Troop Cookie Manager 2025 HANDBOOK
Find all cookie program resources at gsksmo.org/cookieresources Access additional support at cookies@gsksmo.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Glossary
5 6 7 8 9 9
Your Role as the Troop Cookie Manager
Get Ready for Cookies!
Setting Up Your Profiles in Smart Cookies and Digital Cookie
Your Troop Dashboard in Smart Cookies
Smart Cookie Tabs
Girl Profiles in Smart Cookies Family Meetings for Cookies
10 10 11 12 12 13 15 15 15 16 17 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 22 24 24 25 26 26
Meet the Cookies
How to Order Cookies
Initial Orders
Placing the Initial Order
Picking Up the Initial Order
Damages
Distributing the Initial Order
Crediting Girls for Individual Cookie Sales
Cookie Cupboards
Planned Orders (Getting additional cookies)
How to place a planned order
Cookie Booths
No Call List
The Booth Lottery
First Come, First Serve Booths Canceling a Cookie Booth
Preparing for a Cookie Booth – DOs and DON’Ts
Booth Best Practices
At Home Booths
Troop Virtual Booths
Refunding Orders
Crediting Girls for Booth Sales
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Crediting Girls for Cookie Share
27 27 28 28 29 30 32 32 32 33 33 34 34 34 34 35 35 35 35 36
Transferring Cookies Paying for Cookies
Tracking Troop Money Tracking Family Money Unpaid Debts from Families
Girl Recognitions
Completing Your Troop’s Girl Recognition Order Editing Your Troop’s Girl Recognition Order
Finalizing Girl Recognition Orders
Distributing Recognition
About Digital Cookie
Dashboard
Orders
My Troop
My Troop Orders
Cheers
Running Reports in Smart Cookies
FAQs
Calendar
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WELCOME TO THE 2025 COOKIE PROGRAM! A tradition since 1917, the annual Cookie Program is a Troop’s main fundraiser for their Girl Scout year. What makes the program unique is that girls lead it; girls should have a hand in deciding goals for the program’s outcome. That includes badges, how and where to spend proceeds, how they want to participate (booths, door-to-door, on-line), and how to market to their customers. We encourage your troop to find the way that works best for you, your families, and your girls. Girl Scout alumnae often cite participation in the Cookie Program as their favorite memory of Girl Scouts; our goal is to make sure you, and your troop, look back on your participation fondly. At any time, if assistance is needed, we encourage you to visit our website, www.gsksmo.org/cookies for support materials. Or email cookies@gsksmo.org ; be sure to include your troop number and, if needed, the Girl Scout’s full name.
Thank you for all you do! The Product Program Team
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GLOSSARY ABC: ABC is our baker partner, GSKSMO purchases cookies from them. Bling Your Booth: Bling Your Booth is our annual troop cookie booth décor contest, where troops can win Cookie Dough and other prizes. Watch our Facebook page for more details. Cookie Badges: There is an Entrepreneurship Cookie badge that girls can earn as part of participating in the annual Girl Scout Cookie Program. Badges are displayed on the front of the uniform and signal completion of an established set of learned skills. Details on badges can be found in Girl Guides and the Volunteer Tool Kit. Cookie Cupboard: Every troop is assigned to a Cookie Cupboard. This is where you pick up reorders (Planned Orders) of cookies during the duration of the program, but after your initial order delivery. Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin: The year-by-year Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin is earned when families support their Girl Scouts as she develops skills while participating in the program. Each level of Girl Scouts offers a specific set of age-specific guidelines. These guidelines can be found on our website; gsksmo.org > Cookies+ > For Girls and Caregivers > Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin. Cookiegrams: Cookiegrams are email newsletters that we send out with announcements, reminders, and directions on the Cookie Program. We never send the same Cookiegram twice so be sure to read all of them! Cookie Patches: Cookie fun patches are displayed on the back of the uniform. Some are earned by reaching package sales goals as part of the girl recognitions; others may be purchased from GSKSMO’s on-line shop. Cookie Share: Cookie Share is GSKSMO’s donation program for cookies. Customers purchase Cookie Shares and in turn, cookies are purchased and given to the USO, Harvesters, and Convoy of Hope. More information on tracking these sales can be found on page 27. Digital Cookie: All Girl Scouts participating in the annual Cookie Program can use web-based Digital Cookie to send emails and get links/QR Codes to share on social media. Girls can also use Digital Cookie to take credit card payments and track sales. 5 Skills: The Cookie Program is first and foremost a program—meant to give girls experiences that will help them throughout their lifetime. The Cookie Badges and the Cookie Pin all reflect learning these skill sets: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills and Business Ethics. Smart Cookies: TCMs use web-based Smart Cookies to manage all aspects of the Cookie Program. SU PPM: Service Unit Product Program Manager. This volunteer oversees the Cookie Program for all troops in your Service Unit (SU). SU: Service Unit. Every troop is assigned to a service unit. Some areas have multiple service units while others have one. This depends on the density of troops in an area. Your Volunteer Support Manager can provide more information if you are interested. TCM: Troop Cookie Manager. This volunteer oversees the Cookie Program for a specific troop. Troop Site Lead: While TCMs don’t use Digital Cookie for the management of the program, the TCM is required to set up the “Troop Site” on Digital Cookie. Directions will come via a Cookiegram when it’s time for this action. The Troop Site Lead is the Troop Cookie Manager. Note: Site is referring to the Digital Cookie website, not a location. 5
YOUR ROLE AS THE TROOP COOKIE MANAGER (TCM)
The TCM supervises the Cookie Program for your troop. You’re in charge of ☙ The Get Ready for Cookies checklist. ☙ Communicating with the Troop Leadership, Families, and Girls about the program. ☙ Hosting a Family Cookie Meeting. ☙ Helping girls to set a goal. ☙ Managing the cookie inventory. ☙ Filling out receipts for each cookie pick up and anytime cash is turned in. ☙ Reading all Cookiegrams. Each Cookiegram is unique—we never send the same one twice! ☙ Attending a turn-in meeting, if needed, with your Service Unit Product Program Manager (SU PPM). ☙ Distribute Cookie Program recognitions prior to Memorial Day, 2025. TROOP LEADER SUPPORT Sharing duties for troop leadership is the best way to equally distribute the duties involved in running a successful troop and helping to lighten the load. Ideally, the Troop Leader and TCM are not the same person. We know this isn’t always possible but if this is the case for your troop, the Troop Cookie Manager should be in consistent communication with the Troop Leader during the Cookie Program. Troop Leaders should actively participate in decisions for the Cookie Program to help set expectations, support communication, set timelines and goals for your troop in addition to supporting safety practices. The Troop Leader should work with you to make sure that booths are being staffed appropriately, that monies are being collected, and deposited, regularly, and that inventory is satisfactory. Troop Leaders and TCMs should be on the same page regarding troop policies about Cookie Booth distribution, money collection, and guidelines presented to families. SERVICE UNIT SUPPORT Your Service Unit Product Program Manager (SU PPM) is a volunteer, just like you! They have volunteered their time to support all troops in your Service Unit. The SU PPM is your first contact when it comes to questions regarding the Cookie Program. With troops over 47 counties divided into Service Units, each Service Unit (or SU) may have differences in how the Cookie Program is managed. This includes dates, cookie booths, and deadlines. Also remember that this person is a volunteer; being a SU PPM is not a paid position. Please give your SU PPM time to respond to your email/text/call.
The SU PPM will be your contact for your initial order pick up, picking up recognitions for the girls, and for closing out the Cookie Program.
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GET READY FOR COOKIES! Our council is an “Order Taking Council” which means our program begins with girls taking orders in December for delivery in February. We also allow access to Direct Shipping so customers who don’t want to wait can order cookies for delivery to their homes. Advancements in technology over the last ten years have allowed us to grow beyond girls taking orders in person; girls often use email and social media, along with in-person order taking to reach their goals. To this end, we use two platforms. Smart Cookies is used by Troop Cookie Managers to manage the program. Digital Cookie is used by families to send emails, links, and/or QR codes. In this handbook we will review the basic steps for each format of selling. Cookiegrams (GSKSMO’s email communication throughout the Cookie season) will provide more in-depth details on specific aspects of the program. Ways Girls Can Participate in the Cookie Program: IN-PERSON ORDER TAKING Girls take orders in person, on their paper order card, and communicate the packages needed to the Troop Cookie Manager (TCM) using the order tool in the “Resources” section at gsksmo.org/cookiesellers The troop acquires the cookies and assigns them to the Girl Scout. The family delivers the cookies and collects payment. If the payment is cash, that cash is turned into the troop.
ON-LINE ORDER TAKING; GIRL DELIVERY
Girls send emails and/or post links/QR codes to family and friends. Customers click on the link, make their choices, and prepay for the cookies. With girl delivery, the family must approve the order within five days, or it automatically cancels. If the order is approved, the family must tell the troop the cookies are needed, just like an in person order. Again, we recommend using the order tool in the “Resources” section at gsksmo.org/cookiesellers. Again, the troop acquires the cookies and assigns them to the Girl Scout. The family delivers the cookies. No payment is collected because these orders are prepaid. Smart Tip: When a customer orders cookies for girl delivery and that order is approved by the family, the order is NOT communicated to the troop. Families must tell the troop they need the cookies. ON-LINE ORDER TAKING: DIRECT SHIP Girls send emails and/or post links/QR codes to family and friends. Customers click on the link, make their choices, and prepay for the cookies. With Direct Ship, the customer is opting to pay for the cookies to be delivered by a third party (USPS, UPS, FedEx). When the customer makes payment, they pay for both the cookies and delivery. The order is fulfilled by a third party that GSUSA has hired. Cookies and payment are automatically assigned to the troop and girl. NO ACTION is needed by the Girl Scout, her family, or the troop.
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To identify as the Troop Cookie Manager in the main registration system; 1. Go to www.gsksmo.org - Log in and click My Account and then My Household . 2. Under your name, add the Troop Cookie Manager role to your profile. 3. If it is not available, do not choose another role; email cookies@gsksmo.org. Include your name, troop number, email, phone number and that you should be listed as the Troop Cookie Manager. You can also email cookies@gsksmo.org and ask to have the roll added to your profile. If after December 8, 2024, you do not have one or both of the emails send an email to cookies@gsksmo.org and request the email be resent. Include your name, daytime phone number, preferred email and troop number. If you forget your password, you can reset it using the “forgot password” link on the log in page. If you are locked out, wait 30 minutes and try again.
BOOTH SALES: Troops work to secure booth locations and sell cookies to the public, much like a lemonade stand. More information is available in this handbook on the acquisition and management of Cookie Booths. TCM GET READY CHECKLIST ