Advancement gap analysis
A per-Scout, per-requirement view of the whole den, with Bobcat first and a clear answer to the only question that matters in April: who is ready for rank.
Turn Tuesday at 6:30 into a run-ready agenda
Den meeting planner
The DenBuddy meeting planner turns a date and a length into an agenda built from your den's open requirements. Drag an adventure onto the timeline, set how long each block runs, and a coverage meter shows how many requirements close and how many Scouts move forward before you ever publish it.
Free for one den, forever. Reads always; writes only when you press Send.
Start with the when, not the what
A new meeting asks only for the things you already know: title, date, start time, how long you have, where you meet, and whether you are indoors or out. That creates a draft and drops you straight into the planner. Nothing is published, and nothing is visible to parents yet.
Your den's open requirements sit in the left rail
The planner keeps the gap analysis beside the agenda the whole time, so you are never guessing what to cover. Group it by adventure to see how many Scouts need each one, or by Scout to see who is falling behind, and filter to required adventures, electives or make-ups.
- Each adventure shows the count of Scouts who still need it, and their first names.
- Drop a whole adventure on the trail, or a single requirement.
- Make-ups surface the Scouts who missed the meeting where something was covered.
Blocks carry the detail you would otherwise scribble on an index card
Every block has a type (gathering, opening, adventure work, game, snack, ceremony, closing), a length, and a grouping: whole den, small groups or stations. Open a block and you can list the equipment and materials it needs down to quantity and unit, note who is bringing what, say how much adult help it takes, and record the safety watch-outs. Reorder blocks by drag or by keyboard. Everything saves as you type, so there is no Save button to forget.
Fit the plan to the night you actually have
The logistics panel holds the constraints the plan has to live inside: how many Scouts you expect, how many adults are helping, the minutes you really have, a budget, the gear already in the den box, prep tasks, and a rain plan. When the meeting is ready you publish it, which creates the attendance session and the parent check-in link.
The rules this feature works inside
- DenBuddy reads Scoutbook Plus always, and writes back only when you press Send.
- Scouts have no accounts, and nobody can message a Scout.
- A den leader sees their own den. A parent sees their own Scout.
Questions leaders ask about this
How long does it take to plan a meeting?
Most leaders build a first agenda in ten to fifteen minutes because the open requirements are already on screen. Reusing a community plan or an Akela draft makes it shorter.
Can I plan a meeting without importing from Scoutbook Plus?
Yes. You can add your Scouts by hand and mark what they have already done. The import just saves you the typing and keeps the history honest.
What happens when I publish?
Publishing creates the attendance session, a check-in link and a QR code for parents, and switches the meeting into a run view you can work through on your phone.
Can I change the plan during the meeting?
Yes. The plan stays editable after publishing, and what you actually covered is decided afterwards on the record sheet, not by the agenda.
Related features
Scoutbook Plus import
The DenBuddy Sync extension reads your den from Scoutbook Plus in your own browser session and brings it into DenBuddy. Reads always; writes only when you press Send.
Parent check-in and attendance
Publish the meeting and DenBuddy hands you a check-in link and QR code. Parents mark their Scout present. Nobody signs in, and no Scout has an account.
Akela, the AI meeting assistant
Describe the night you have and Akela proposes blocks built from your den's open requirements, with materials and a leader script. It is optional.
Community plan library
Browse plans other leaders have published, fork one into your own meeting, and share yours back with every Scout name, den and date scrubbed out.
Plan your next den meeting with DenBuddy
Import your den and plan your next meeting tonight.
Free for one den. No credit card. Works with Scoutbook Plus.