar when they're already in the app. 'Subscribe to notifications' is broken. 'Send feedback' is broken - it tries to use the Apple email app (which I don't use) to send feedback, instead of sending it natively or using the phone default (Gmail in my case). Overall needs a lot of work and devs should prioritize making the basics work well -- help parents and scouts stay up to date and organized for things like meetings and events.

My preference for advancing is to just add the document, photos, or comments to whatever requirement and letting the adult leaders take it from there directly. But this app doesn't allow me to at least add photos or comment. For example, the website does allow you to do both. If the BSA wants to advance technologically, they first need to make it easier for us to share the evidence for the requirements. This app should also have a digital book of the different manuals too.

This program has improved significantly over the last couple of years. But there are basic issues that persist (at least from a Cub Scout perspective). Changes or additions to events are quite slow to show. This may be a back end issue. However, one has to repeatedly swipe down to pick up events. This results in people missing important details. And, it seems you need to do it for each person. Notifications are super slow to show for achievements and I still can’t figure out how to mark them read after reading. Obsolete awards persist in the list, and in the case of Cub Scout Supernova, not updated (this is a Scoutbook-wide issue). The ability to add media (pictures at least) would be very useful, avoiding needing to transfer from phone to computer to load into Scoutbook.

I have ver .11 it’s showing an update is available I’m using an iPhone 8 Plus when I click on update it just takes me to App Store where it shows open but when I reload it it says update to ver .12 there’s glitches in the app on iphone when I enter certain screens like add parent when I enter info and do search for my older scout daughter and click on search I get blank screen and when I try to back out of it the text at top of screen superimposes on top of itself and I have to quit and reload

So I have used this app for a while & always found a work around for glitches in the past, but now the app is useless for me! My son earned 1st Class rank & now that I need to look at Star rank, it will not open the requirements! I’m hoping there’s a fix soon because I have already made sure I’m on the latest version - I always have to delete & reinstall instead of it just giving an update option which is another complaint!

This app is great but recently it hasn’t let me log in because it needs to be updated. But when I go to update it, it won’t let me. I just shows the option to open the app where the update button normally is. That could just be a problem on my end but if it is on your end it would be great if it could be fixed. Other than that I love this app!

I have tried over and over again to submit my son’s requirements through this app, and every time I get the same error message “Unable to submit adventure requirements. Please try again later.” So I just have to go to the scoutbook website to actually do it - which is always a pain to find where the requirements are there. I do have the most recent update for the app, and always get the error message. Please get this fixed. The submissions for adventure requirements is the only reason I am trying to use this app.

It’s a great idea that’s not yet come to fruition. It’s a little convoluted how you have to go through and see the requirements for advancements, and then half the time when you submit the information, it doesn’t accept it. It’s honestly about as painful as the Web app; but unlike the Web app it gives me more errors and it has no means that I can see to submit supporting documentation. It would be great if this worked properly. Maybe it’s good for other things, but for advancement, it’s not ready for prime time use.

The app is ok. Still needs lots of improvement. One improvement needed is when your phone is set to dark mode all the calendar text turns white on white background. Clearly there is an event but it appears there is no text. If you turn off dark mode iPhone setting text reappears in the calendar. There is also no notifications for the calendar in the app but I get emails? - Asst Cubmaster

I enjoy all the features of this app, and it will work for what I need it for, as of now. The only issue that is apparent to me at this time is that you can only view rank requirements for Scout-First Class. When you try to go to Star ranks, it freezes the whole app. So while it works, it could use some improvement.

App was working fine the morning of April 2, 2022. Out of no where, it starts giving me an error and refuses to let me add the scouts progress. It’s been 10 days now and still is giving an error. Very frustrating. I love being able to have an app to keep track of their progress but the past 5 years have been a constant fight to get the app to work correctly. It would be nice if the could add a link to maps or something when posting camping and hiking adventures.

Can’t find events, difficult to navigate...at least through the mobile app. Only giving it 2 stars bc when it works, I can usually do my sons advancements quickly...usually...past 2 months it’s been worthless for that...just frustrated with it! Also, no easy access to leader info...wish desktop version was good for advancements, and could enter in there...but have to do it on mobile...sigh...so much more feedback I could give...

I can track one of my childrens progress with merit badges, but my second scout I cannot login unless I go through the parent connection. When I click her profile under my scouts, it just says loading experience. This has been going on since day 1 despite updates. Doesn’t seem to like having multiple scouts.

If you have a scout, give this app a try. There are a lot of bad reviews. Maybe they have resolved all of those issues but I haven’t experienced any problems yet. Was able to login, view upcoming events, and track my scouts progress.

App has never been terribly stable, but at its best at least it was better than the website. Now it’s just dead. When I open the app, it tells me I need to download the latest update and directs me to the App Store. When I arrive to the App Store, it shows I have the most recent version, and directs me to “Open” the App. And when I do open the app, it tells me I need to download the latest update! Even after deleting and reinstalling the app, same cycle of nonsense and it never opens.

