[evanperryg]

We have a scouter carry a small laptop to do pit scouting, and they just take pictures of robots with their phone. Our sheets consist mostly of yes or no questions- it's objective and easy for the scout to type. Here's the fundamental questions we're asking this year:
-what type of drive train does the robot use?
-can you attain a reach or cross in auto?
-can you score a ball in auto? From the spy box? Low or high goal?
-we then do what I'm calling "rapid fire defenses." It's a bit of a game for the pit scouters, and it speeds up the process, too. The scout asks the team what defenses they can cross, one at a time. The team must only answer yes or no. When asking about the Sally port and drawbridge, we are asking if a team can open it from the neutral zone.
-we also ask about high goal/low goal abilities in teleop. We ask this separately from the auto shooting because there actually are teams that can only shoot in auto, can only do high goals, etc.
-valuable questions that seem to get forgotten a lot are robot weight, and, if you're interested in cheesecaking, what programming language the team uses. Make sure you ask if they're using command-based or object-based Java, too.

Personal suggestions: the old lenovos with the batteries that stick out the back are great for pit scouting, cause the battery makes a nice little handle for holding it with one hand while you type. Any laptop under 13" is usually okay for pit scouting, larger ones work but they aren't as comfortable to hold. To speed up typing, make the possible responses for each question as short as possible, and use no capital letters or special characters. Use the data validation tool in excel to make sure responses all use the same syntax, and if you're using a tablet, the dropdown menus are great.