SOAR

We have completed the transition to HTTPS/SSL. All SOAR websites now default to use the HTTPS/SSL protocol.

Your members should now see a secure icon/message when accessing your SOAR website that will look something like this.

  or  

If you are seeing a “Not Secure” message in the browser address bar it is because you have a reference to an image/picture that is external to your SOAR website on that page. The external reference you created is using "http://" instead of “https://”. You can test this by clicking on Menu/Calendar on your SOAR website. You should then see a “Secure” message with the padlock.

We have received a good amount of feedback from customers with Vanity Domains regarding the upcoming HTTPS/SSL changes.

Based on customer feedback and some really good ideas from customers, we are looking at providing SSL Certificates for customers of Vanity Domains. This could possibly be through an automated mechanism that would not require any action on your part and would have no additional cost to our customers. More to come after we have investigated some of these ideas.

For the short term, DO NOT go out and buy an SSL certificate for your domain name.

We will be delaying the forward of Vanity Domain to HTTPS SOAR Domain until we have completed this investigation.

Over the coming months, your SOAR website will experience some changes. These are being brought on initially by changes in Google Chrome, and eventually other browsers. While the changes on our end are easy to implement, it will require understanding of some technical details on your part so you can explain what is happening to your leaders and members. We’ve created this thorough (and unfortunately long) announcement to let you know what is happening. We encourage you to print it out, read it fully, and share it with your leaders.

Background

“The Internet” was created by the combination of two pieces of software – the web “server” and the web “browser”. You are familiar with browsers; you use them every day - Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox/Mozilla, etc. SOAR provides the web server for your Unit Website. The web browsers and severs talk with each other via the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) – the end result is your browser displaying a web page.

SOAR has looked into provide a text messaging feature for your website service. What we found is that providing a text messaging feature is technically possible. At the same time we found the only way to guarantee delivery of text messages was to go through a 3rd party "aggregator" who charges a per message fee for their service. We decided for business reasons we did not want to get into a "per" anything pricing model with customers.

Many customers bring up alternatives that and we'd like to take the opportunity to explain in detail.

• Your own cell phone
  • You can text multiple people at a time on your cell phone.
    

We have received a number of questions about Text Messaging (SMS) features recently. We thought it would be a good idea to provide a thorough answer to all customers on the subject.

SOAR has looked into provide a text messaging feature for your website service. What we found is that providing a text messaging feature is technically possible. At the same time we found the only way to guarantee delivery of text messages was to go through a 3rd party "aggregator" who charges a per message fee for their service. We decided for business reasons we did not want to get into a "per" anything pricing model with customers.

We have added the ability for members with Add Content, Manage Roster, or Administrative permission to search the content of your website. This will help you easily find the content you are looking for and aide in finding past content to “repurpose” for future use.

The Search feature will look across all of the Announcements and Events on your website – past & future. You can select if you want to search for Announcements, Events, or both. The feature will also remember the search settings you used last.

To enable to the feature go to Admin/Control Panel/Features and turn on the Search feature. A search box will then be available at the bottom of the Administration Menu on your website.

Troopmaster is coming out with a new release of their software in the next 60 days called Troopmaster Web 2.0 and Packmaster Web 2.0.

This release has a number of significant technology changes in it. There is one in particular that will affect Troopmaster/Packmaster users and their SOAR website. They are changing their method for assigning unique IDs within their software – what we call TMIDs – that are used for syncing with your SOAR website during the Import process. They are changing to a truly unique TMGUID which in the long run will help significantly reduce duplicate accounts showing up in your SOAR website.

We continue to try to work with Scoutbook to create a data interface like we with have with Packmaster/Troopmaster. Unfortunately there has been little progress in that area from the Scoutbook side.

To assist customers that are using both Scoutbook and SOAR we have create a Scoutbook feature that will show the Scoutbook app inside your SOAR website. This will allow your members to use Scoutbook without leaving your SOAR website.

Note: There is no integration, so your members will still need to login to your SOAR website and Scoutbook separately.

To enable the feature, go to Admin/Control Panel/Features and turn the Scoutbook feature on. Your website will then include a Scoutbook Menu Item for all to use.

The latest version of Internet Explorer 11/Microsoft Edge have again introduced a number of compatibility. Over the last 6 months, we have updated your SOAR websites to support both of these browsers.

There is a memory leak bug in the IE 11/Edge browsers that is causing problems with the Photo Upload Tool.

To address the issue, we have provided a different version of the Photo Upload Tool that removes some of the tools features. You will not be able to see a thumbnail view of the photos you have added for upload, change the order of the photos to be upload, and the limit is 50 pictures per upload.

Unfortunately, until Microsoft fixes the issue there is nothing we can do about this one. You can use another browser to use the fully featured Photo Upload Tool.