Commissioner Unit Visit Tracking System

[Scouter_58]

The BSA webmaster recently activated a "Commissioner Unit Visit Tracking System" at:

http://www.scouting.org/commissioners/uvts

Unit commissioners can register there to access an on-line application to enter, gather, and reference information regarding their visits to units.

[WB Bear]

Our Council is just now setting the tracking system up. It looks like it will be a great tool.

[Apache Bob]

I read about the tracking site and then when straight to the website to sign up. Needed to get a password or some code from the Council rep. Called Council and not one so far can come up with the code so I can sign up.
Any suggestions?

[WB Bear]

Ask your Director of Field Services about it.

[Nuts4Scouts]

You don't need the validation code to sign up. The code simply validates and locks in your council data. You can add the info yourself and enter the validation code whenever you get it from your District Commissioner.

Here are online instructions that might help you -

http://www.scouting.org/commissioners/uvts/about/help.html

[cubbobwhite]

I'm getting my code from my District Commissioner next week at our monthly Commissioner meeting.

[Apache Bob]

I did check with the Director of Field Service and he is the one who is trying to find out where to get the validation code.
My only concern about this new tool is that sometimes information is put on a report that you do want to get back to the unit leaders. Who has access to this information? I would like to see the information not go past the District Commissioner.

[cubbobwhite]

We were told, at our last Commssioner Meeting, that the only ones who will have access to this will be the Council Commissioner, District Commissioner, and District Executive. No Unit Commissioner will be able to view comments made by another one, nor would any Unit leaders.

[WB Bear]

Your DFS has to get it from either the Region or National I believe.

The Council Commissioner staff is able to view all. They will be given a code for each District Commissioner. He will only be able to view his/her District and Unit Commissioner can only view his/her units which are assigned by the District Commissioner. It is not accessible to unit leaders. As far as the DE’s are concerned, I believe that is up to the DFS and Council Commissioner how they want to handle it. Most likely they would be limited to just their District.

[Apache Bob]

Good news! This morning I got an email giving me the code to register. Better late than never. It is going to be discussed at the Council Commissioner meeting next week.
Will let everyone know how it goes.

[WB Bear]

That's good to hear. It's can be a valuable tools. You could also use it to keep track of the Centennial Awards committment forms.

[cubbobwhite]

It was so nice to go to my Distict Commissioner meeting last night and not have to turn in a written report, having done all my reporting using this online system.

[Apache Bob]

Bad news. The code the Field Director got from National is not good. So it will be new week until I get in. Oh well!

[WB Bear]

It was so nice to go to my Distict Commissioner meeting last night and not have to turn in a written report, having done all my reporting using this online system.


It is nice. The District Commissioner will have an “at-a-glance” overview of the visits and communications with the units and is able to print it out. However, it is not intended to replace the Unit Worksheets.

[Apache Bob]

A new up date on the Commissioner Visit tracking system and no I did not break it (or at least I don't think I did), but I did have problems with it.
I received this today about the system:
Commissioners,

This is just off of www.scouting.org and addresses the problems we have
experienced since we started using it in December.

Unit Visit Tracking System
The Unit Visit Tracking System is a tool for those in commissioner service to
record and review information about their contact with the units they serve.
With regular and consistent use, this system can provide each commissioner an
"at-a-glance" overview of recent visits and a history of communications with
each unit, which can help to provide timely and consistent support.

Dear User,

Due to the unforeseen popularity of the Unit Visit Tracking System previously
offered in this space, we have been experiencing load-related
problems and received evidence that data integrity has been compromised in some
situations.

As security of your files is paramount to this and all online applications
offered by the BSA, we have decided to temporarily suspend access
to the application. In turn, we have stepped up the pace on development of the
planned successor to this pilot version of the application.

We are now working on a more robust version and will make it available in this
space as soon as possible. In addition to offering full data
security, the new version of Unit Visit Tracking System will include:

* Capability for improved batch uploads
* Improved reporting capabilities
* Improved cascading role-based security model
* The addition of a "priorities' section allowing each district or council to
state 3 to 4 areas they want commissioners to talk with their units about each
month
* An alert system for units needing immediate attention

as well as other features not possible on the existing platform, Please watch
this space for updates.

Currently we have 174 councils, 1368 districts, and 3,287 users currently
accessing the system!
Thank you for your interest and patience as we improve our system and continue
to support your efforts "To improve the QUALITY of the
program in every unit in America!"

Hope they get it back up and running soon as what I saw looked good and could be used alot.

[WB Bear]

Well it is good to have known so many were using it. Hopefully they will get the bugs worked out and get it up and running.

[FRUSTRATED SCOUTMASTER]

I have been reading all the comments about the UVTS and all of what is being said is correct.
I recently attended Commissioner College and one of my electives was the UVTS. I was informed that currently the system is down due to the site being hacked into. Like Apache Bob stated, when the system is up and running it is going to have more and better features.

This is what I understand on how the system is going to work.
First, we register and get a password from BSA. After we get a password from BSA, we can enter our units. We can enter infor abour our units BUT if a yellow background appears, our data cannot be transmirtted to the Council Commissioner.
In setting up the Council ID, this has to be done by the Council Commissioner, who gets it from BSA. The Council Commissioner then assigns every District an ID. The District Commissioner then gives every Commissioner in the District the ID. We as Commissioners log in with our password,then use the District ID.

The only two people who can view our activitiesa are the Council Commissioner on our District Commissioner. We as Commissioners cannot view other Commissioners.

The District Commissioner can also add or delete units from a Commissioner.

The District Commissioner can also pull up a history a Commissioner's visits to their assigned units.

When the new system is up an running, there is going to be alerts that can be sent out to Commissioners stating that there are potential problems that might be occurring at a unit. This is just one of the new features.

This a great system and it is going to be an immense help to us as commissioner.

P.S. My info came from PowerPoint given at our Commissioner College.
If you want me to send it to you send me a private Email.

Bob Klimas
Concord, N.C.

[WB Bear]

Does the powerpoint contain the revisions they are going to make to the system?

[Apache Bob]

Has anyone heard anything about when the tracking system will come back on so we can start to use it? Will all the information that was in the system be lost?

[Westergaard]

Last that I heard was that they are still looking into making the necessary corrections in the program and it still will be some time before it is up and running again.

[Apache Bob]

Does anyone, know anyone at National that might give us some idea then the tracking system will be up again?
I know that no one at National uses the system so what is their priority on getting it up. It would be nice to know at least they are working on it each week.

[Westergaard]

At our commissioner training session this past Saturday, the Unit tracking system may be up and running by May.

[WB Bear]

I heard today from our SE that the tracking system will be up and running in the next several weeks.

[Apache Bob]

Thanks for getting back to me.
I wish our people kept us informed the way your people do.

In the months since I discovered Scoutparents.org I have learned more about what is going on the the Scouting world than I ever have from our Council. Its a real shame to be kept in the dark because of lack of communications.
Hopefully this will inprove in the future.

[WB Bear]

I do understand what and I do feel fortunate. However it’s not perfect.

You know communications is a good point to bring up. We feel frustrated with the lack of or sketchy information or communications we receive. Just remember how unit leaders feel? The thing is most of them don’t have an idea about what is going on or available in the District or Council. I was talking to some Pack leaders the other day that were unaware of the Day Camps and Webelos Resident Camp we have.