Organization Structure
Understanding organizations, sub-troops, member assignments, and working with multiple organizations
Scout focus
Focus on personal account actions, event signup, and age-appropriate access boundaries.
- Review what can be self-managed versus what requires parent or leader action.
- Check transaction request and event deadline rules before submitting changes.
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.
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.
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.