When several teams are out on an expedition, keeping tabs on them usually means waiting by the phone, jotting down grid references read out over the radio, and pushing a pin into a paper map. Live tracking brings it together: set up your teams, hand each one a code, and watch them all move on a single live map as they check in from their phones — so at a glance you can see where everyone is and whether anyone has asked for help.
Where to find it
In the left sidebar, click Tools, then open the Live tracking card. It's available to leaders and group admins.
The main page lists your tracking sessions. Click a session to open its live map, or use New session to start one.
Setting up a session and teams
A session is one expedition. Give it a name, then add a team for each group heading out. Each team gets:
- A name you choose (for example Kestrels or Team 3).
- A colour, assigned automatically so you can tell teams apart on the map at a glance.
- A unique join code — the code that team's young people type to check in.
If your teams are following a route you've already drawn in the Route planner, you can overlay it on the map so you can see how the teams are tracking against the planned line.
Sharing the codes with your teams
Each team checks in on one shared public page — they don't need a Scoutworks account or the app. There are three ways to get them onto it:
| Method | Best for |
|---|---|
| Join code | Reading out or texting the short code for a team to type in. |
| Link | Sharing a link that opens the page with the code already filled in. |
| QR card | Printing a card per team — a QR code plus the code in large type — to hand out. |
Open Team codes to print the cards. Each card carries the team name, its colour, a QR code, and the join code, ready to cut out and give to the group before they set off.
How young people check in
On the public page, a young person enters their team code (or scans the QR card), then taps Check in. Their phone shares its location, which appears on your map as an Ordnance Survey grid reference. If their phone can't get a location, they can type a grid reference in by hand instead.
Before checking in, they can add:
- A short message — for example "at the summit, stopping for lunch".
- An I need help flag — a clear, one-tap way to call for attention.
The page shows them their own recent check-ins and a short privacy notice explaining what's shared and for how long.
Watching the live map
Open a session to see every team on one map. The board updates on its own as check-ins come in — no need to refresh.
- Team colours and trails — each team's check-ins are drawn in its colour, joined into a trail so you can see the path it has taken, with its latest position labelled.
- Team layers — toggle any team on or off to isolate one group when several are close together.
- Needs help — if anyone raises the help flag, a banner appears at the top of the board so you can't miss it.
- Quiet teams — a team that hasn't checked in for a while is flagged, so you know who to chase.
- Fullscreen — expand the map to fill the screen for a hall display or a big monitor at base.
Keeping it safe
Live tracking is built with safeguarding in mind:
- Teams are identified by their team name only — never a young person's name.
- Check-in history is kept while it's useful, then removed automatically after the session ends (30 days by default).
- The public check-in page carries a privacy notice so young people know what's shared.
What's next
- Planning a Walk or Hike Route — draw the route your teams will follow, and overlay it on the tracking map.
- Laying Out a Campsite to Scale — the map-based planner for the camp itself.
- Finding Locations with what3words — how grid references and plain-words addresses work across Scoutworks.
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What's next?
Related guidesPlanning a Walk or Hike Route
How to plot a walk or hike on a real map — dropping checkpoints with grid references, checking distance, climb and walking times, and printing a route card or GPX.
Read articleLaying Out a Campsite to Scale
How to plan a campsite on a real map — placing tents, shelters and facilities at true size, then exporting a printable site plan and kit list.
Read articlePinpointing Locations with what3words
Add a what3words address to your saved locations and event meeting points so parents can find the exact entrance, car park or gate — not just the postcode.
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