Organization Structure
Understanding organizations, sub-troops, member assignments, and working with multiple organizations
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TroopForge helps you organize your scout troop using a flexible structure that supports everything from simple single-troop setups to complex multi-troop organizations. This guide explains how organizations, sub-troops, and members work together to give you complete control over your troop's structure.
Understanding TroopForge Organizations
An organization is your complete TroopForge account. It represents your scout troop (or group of linked troops) and contains all your members, families, events, and financial data.
Key Characteristics of Organizations:
- ✓ Each organization has its own subscription tier (Trailhead, Basecamp, or Summit)
- ✓ Organizations are completely isolated - your data is never visible to other troops
- ✓ Each organization has its own treasurer(s) who manage the account
- ✓ You can customize your organization name, logo, and settings
- ✓ Users can belong to multiple organizations (see "Working with Multiple Organizations" below)
Example Organization Structures:
Simple Single Troop:
Organization: "Troop 135"
Contains: One troop with 30 scouts and their families
Linked Troops:
Organization: "Troop 135 Organization"
Contains: Troop 135B (boys) and Troop 135G (girls) sharing one committee and treasurer
District Organization:
Organization: "Silver Creek District"
Contains: Multiple troops managed by district leadership
Sub-Troops: Organizing Members into Groups
Sub-troops are the primary way you organize members within your organization. Members can be assigned to one or more sub-troops as needed for reporting and event coordination.
What Are Sub-Troops For?
- Organizing linked troops that share administration (boys/girls troops)
- Grouping members by program track, experience level, or operational group
- Assigning members to event/reporting cohorts
- Filtering events and reports by group
- Structuring organization operations while maintaining one shared account
Patrol guidance: Patrols are managed in the Patrols feature. Use sub-troops for troop-level structure, not for tracking patrols.
Common Sub-Troop Structures:
Linked Troops Structure
Best for: Separate boys and girls troops sharing one organization
Sub-troops:
- "Troop 135B - Boys Troop"
- "Troop 135G - Girls Troop"
Each troop has its own leaders, but shares treasurer and committee
Program Tracks Structure
Best for: Grouping by program focus or activity track
Sub-troops:
- "Core Troop Program"
- "High Adventure Program"
- "Leadership Development"
Use clear groups for planning, reporting, and event access rules
Age/Rank-Based Structure
Best for: Grouping by experience or program level
Sub-troops:
- "New Scouts" (Scout - Tenderfoot ranks)
- "Experienced Scouts" (Second Class - First Class)
- "Leadership Corps" (Star - Eagle)
- "Venture Crew" (older scouts/special program)
Groups scouts by experience level for targeted activities
Simple Structure
Best for: Small troops without complex divisions
Sub-troops:
- "Troop 135 Main"
Single sub-troop contains all members
Sub-Troop Limits by Subscription Tier:
- • Trailhead: 1 sub-troop maximum
- • Basecamp: 3 sub-troops maximum
- • Summit: Unlimited sub-troops
You can upgrade your subscription anytime to add more sub-troops.
How Members Relate to Sub-Troops
Members (scouts and parents) can be assigned to sub-troops. These assignments help with event targeting, organization, and reporting.
Member Assignment Rules:
-
Scouts: Usually assigned to at least one sub-troop
Can belong to multiple sub-troops if needed (e.g., scout participates in both troop and venture crew) -
Parents: Typically assigned to the same sub-troop(s) as their scouts
This ensures they see events relevant to their family -
Leaders: Can be assigned to sub-troop(s) they coordinate
Leaders currently have organization-wide visibility across members -
Treasurers: Have access to all sub-troops
Can see all members and manage the entire organization
Example: Linked Troops with Current Leader Access
Organization: Troop 135 Organization
Sub-troops: "135B Boys Troop" and "135G Girls Troop"
User: Sarah (Leader assigned to 135G)
✓ Can see members across the organization (current behavior)
✓ Can create events for 135G
✓ Can still use sub-troops to organize event targeting and reporting
User: Mike (Treasurer)
✓ Can see all scouts in both 135B and 135G
✓ Can create events for either troop
✓ Manages all financial accounts across the organization
Working with Multiple Organizations
A single user account can belong to multiple organizations. This is common when someone:
- Is a treasurer for one troop and a parent in another (e.g., their own troop and their child's troop)
- Is a district volunteer who helps multiple troops
- Serves as a leader in multiple linked troops
- Has scouts in different troops (each child in a different troop)
Switching Between Organizations
When you belong to multiple organizations, you can easily switch between them:
- Look for the organization switcher in the navigation bar (top of the page)
- Click the current organization name to see all your organizations
- Select the organization you want to work with
- The entire interface updates to show data for that organization only
What Happens When You Switch Organizations:
Example: Multi-Organization User
User: Jennifer Martinez
In "Troop 135 Organization":
- • Role: Treasurer
- • Can manage all members, events, and finances
- • Has admin access to organization settings
In "Troop 247 Organization":
- • Role: Parent
- • Can see own family information only
- • Can sign up family members for events
- • Can submit transaction requests
Jennifer switches between these organizations using the organization switcher, and TroopForge automatically adjusts what she can see and do based on her role in each.
