This document will show the 4 different ways Troop leaders (or those with permission to add new adults) can invite a new family into Trail Life USA using Trail Life Connect. *These methods will only work for individuals who are new to Trail Life USA and do not already have accounts somewhere in the Trail Life Connect system.
First, navigate to the left menu in Trail Life Connect and expand “My Troop” to reveal the option to “Add New Adult.”
The resulting “Add new adults to your Troop” screen will display the 4 possible options for adding a new adult to your Troop. Each option is covered below, in its own section.
Option 1: Create Account via Text Message Invitation
For this option, all that is needed is the mobile phone number of the individual who wishes to sign up. You will enter the 10-digit number, and then click the button to “Send Invitation by Text Message.” The individual will receive the text message on their device, which will contain a link they can click to take them to a page where they can create a new account directly within your Troop.
Option 2: Email a New Adult to Create an Account with Trail Life Connect
For this option, you will enter the First Name, Last Name, and Email address of the adult you wish to add to your Troop. If this is a new family, leave the default “Household” option set to “Create new household.” If you are adding an additional adult to an existing Household, you can select that Household from the list of existing Households within your Troop. When all the information is correct, click the “Add New Adult & Send Email” button. The individual will receive an email message that they have been added to the Troop. The email message will contain a link for them to navigate to Trail Life Connect for setting a password and logging in for the first time to update their profile information.
Option 3: Create a New Account via Laptop (or Kiosk Mode)
This option is perfect for a Troop meeting or Open House, if you have a laptop or similar tablet device available. You will want to save/bookmark the link shown – the link is specific to each individual Troop. You can then use the laptop or tablet to allow adults to create a new account on the spot, without waiting for a text or email link. *It is best to close out and/or log out of each account creation session (and also ensure someone else is not already logged in with a Trail Life Connect account) before each new adult creates a new account. This will prevent accounts from accidentally being created within the Household of another family, and prevent other related technical issues. Having the link bookmarked, or saved as a direct link on the desktop, will save time in pulling up the new account page for each new adult who wishes to join the Troop.
Option 4: Scan QR Code
Next to the kiosk mode option, you will find a QR Code which is unique to your Troop. For those with phones or devices that can scan QR codes, this can also be used to allow an individual to scan the code which will bring them to a page that will allow the new member to create a new account with your Troop.
**The Kiosk Mode registration link and QR Code should not be posted to any public-facing website.
Final Note
It is important to understand that an adult account creation in Trail Life Connect is the first step for a new family joining your Troop. This initial step only creates a system account for the adult which allows them to log into Trail Life Connect. Once logged in, the adult (Parent/Guardian) can add one or more sons to their Household in the Troop. The adult account will begin receiving Troop communications and will also have access to valuable resources. Establishing a Trail Life Connect adult/parent account is also necessary before the adult can be invited to register for other Troop leadership.