Every unit in the Pathfinder Club has a story to keep: who showed up on time, who missed three Sundays in a row, who finished the class, who visited the hospital with the group. That story lives in two places that almost every club calls by a nickname — the unit logbook and the attendance sheet.
Both have official names. The Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual, 2020 edition of the South American Division (SAD, the Adventist Church's headquarters for South America), calls the logbook the Unit Folder and the attendance sheet the Unit Corner Sheet, whose ready-made template is Form D — Unit Evaluation Sheet, on page 215 of the manual itself.
This guide opens both documents page by page: what goes in each one, who fills it out, who checks it, how attendance turns into scoring and reporting, and what the manual deliberately leaves for each club to decide. All verified in the official PDF on 21/07/2026.
Are the Unit Logbook and the Attendance Sheet the Same Thing?
No. They are two different documents that work together, and mixing them up is the number-one mistake for anyone just starting out. The logbook is the file for the whole unit, for the whole year. The attendance sheet is one sheet per month, with one block per Pathfinder and, inside each block, one line for every meeting.
An honest note before moving on: the word logbook does not appear in the Administrative Manual. It is a club nickname — and one so common that it became a Google search term. The manual uses "Unit Folder." If your field says folder and you say logbook, you're talking about the same thing.
| Club nickname | Name in the manual | What it is | Where it's kept | Who's in charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit logbook | Unit Folder (section 3.2.1) | Historical file for the group: sheets, reports, certificates, copies of attendance records | Filed at the club secretariat; only comes out to be updated or consulted | Counselor, together with the unit secretary |
| Attendance sheet | Unit Corner Sheet / Unit Evaluation Sheet (Form D, p. 215) | Monthly attendance and evaluation sheet, marked meeting by meeting | Comes and goes every week; the copy is filed in the folder | Filled out by the unit secretary; checked by the counselor |
Both come from the same logic: the unit system — groups of 6 to 8 Pathfinders, the number the manual sets as appropriate for the program to work. Small group, simple record. If your sheet has 20 names, the problem isn't the sheet: it's the size of the unit.
What to Record on Each Page of the Unit Logbook?
The manual is specific. In section 3.2.1, titled "The Unit's Identity," it says the unit needs an organized secretariat, must prepare a folder decorated to match the group's name, and lists eight items that must be inside. Treat each item as a tab, a divider, a section of your logbook.
| # | Logbook page / tab | What the manual requires | How often to update |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Complete Pathfinder record | Photo, preferences (food, music, movies, free time, games), school report cards, list of honors and classes | At the start of the year and whenever there's news |
| 2 | Parent visit report | What was discussed and the date of the next visit, already scheduled | Every visit — the manual suggests visiting every one or two months |
| 3 | Unit activity report | The group's parties, campouts, visits, hikes | Right after each activity |
| 4 | Report for every meeting of the year | Club meetings, campouts, and Field events such as camporees and Olympics | Every meeting |
| 5 | Book Club reports | What each Pathfinder read and the written report they turned in | Monthly, when the book rotation closes |
| 6 | Certificate copies | Classes, honors, and courses completed | At every investiture or course |
| 7 | Copies of the Unit Corner sheets | Each month's attendance, filed | Monthly, after the counselor delivers the original to the secretariat |
| 8 | ID document | Copy of each unit Pathfinder's ID document | At enrollment |
There's a ninth page the manual asks for elsewhere that almost everyone forgets: the list of classes in progress. Among the counselor's duties is creating and keeping updated a list with each Pathfinder's name and the class they're working on, with a start date and a scheduled completion date — and the manual states plainly that this list must be attached to the unit folder. That's what makes it possible to know, ten years from now, which classes were completed each year, by unit.
What the rule requires and what you choose. The manual defines the content. The format is free: a sewn notebook, a ring binder, a folder with plastic sleeves, a printed logbook from a print shop — none of that is regulated in the manual, which only requires the folder to be decorated to match the unit's name. Standardizing the format, then, is a decision for the club's board. If your club has eight units, it's well worth standardizing: same folder, same dividers, everything in the same order.