Data Security and Privacy
TroopForge keeps your organization's data completely isolated and secure.
How Your Data Is Protected:
Complete Organization Isolation
Your organization's data is never visible to other troops or users outside your organization
Database-Level Security
All data is secured at the database level with encryption and access controls
Role-Based Access Control
Within your organization, users only see data appropriate for their role
Audit Trail
All financial transactions and data changes are logged for accountability
Invitation-Only Access
Users must be explicitly invited by a treasurer or leader to access your organization
Important: Even if a user belongs to multiple organizations (like a district volunteer), they can only see data for the organization they're currently viewing. Switching organizations requires an explicit action using the organization switcher, and data from different organizations is never mixed or visible simultaneously.
Managing Your Organization Structure
Treasurers manage sub-troop definitions, and leaders can help maintain member assignments.
Creating Sub-Troops
- Navigate to Sub-Troops
- Click "New Sub-Troop"
- Enter sub-troop name and description
- Save the sub-troop
- Assign members to the new sub-troop
Treasurer permission required.
Assigning Members to Sub-Troops
- Navigate to Members
- Click on a member's name
- Click "Edit" in member details
- Select sub-troop(s) from dropdown
- Save changes
Treasurers and leaders can manage assignments.
Renaming Sub-Troops
- Navigate to Sub-Troops
- Click on the sub-troop name
- Update the name or description
- Save changes
- All member assignments remain intact
Treasurer permission required.
Deleting Empty Sub-Troops
- Navigate to Sub-Troops
- Click on the sub-troop
- Confirm no active members remain assigned
- Click "Delete Sub-Troop"
- Confirm deletion
Treasurer permission required. Sub-troops with active members cannot be deleted.
Best Practices:
- • Choose descriptive sub-troop names that clearly identify the group
- • Don't create more sub-troops than you need - keep it simple
- • Use Patrols for patrol tracking, not sub-troops
- • Ensure all members are assigned to appropriate sub-troops during onboarding
- • Review sub-troop structure annually and adjust as your troop evolves
Common Questions
Can a scout belong to multiple sub-troops?
Yes. Members can be assigned to multiple sub-troops when needed, such as participating in both a core troop group and a specialized program track.
What happens if I need more sub-troops than my subscription allows?
You can upgrade your subscription tier anytime through the Billing settings. Basecamp tier allows 3 sub-troops, and Summit tier allows unlimited sub-troops. Your existing data and structure are preserved when upgrading.
Can I reorganize my sub-troops after I've created them?
Yes! You can rename sub-troops, reassign members between sub-troops, and create new sub-troops anytime. All historical data (transactions, event participation) is preserved when you make structural changes.
How do I join another organization as a user?
You must be invited by a treasurer or leader from that organization. They'll create a member record for you and send an invitation to your email address. When you accept the invitation, your existing user account will be linked to the new organization, and you'll be able to switch between organizations using the organization switcher.
What's the difference between a sub-troop and a family?
Sub-troops are organizational groups for troop-level planning and reporting. Families are household groups for financial management (parents and scouts who share financial accounts). Patrols are managed separately in the Patrols feature. A family can have members in multiple sub-troops, and a sub-troop contains members from many families.