Events


Roadmap to retiring the ScoutNET Events Legacy System

ScoutNET Events

Events were a portion of the ScoutNET strategy to incorporate all council tools that shared common data about persons, organizations, units and BSA structure. They have a history of sparse council usage–so they are going to be retired.

Events Going Forward

We are capitalizing on existing third-party products to avoid National Council investment in a new product. This will allow councils to pick the product of their choice and encourage widespread adoption.

Many local councils already use a variety of third-party event registration products. The plan is to vet the available products and select two to four of these vendors. Then we expect to build interfaces for them to obtain unit and roster info and update member profiles with training, advancement, and event attendance.

Events as a component of ScoutNet

  1. Can record training completions
  2. Has a history of sparse council usage; only a few councils use this tool extensively.
  3. Share common ScoutNet data such as:
    • Persons
    • Organizations
    • BSA Units
    • BSA Structure

Third-party products

  1. Many third-party products exist
  2. Some products are BSA council operation specific
  3. No official integration with ScoutNET

How did we get here?


Events was developed as a portion of ScoutNET during the late ’90’s.

Was a portion of the ScoutNET strategy to incorporate all council tools that shared common data about persons, organizations, units, and BSA structure.

ScoutNET Events has received less enhancement or maintenance than membership and fundraising.

Training for the current tool is difficult

      • One-size-fits-all tool
      • Lots of diversity in council events

Our vision of the future


Capitalize on existing third-party products
Avoid National Council investment in a new product
Vet the available products and pick two to four best of breed (or need) products
Integrate with the chosen products
Allow councils to use the product of their choice
Encourage the use of templates (aka copy event) to lessen training requirements

Out of Scope:

National events that are handled by the National Council (National Annual Meeting, Top Hands, Regional and Area meetings, National Scout Jamborees, National High Adventure Bases)
Fundraising events will be handled through Blackbaud
Unit events will be handled through Scoutbook

Product Objectives:


Templates

  • “Out of the box”
  • Design my own
  • Copy an existing event

Technical

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) web-based 24×7 reservations
Accept credit card or debit card as payment method
Compliance with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards
Compliance with BSA Personally Identifiable Information (PII) policies
Secure cloud-based data storage
Role-Based user management
Vendor provided user training

National council API’s

“GET” unit/person information – allows the events product to read BSA member info
Name
Address
Unit
Membership status
Prerequisite training such as Youth Protection Training (YPT)
“Post” training and event participation in the national database
Attendance
Training completion
Advancement

Make vs Buy Rational


ScoutNet Events has low overall council adoption

  • Many councils use a variety of third-party products today
  • Off the shelf products are readily available
  • Third-party products are not currently endorsed by the National Council

Lower implementation costs

  • Third-party products are not allowed to interface to ScoutNet
  • Recoup costs during operations
  • Choose multiple and allow councils to choose the one(s) that best meet their needs

Product Needs:


High flexibility as council events are varied in size and complexity:

Activity Scheduling
Unit Management (rosters)
Wait Lists
Accounting Interface
Credentials
Unit and Individual registrations
In council vs. Out of council participants
Facility and Sub-Facility (campsite) Reservations
Pricing Options
Group /Individual
Multi-person family
Early Discount / Late payment penalty
Optional Purchases (Facility fee, For-fee activities, Equipment Rental, Product Purchase, Tickets)
Meal plans
Mobile app
Mass Communications
Advancement
Social Network Interface
Optional Personal Prerequisites
Membership (BSA or Order of the Arrow)
Training (Youth Protection Training, First Aid, and more)
Age, Program, Gender
Housing and Campsite Management
Waivers – Risk, Transportation, Talent, Photography
BSA Medical forms
Camp Management
Check In / Check Out
Equipment Management
Staff Recruiting, Onboarding, Scheduling
Facility Maintenance

Council and District Event Features:


Shared Calendar per district and council
Shared Facilities that can be reserved
Summer Camp – the big one by far for most councils (two to 10 weeks duration)
Multiple Facilities
Hundreds of Units
Multiple Payments
Many Activities/Sessions (and Merit/Activity Badges) to choose per person
Optional for-fee activities
Meal Plan options
Many Cancellations and last-minute booking
Dynamic Unit Rosters
Advancement Recording
Medical Forms
Waivers

Sample Council and District Events

District Camporees: two or three per district per year
District Day Camp: one per district per year
District Overnight event: one to two per district per year
Training events: many per year
Board and district committee/commissioner staff meetings: several per council and per district per month
Roundtables: one to two per district per month
Eagle Scout Recognition Dinner: one per year