Why this really matters. The manual explains it better than any argument of ours could: this folder becomes the historical record of how the unit ran, with the story of every Pathfinder who passed through it. It's a reference source whenever someone needs to prove a class or honor — and it's a mirror of the counselor's work, letting them compare their own year against the previous one and see where to improve.
What Are the Fields of the Official Attendance Sheet?
Here's the heart of the search. Form D — Unit Evaluation Sheet, on page 215 of the manual, has a header with Unit, Counselor, and Month/Year. The left-hand column is called Pathfinders and is divided into blocks: the first is already labeled Captain:, the second Secretary:, and the rest are left blank. Inside each block there are six thin lines — one for every meeting of the month. It's one sheet per month, per unit.
| Sheet field | What it records | Right moment to mark it |
|---|---|---|
| Date | The meeting that marking refers to | Write it before you start, not after |
| Punctuality | Whether the Pathfinder arrived at opening time | At the opening formation, watch in hand |
| Uniform | Correct, complete, and well-kept pieces | A single glance during the opening inspection |
| Materials | Whether they brought what was asked: Bible, class card, activity materials | A single question, out loud, at the start of the corner |
| Discipline | Behavior through the whole meeting | Only at the end, and together with the counselor |
| Bible reading | Whether they completed the agreed weekly reading | At the corner, when checking the Bible Year |
| Community help | Participation in social or mission action for the period | When the activity happens |
| Dues | Whether the month's contribution is up to date | Once a month, with the unit treasurer |
| Total | The sum of the row, per the point key printed in the form's footer | At the end of each meeting and at month's close |
And the scoring? It's printed right there. This is the point almost every text on the subject gets wrong: the footer of page 215 carries an official key with the value of each item and the final rating range. It's not a club invention — it's in the manual, right below the grid itself.
| Item | Situation | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Punctuality | A — Present on time | 20 |
| B — Late (up to 15 min) | 10 | |
| C — Absent | 0 | |
| 2. Uniform | A — In order | 10 |
| B — Incomplete | 5 | |
| C — No uniform | 0 | |
| 3. Materials | A — Complete | 10 |
| B — Incomplete | 5 | |
| C — No materials | 0 | |
| 4. Discipline | No infraction during the meeting | 20 |
| Infraction | 0 | |
| 5. Bible reading | A — Up to date | 30 |
| B — Up to 1 week behind | 10 | |
| C — Behind | 0 | |
| 6. Community help | Helped someone in need, during the current week | 20 |
| 7. Dues | A — Up to date | 15 |
| B — Behind | 0 | |
| Rating | Green | 100 to 125 |
| Yellow | 75 to 99 | |
| Red | below 75 |
Adding up the maximums of the seven items, the full score is 125 points — which is why the green band starts at 100. Notice too that the Date column and the Total column don't earn points: one identifies the meeting, the other closes out the count. One reading caveat: since 125 is exactly the sum of one row, the rating looks like it applies per meeting, but the manual doesn't spell that out anywhere — if your club prefers to apply the colors to the month's average, that doesn't go against any rule.
What about worship? What about the class? Many sheets circulating online carry columns for "worship," "devotion," or "mission work." They are not in Form D — but they're not forbidden either. The manual grants that freedom explicitly: each club must set the guidelines by which members will be evaluated, and the counselor fills out the sheet "with the proposed items." In other words: adapting columns is legitimate, as long as the board approves. The class in progress, though, doesn't become a column — it lives in its own list, with start and completion dates, attached to the folder.
