Understanding Import Preview

What to check before executing your import

TL;DR: Preview shows what will change - nothing happens until you click "Execute Import". Check member counts, units, and warnings before proceeding.

Preview is Safe

Nothing changes until you click "Execute Import". Review, adjust options, and regenerate the preview as many times as needed.

Quick Checklist

Before executing, verify:

    • Council/district/organization match your unit
    • Member counts match expectations
    • Unit names look correct
    • New vs. Update split makes sense (first import = all new)
    • No blocking errors shown
    • Warnings are acceptable (or fix them)

Preview Sections

Roster Metadata

Shows: Council, district, organization name, report date, detected format

Check:

  • Organization details match your unit
  • Format detected correctly (ScoutBook+, My.Scouting, or Legacy)

Red flags:

  • Wrong council/district (might be wrong file)
  • Format shows "Unknown" (corrupted file)

Summary Statistics

Shows: Counts of what will be created/updated

Expected on first import:

  • All members marked "New"
  • 5-10 units to create
  • Relationships match youth count (most have 1-2 parents)

Expected on re-import:

  • Mostly "Update", few "New" (recently joined)
  • Few or no units to create
  • Few new relationships

Red flags:

  • Total members much lower than expected
  • All "New" on re-import (BSA IDs not matching)
  • Zero relationships (parent data missing)

Errors vs. Warnings

Errors (Blocks import):

  • Missing required columns
  • Duplicate BSA Member IDs
  • Invalid file format

Action: Fix before proceeding (re-export or edit CSV)

Warnings (Non-blocking):

  • Missing parent emails
  • Incomplete addresses
  • Blank Kindergarten grades (known issue)

Action: Review, can fix manually after import or edit CSV and re-import

Detailed Breakdown

Click to expand sections showing:

New Members:

  • Names, BSA IDs, grades, den assignments
  • Spot-check a few for accuracy

Members to Update:

  • Field-by-field changes (old → new)
  • Position additions shown as "Added Positions: Title"
  • Only changed fields displayed

New Relationships:

  • Parent → Child links
  • Method noted (ScoutBook+ = BSA ID, Legacy = Email Match)

Units to Create:

  • Unit names, cohort years, external references
  • Check names match your dens

Units to Enrich:

  • Existing units getting externalReference added
  • Happens when upgrading from My.Scouting to ScoutBook+

Unit Assignment Changes:

  • Shows proposed reassignments
  • Note: Shown even if "Update Unit Assignments" is disabled
  • Option only controls whether changes are applied

Common Scenarios

First Import

Expect:

  • All members: New ✅
  • All units: To Create ✅
  • All relationships: New ✅
  • No updates, no reassignments ✅

Unexpected:

  • Some members "Existing" (you may have added them manually)

Monthly Re-Import

Expect:

  • Most members: No changes or small updates ✅
  • Few "New" members (recently joined) ✅
  • Units: Existing ✅
  • Few new relationships ✅

Unexpected:

  • All members "New" (BSA IDs not matching - check troubleshooting)
  • Many reassignments (roster data might be stale)

Annual Advancement

Expect:

  • Many unit assignment changes (scouts moving to next grade's den) ✅
  • Some new units created (new grade-level dens) ✅
  • Few member updates ✅

Unexpected:

  • No reassignments (check if "Update Unit Assignments" option is disabled)

Adjusting and Retrying

To regenerate preview:

  1. Change import options (checkboxes)
  2. Preview updates automatically
  3. Review new results
  4. Adjust again if needed

Experiment freely - preview is read-only.

When to Execute

Execute when:

  • ✅ Member counts match expectations
  • ✅ Unit names correct
  • ✅ No blocking errors
  • ✅ Warnings are understood/acceptable
  • ✅ Ready to apply changes

After Executing

  1. Review import summary (created/updated counts)
  2. Spot-check a few members (Members → All Members)
  3. Verify units and assignments (Units → All Units)
  4. Check relationships (open youth member, view Relationships section)

Common Questions

Why are members showing as "New" when they exist?

Why are Kindergarten warnings shown?

  • Known bug in ScoutBook+ and My.Scouting exports
  • ScoutBook+ auto-infers grade from Lion den ✅
  • See troubleshooting →

Can I undo an import?

  • No automatic undo
  • Re-import with "Update Existing" to sync back
  • Delete members manually if needed

Next Steps