📖 About This App
Simple, efficient attendance tracking for Scouting events
A Full-Featured Scouting Platform
The Scout Check-In System started as a simple idea: replace lost paper sign-in sheets with something modern. It has grown into a complete web-based platform supporting multiple Scout units, secure family accounts, email invitations, role-based access, and real-time attendance tracking — all on a serverless AWS architecture that costs just $3–5/month.
Why We Built This
- Safety First: Quickly know who's on-site in case of emergency or evacuation
- Parent Peace of Mind: Real-time visibility when scouts arrive at and leave events
- Leader Simplicity: No more reconciling messy paper sheets or chasing down attendance data
- Family Friendly: Register once, use for all events — no repeated form-filling
- Multi-Pack Ready: Built for any Scout unit type — Cub Scout Packs, Troops, Crews, and Ships
- Cost Conscious: Built on serverless AWS infrastructure for just $3–5/month regardless of event count
- Works Everywhere: Any smartphone, tablet, or computer — plus installable as a home screen app (PWA)
What's Built Today
Families & Members
- Family registration with full member roster
- Scout & adult types, ranks, dens per member
- Edit name, phone, email, YPT, registered status
- Family linked to a secure account
Events & Attendance
- Create and manage unit events
- QR code check-in for fast scanning
- Real-time leader check-in dashboard
- Individual check-in and check-out tracking
Authentication & Access Control
- Secure login via AWS Cognito (JWT-based)
- Email invitation flow for new members
- 7 role levels: Scout → Parent → Leader → Coordinator → Co-Admin → Admin → Global Admin
- Every API call server-side verified — never trust-the-client
Mobile & PWA
- Fully responsive mobile-optimized layout
- Installable — tap ☰ → Add to Phone from any page
- Service worker caches key pages for offline access
- iOS and Android home screen support
Multi-Unit Support
- Multiple Scout units with full data isolation
- Unit admin registers their pack/troop/crew
- Global admin manages all units from one panel
- Users can belong to multiple organizations
Email & Invitations
- Unit admins invite members by email
- Invite tokens auto-assign role and unit
- Cognito email verification via AWS SES
- Sent from noreply@dev.scoutcheckin.com
How It Works
Architecture Overview
Scout Check-In is a fully serverless web application running on AWS:
- Frontend: Static HTML/JS hosted on S3 + CloudFront with custom domain, HTTPS, and CDN caching worldwide
- API: AWS API Gateway (HTTP) routes to Lambda functions — one per domain (families, events, attendance, users, organizations, invitations)
- Authentication: AWS Cognito manages accounts, JWT tokens, and email verification; tokens refresh automatically every hour with a 365-day login window
- Database: DynamoDB tables for each domain with GSIs for efficient cross-entity queries
- Email: AWS SES sends invitation emails and Cognito verification messages
- Infrastructure: All AWS resources managed with Terraform for reproducible, version-controlled deployments across dev and prod environments
- Progressive Web App: Service worker enables offline browsing; install prompt available directly in the app menu
Privacy & Security
We take data protection seriously:
- ✅ All data encrypted at rest in DynamoDB and in transit via HTTPS/TLS
- ✅ JWT authentication required on every API call — role enforcement is server-side only
- ✅ Least-privilege IAM: each Lambda only has DynamoDB access to the exact tables it needs
- ✅ No third-party tracking or analytics — your data stays in your AWS account
- ✅ Families can only see their own data; leaders only see their unit's data
- ✅ Every member must be invited by a unit admin — no open self-registration
Open Source & Community
This project was built by a volunteer parent leader and is designed to serve the broader Scouting community. We believe in transparency and continuous improvement through community feedback.
What's Next: We're working on GPS event locations, activity itineraries, custom pack theming, and more. See our Roadmap for the full plan!
Questions or Feedback?
Have questions or suggestions about Scout Check-In? Email support@dev.scoutcheckin.com and we'll get back to you.