Hey Guys, thanks for putting the app together. It really helps to have info accessible via phone. Quick callout, not sure if it’s just me, but when I go to upgrade the app, it takes me to AppStore and unlike other apps , there is no upgrade button. only open button is visible. When I click on open , it takes to app and asks to upgrade sending back to AppStore. It’s kind of infinite loop. So the only way to upgrade is to delete existing app and install fresh and re enter all the credentials and settings manually each time I upgrade. Hopefully others are facing this issue as well and it’s not just me. Hoping to get it fixed. Thanks.

After updating the latest “improvements” the app when opened says I need to update again!?! I click the update button and it takes me to App Store where it says I have updated. I click the open button for the app in the store and I’m right back where I started. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling to no avail. Seems this time it broke but good. 😜😜😜

I have updated the app, yet it continues to tell me to update. The link leads me here to the App Store, which tells me I’m up to date! The developers responded to update the app. I don’t think I was clear enough above. I DID update the app. Then went back and tried to open the app and it still said it was on the old version. When I went back to the App Store, it said I had a current version. I now have to uninstall and reinstall to see if that corrects its.

Ever since I have started using scout book in 2021 this app has never let me view my rank of star, life, or eagle. This is very annoying because this is my fastest way of updating online scout book. Because of this I have to go to the website and not the app. It is also very buggy. It dose not always respond when I click stuff.

In addition to the myriad of regular issues I experience with this app, it is currently stuck in a loop where it won’t open because an update is apparently needed, but when you click on the button to do so, there is no update available in the iTunes Store — only the option to open the app, which, of course, takes you back to the app landing page that says “update application.” If only 0 stars were an option.

I have been trying to upload information about a badge that my child I can not do the electives as soon as I click on anything it kicks me out of app. I have twins so I able to log on child information in the other have been trying for 2 days and just keep getting kicked out. I deleted app and reinstalled hoping that would fix it. Have turned phone on and off have sent 2 email and still nothing.

It was working ok for a while and was navigable if incredibly glitchy. If you knew what things to avoid, it was serviceable. Now the update has glitches everything and crashes at the load screen. It went from bad to completely unusable. I have tried deleting and reinstalling. I’ve tried logging out and back in. I’ve tried hard resets. Wish they would revert to prior version until this one is fixed.

I love this app, but theres one feature I’d wish it would had. On your payment log you can go to a section saying ‘’Scout store” and anything you buy there appears there. And you can log down what you bought and subtract money from you payment log from the scout store.

I had used the app to track my son’s progress but at some point in the spring, everything disappeared and his progress is no longer in the app. Once he moved up to AOL, the requirements are now seemingly hidden behind multiple steps but the electives still don’t show. The app has never been a clean and straightforward and is more frustrating than it has been in the past.

I hate to do it but I’m writing an honest review here. i’m on a new iOS device and this app is almost completely unusable. It either crashes or perpetually loads every time I try to use it. mandatory den leader training heavily pushes using this app and actually poses reinforcement questions at the end of each training session that force you to acknowledge that this is the best way to track your scout’s progress. It is not. I would be better served with a pen and paper.

It works good for tracking and I haven’t seen any requirements out of place yet. The experience under activity logs doesn’t update or show that you have done anything after logging activities. I cannot add events as den leader, in calendar.

I’d recommend using the Scoutbook website and then adding it I home screen to use that as an applet instead of this app, although that has its problems, too. Any of the logging features are more trouble than they are worth. I hope the team has the budget and support it needs to make this a great app. Forever hopeful this app improves.

Not intuitive at all. For a while, logging in was impossible. My biggest gripe is that I can physically watch my son’s leader sign off on advancements. They never show up on the app. That makes it really difficult to know what requirements are missing. It also leads to confusion on the troop when parents are asking why things aren’t checked off and the leader is insisting it’s been done. I expect more from BSA but I guess they are too busy paying all those council salaries and lawsuits now.

Can never seem to get the app to perform as needed. Impossible to update my son’s achievements, which is half of what I was told is the point of the app. Have tried uninstalling and reinstalling to no effect. When I bring it up to local leadership I’m told it must be something I am doing wrong since it works fine for them. I have a Masters in Data Intelligence. I think I know a badly designed app when I see it, so stop blaming the user.

I need to access my son’s camping nights. Any time I click on the activities tab, the app automatically closes down. I deleted the app. Logged out of the app. Nothing seems to work. I’ve sent two emails through the support section and haven’t received a response. It’s also super annoying that this info isn’t available as a tab on the website as a backup to the app.

Edit: Newest update fixed the problem. Thank you. Adjusted rating. 0 star for the newest update. Download the update. Open app. Asked to update again. Press update. Brought to App Store to be presented nothing to update. Will not update. Deleted app. Redownload. Same story.

Started using this app when my son was a lion and now he’s starting his year as a bear and yet the app still doesn’t seem to be of any use. Nothing syncs, any updates I try to do involving my scout cause the app to crash or produce an error message. I can’t even update his profile picture. Very disappointing that such a giant organization as the Scouts can’t get a a decent app.