Move your pack to ScoutKeep

This guide is for the leader moving an existing pack onto ScoutKeep. It covers connecting your calendar, bringing your leaders along, and getting families signed in. If you haven't created your pack yet, start with Set up your unit.

A good order is: calendar first, so families find real events when they arrive; then leaders, so they can help; then families.

Connect your calendar

ScoutKeep doesn't create events itself. It reads them from a calendar you already keep, such as Scoutbook or any calendar that offers an ICS subscription link. You keep adding and changing events there, and ScoutKeep picks up the changes.

1. In your calendar, copy its subscription link. It should be a public link that starts with https:// and points straight to the calendar file.
2. In ScoutKeep, open Manage Pack, then Settings, then Calendar.
3. Paste the link into ICS subscription URL.
4. Select Save and check calendar. ScoutKeep loads the calendar right away and shows Connected.

After that, ScoutKeep checks your calendar every 15 minutes. If you just made a change and want it now, select Refresh now. If a check fails, the page shows why, so you can fix the link. Calendar files need to be under 5 MB.

Tip: Only connect a calendar meant to be shared with your pack's families. The link itself stays private.

While you're on the Calendar page:

• Unit timezone. Choose your pack's timezone and select Save timezone so event times show correctly.
• Event reminders. Choose up to three times before each event for reminders to go out, from 1 hour to 1 week. The default is 1 day. Select Save reminder timing.
• Calendar subscriptions. Select Turn on subscriptions to let families add the pack's events to Google Calendar or another calendar app. Anyone with the subscription link can see the events, so leave this off if that's a concern.

Once events are in, leaders can set up RSVPs, deadlines, and the person in charge for each one. See Running events.

Bring your leaders along

Add the adults who help run the pack, then give each one the access their job needs.

1. In Manage Pack, open Adults and select Add adult. Enter their name and email, plus their phone if you have it, then select Save adult. They sign in with that email and are asked for a phone the first time if you left it blank.
2. Open Roles and select Add role. You can Start from a role template, such as Cubmaster, Committee Chair, or Treasurer.
3. Under Permissions, choose what the role can do, like Manage finances or Manage events and attendance. Templates don't grant any permissions on their own, so choose them on purpose.
4. Assign the adult to the role and select Save role.

For den leaders, open Dens, choose the den, and assign the adult the Den Leader or Assistant Den Leader position. Once the position starts, they get their own My Den workspace. See Adults, roles, and permissions and Leading a den.

Get families signed in

There are a few ways to get families into ScoutKeep. Use whichever fits your pack.

Register families yourself

Leaders who manage families can add them directly.

1. In Manage Pack, open Families and select Register family.
2. Enter the family name. Add each parent with their email and phone, and each Scout with their den.
3. Select Register family.

ScoutKeep doesn't email the parents when you register a family this way. Share your portal address with them yourself. They sign in with the email you entered, using a code sent to their inbox.

Invite parents by email

To add a parent to a family that's already in ScoutKeep, find it under Families, select View family, and then select Add parent. Enter their email and select Send invitation. They get an email with a link to join the family with their own account. The invitation expires in 7 days.

Parents can do the same thing themselves: from My Family, they can use Invite another parent to bring in a spouse or co-parent.

Use Slack

If your pack already uses Slack, connect it under Settings, then Integrations. When a member of your Slack workspace opens the ScoutKeep app in Slack, ScoutKeep adds them to your pack (matching them to an existing adult by email when it can), and they can set up their family without leaving Slack. After that, they can also choose Sign in with Slack when signing in from your pack's website or portal. See Connecting Slack.

What families see first

When a parent signs in, their home page shows a Finish getting set up checklist with their first steps, such as checking the calendar, adding an emergency contact, and completing health forms. Below it, Needs your attention lists anything waiting on them, like an RSVP or a survey. Point new families to Your family home if they have questions.