SOAR

This upgrade primarily pertains to Boy Scout Troops. Cub Scout Packs will obtain the same features when PackMaster 2008 is released in a few months.

Thanks to our friends at Troopmaster Software Inc. we have a number of great additions to the SOAR TroopMaster Import features.

These include:

• Single click export of a single file from TroopMaster 2008
• Date file encryption
• Short website account usernames
• Individual Progress Report is now available on your website. Yes, it is finally here !!
• Scouts Roster report without parents

We are pleased to announce immediate availability of the following upgrades and new features.

Single Click Export

If you get the latest patches for TroopMaster 2008 (V4.00e or newer) you will find a new menu item available to you

File -> Export -> SOAR

All you have to do is select a file name to export to. Gone are the days of exporting multiple files and selecting multiple options for each export. This should make the processing of synchronizing your TroopMaster data with your website much easier.

The single file that is exported contains

• Scout and Parent data
• Adult Leaders data
• Scout Achievement summary data

Under Administration/Import you will see a new set of icons specifically for TroopMaster 2008.

Data File Encryption

The new data file that is exported is also encrypted to provide further security for your unit data. Only SOAR has the encryption keys to access the information.

In addition, social security numbers and drivers licenses have been removed for additional protection.

Short Usernames

The new TroopMaster Export provides SOAR with unique record ids for all scouts, parents, and leaders. This allows us to start matching data on these unique keys vs. unit member names. We can now provide you with the ability to use shorter usernames in the format

<first initial><middle initial><last name>

Under Administration/Import/TroopMaster 2008 a new icon called Short Unames is available to convert your website to shortnames.

NOTE: You need to perform a TroopMaster 2008 Import prior to using the Short Unames icon.

Once you have performed your first TroopMaster 2008 Import, use this function to convert your website account usernames to the short version.

• This will convert all existing website accounts to short usernames
• It will create a system setting so that all new TroopMaster 2008 Imports will create short usernames
• Accounts set to Active will receive an email providing them with their new short username
• Passwords for all accounts will remain the same
• Account usernames will be created in the following format
  <first initial><middle initial><last name><# to make unique>

• You will receive a message of Active accounts without an email address that you will need to notify manually

Individual Progress Report

Included in the new TroopMaster 2008 export data file is enough advancement information to display the Individual Progress Report for each scout on your website. This report displays the following advancement information:

• Dates that Boy Scout Ranks were achieved
• Merit Badges that have been completed to date and their date of completion
• Requirements completed towards a Scout’s next Rank and their date of completion
• Requirements necessary to complete a Scout’s next Rank

The Individual Progress Report can be viewed at the following locations

• Wherever a Rank is displayed for a Scout, the Rank is a link to the Individual Progress Report
• Scouts can access their report through the My Profile menu item
• Parents can access their boy’s reports through the My Profile menu item
• Leaders can access boy’s reports through the Troop Roster

Roster – Scouts Report

We have renamed the previous Scouts Report as Scouts with Parents Report. We have added a new report called Scouts in its place that only includes information about the Scouts themselves. This report can be sorted by Name, Rank, Patrol, or Position.

Import Settings

Your Troop website will no remember the TroopMaster 2008 Import settings. This is useful so when you next run an Import, the settings from the previous Import will be available to you.

Do I need to do anything?

If you are a Boy Scout Troop, are using TroopMaster software and the SOAR TroopMaster Import feature - you should

1. Upgrade to TroopMaster 2008 (www.troopmaster.com)
2. Make sure you have the latest TroopMaster 2008 patches (V4.00e or newer)
3. Run an export from TroopMaster 2008
   File -> Export -> SOAR
4. Import the file into your SOAR website
5. Decide if you want to convert to short usernames

If you are a Cub Scout Pack and are using PackMaster software, you should wait for PackMaster 2008 to be released – at which time the same features will be available to you.