A detail for anyone who likes precision. When describing the counselor's duties, the manual requires delivering each Pathfinder's evaluation sheet to the club secretariat monthly and calls it "Form E." In the index and on the forms pages, though, the Unit Evaluation Sheet appears as Form D (p. 215) — Annex E is the letter of recommendation. It's a numbering inconsistency in the 2020 edition, verified in the official PDF on 21/07/2026. When in doubt, search by name, not by letter. The same honesty applies to another point: the manual never states, in a single sentence, that "the Unit Corner sheet is Form D." The link comes from the text — the secretary fills out the Corner sheet, which is the weekly evaluation sheet for each Pathfinder, and the form with that name is D. That's the reading clubs make, and it's the only one consistent with the published material.
Read alsoUnit scoringWho Fills Out the Sheet and Who Checks It?
This is the question that causes the most confusion in a new club, and the manual answers it plainly: it's filled out by the unit secretary — a Pathfinder, elected by their own peers, not an adult. Among their duties is "filling out the Unit Corner sheet," keeping each Pathfinder's weekly evaluation sheet up to date, being honest in their marks. The term runs from three months to a year, per the standard approved by the Executive Committee, and they wear an insignia of the role during activities.
| Step | Who does it | What they do | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gather the group on time | Unit captain | Responsible for the unit's presence at the appointed time and presents the group to the director at opening | Every meeting |
| Mark attendance | Unit secretary | Fills out the Unit Corner sheet, honestly, in every mark | Every meeting |
| Report to leadership | Unit secretary | Acts as messenger between the unit and the director on punctuality, attendance, and uniform use | Whenever the counselor asks |
| Check and deliver | Counselor | Delivers each Pathfinder's duly completed evaluation sheet to the club secretariat | Monthly |
| Consolidate the score | Club secretary | Records all points and demerits on each Pathfinder's permanent record sheet | Ongoing |
| Raise the flag | Club secretary | With the unit sheets in hand, tracks attendance and regularity and notifies the director when someone starts missing meetings | As soon as the pattern shows up |
| Report to the Field | Club secretary and director | Fills out the quarterly report; the director delivers it to the district/field office, which sends it to the Conference or Mission | Quarterly |
Notice the design: the adult does not take attendance. The counselor coordinates, checks, and signs; the teenager does the marking. The manual justifies this when explaining the unit system: the great secret is assigning responsibilities to youth and teens. If the counselor fills everything out alone, the role loses its reason to exist — and the club loses a leader in training. If your unit hasn't elected anyone yet, start there: see how the unit captain and secretary work.
A reminder that avoids arguments: in the captain's absence, it's the secretary who takes over the unit — they're the group's second-in-command. And in the counselor's absence, the club board takes over, with the help of the associate counselor.
How Does Attendance Become Scoring and Reporting?
The sheet doesn't exist to punish anyone: it feeds the club's merit system. The manual says the Unit Corner is the best moment to work that system, and that each Pathfinder's attendance and follow-up sheet is an important part of it — one that must be correctly filled out, by the secretary, at every meeting.
The official yardstick exists — and it's on page 215. The footer of Form D carries the full table: punctuality is worth up to 20, uniform up to 10, materials up to 10, discipline 20, Bible reading up to 30, community help 20, and dues 15. The maximum total is 125, and the final rating is green (100 to 125), yellow (75 to 99), or red (below 75). Anyone who prints the manual's page already has the yardstick built in.
Where the rule leaves room. At the same time, the manual's text says each club should adopt its own discipline system according to its own reality and that each club sets the guidelines by which members will be evaluated. Both things coexist: the printed table is the ready-made standard on the form; adjusting weights, creating quarterly prizes, or adding items is the club's call — and, like any club standard, it goes through the board. What the manual doesn't cover is what to do with the score: prizes, rankings, and consequences aren't regulated anywhere.
Where attendance goes next. The path is short, with three stops. First, the unit sheet reaches the club secretariat, where the points go onto each Pathfinder's permanent record sheet. Second, attendance becomes a diagnostic: the manual's Form C — the Club Diagnostic Sheet — has fields for the number of Saturday and Sunday meetings, parent meetings, board meetings, and the percentage of members present, signed by the director and the field officer. Third, it goes into the quarterly report to the Field.
Why to score carefully. A discipline column marked in the heat of the moment turns into a grudge that lasts the whole year. The manual gives the cue when it covers the Book Club's written reports: it tells the counselor to correct without ever exposing a Pathfinder or showing their notes to someone else. The same spirit applies to attendance. Mark it privately, talk it through privately, and use the number to go looking for whoever is disappearing — which is exactly why the manual has the club secretary alert the director about absences: to build a special attention plan together with the counselors.
How to Put Together Your Template Today, Free and With No Sign-Up?
You don't need to buy a logbook or hand your email to anyone. The official template is inside a free, public PDF. The path, in five steps:
- 1. Download the manual. The complete PDF is on the SAD's official website: Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (2020 edition, about 5 MB, 240 pages). Verified live on 21/07/2026.
- 2. Go to page 215. It's Form D — Unit Evaluation Sheet. Print one sheet per unit, per month.
- 3. Fill out the header before the meeting: unit name, counselor's name, month, and year.
- 4. Write the names in the left-hand column, with the captain in the first block and the secretary in the second — that's how the official form already comes labeled.
- 5. At month's end, add up the Total column using the footer key, rate each Pathfinder green, yellow, or red, deliver the original to the club secretariat, and file a copy in the unit folder (item 7 of the logbook).
Prefer to build your own version from scratch, in a spreadsheet or notebook? No problem — just make sure you have the minimum fields, which are the form's own: identification of the unit, the counselor, and the month; one block per Pathfinder, with one line per meeting; and the columns for date, punctuality, uniform, materials, discipline, Bible reading, community help, dues, and total. Bring along the point key and the rating ranges, or the Total becomes a meaningless number. Extra columns approved by the board (worship, mission work, Bible Year) can be added alongside.
What about the apps? Let's be honest. The record with official standing in the Pathfinder Club is the SGC, the SAD's Club Management System: member enrollment, leadership registry, medical sheets, classes, honors, units, treasury, and, above all, the annual insurance. No app replaces that, and none should try to. The only list of modules the SAD has published on an open page is the one from its 2015 launch announcement, and it doesn't mention meeting-by-meeting attendance. Since the SGC received a new version, announced through the SAD's official channels in late 2024, there's no way to guarantee from the outside what exists today: confirm with your own login and with your Field's Pathfinder secretariat.
Tools like Desbravai live on the other side of the week: scheduling with families, tracking class and honor progress, communication, and the club's memory. Useful, free — and with no pretension of replacing the official record. If any system promises that, be suspicious and call your field office.
The Logbook Holds Minors' Data. Now What?
Yes, and this is the part almost no one thinks about. The unit logbook gathers full name, address, school, photo, report card, and ID document of children and teenagers. And in the individual folder kept at the secretariat, health records, allergies, chronic conditions, and prescriptions come in too — because the manual requires that information on any medication taken during meeting hours appear on the sheet, with a copy of the prescription attached.
The manual itself already sets the storage procedure: unit folders must be kept at the club secretariat and taken out only for updates or to access some piece of information. It's not a folder that lives at the counselor's house or in the trunk of a car.
On top of that comes Brazilian law. The LGPD (Law No. 13,709/2018, Brazil's data protection law) classifies health-related data as sensitive personal data (art. 5, item II) and reserves narrower processing grounds for sensitive data than for ordinary data (art. 11). Article 14, meanwhile, requires that children's and teenagers' data be processed in their best interest, with specific, highlighted consent from at least one parent or legal guardian in the case of children. In practice, three habits handle most of the risk: a locked cabinet for the folders, no photos of the sheet circulating in messaging groups, and access restricted to those who truly need it — the counselor, the club secretary, and the board.
If your club hasn't talked about this yet, the topic is bigger than the logbook: it's worth reading the guide on child protection in the club before standardizing this year's folders.