Chart of Accounts

Overview

The chart of accounts is the foundation of your unit’s financial tracking. It defines where money is categorized — income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and individual member accounts.

Required role: Treasurer or Administrator

Account Types

TypePurposeExamples
AssetThings the unit owns or money it hasChecking Account, Cash on Hand, Petty Cash
LiabilityMoney the unit owesDeposits Held, Prepaid Fees
IncomeMoney coming inDues Collected, Fundraiser Revenue, Donations
ExpenseMoney going outCamping Fees, Awards, Supplies, Recharter
MemberIndividual scout/family accountsOne per scout or family

Creating an Account

  1. Navigate to Accounting → Accounts
  2. Click Add Account
  3. Fill in:
    • Name — descriptive name (e.g., “Unit Checking Account”)
    • Type — select from the account types above
    • Description — optional notes
  4. Click Save

Scout/Family Accounts

Scout Manager can maintain individual financial accounts for each scout or family. These track per-person balances (what they owe or have in credit).

To create a member account:

  1. Navigate to Accounting → Accounts
  2. Click Add Account
  3. Set type to Member
  4. Link it to a specific scout or family
  5. Click Save

Tips

  • Start simple — you can always add more accounts later
  • Most units need: Checking (asset), a few expense categories, and scout accounts
  • Scout accounts show individual balances in the personalized newsletter
  • The chart of accounts maps directly to your financial reports