How To Create Or Update A Google Pin For BeAScout.org

Log on to your MyScouting.org account.

Click on BeAScout in the menu at left.

Click on Unit Pin Management.

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If your unit does not appear, select it in the pop-up menu under Unit Description. Information in all pop-up menus on this screen is provided by the BSA national office database.

You may be registered to more than one unit. Leads are grouped by unit.

As you build your Google Map pin, you will see a preview of your information in the lower right of this screen under Google Print Preview.

You can use an alternate description, but it is not mandatory. This alternate description could be something as simple as a slogan. Remember the Unit Description box on the top left is reading from national’s database. In this example, the unit description reads Pack 0033, but perhaps the unit is known locally as Pack 33 — which could be written in the alternate unit description box.

After typing an alternate description, you must check the Alternate Unit Description box in the lower left area under Field Displayed On Google Pin. The alternate description then appears in the Google Pin Preview.

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The default under Pin Status is “Active.” If “Inactive” is selected, the pin will not appear on the Google map.

Logo: The default logo for your Scouting level: • Cub Scout logo for packs • Boy Scout logo for troops • Venturing logo for crews

Under Primary Contact Information, select from the pop-up menu the person chosen by the unit to be the lead in managing the pin information and parent requests. The primary contact does not have to be a unit leader, but must be a registered adult from your unit. He or she also will have access to the Unit Pin Management and Unit Lead Management screens by signing onto MyScouting.org. Emails generated from the Google Map pin will go to the primary contact, so a unit leader can assign another registered adult to work the leads.

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If you have an Alternate Contact #1 under Alternate Contact Information, you must also have an Alternate Contact #2. These pop-up menus also receive information from national’s database. You can change an email address or phone number manually on this screen; however, it does not update national’s database records. The primary and both alternate contacts must have different email addresses or an error will occur. All three email addresses will receive an email when a lead is generated. The parent will see only the primary contact in the Google Map pin. Six individuals will have access to Unit Pin Management (as well as Unit Lead Management) via MyScouting. org: primary unit leader (Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, or crew Advisor), unit committee chair, chartered organization rep, primary contact, alternate contact 1, and alternate contact 2.

The Unit Meeting Address is pulled from national’s database and is used to locate the pin on the Google Map. National’s database populates the Address 1 field with your chartered organization’s name. You must change the Address 1 field to the street address of your meeting place. Otherwise, the pin won’t appear on the Google Map. You may put the name of your meeting location in the Address 2 field. If your unit is having a special meeting or does not meet at your chartered organization, you can change the address at any time.

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If you want your unit meeting address to display, check the Unit Meeting Address box in the lower left area under Fields Displayed On Google Pin. If the unit does not wish the location to appear on the pin, uncheck the Unit Meeting Address box under Fields Displayed On The Google Pin — but an address must be in the Unit Meeting Address field at the top right so the pin can be on the map.

You can include any special announcements to display on your pin. Type your announcement, up to 133 characters, in the box under Special Announcements. Remember to click the Special Announcements box in the lower left area under Fields Displayed On The Google Pin. Check out your announcement in the Google Pin Preview on the lower right of the screen.

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When finished, click the Save button at the bottom of the screen. A window will pop up stating that your unit information was saved successfully.

An automatically generated email is then sent to assigned unit leaders saying “unit information changed.”

This is what your pin looks like to a person who has entered his or her Zip Code on BeAScout.org and found your unit. The person then clicks on one of the links (circled in red only on this example) to contact you.

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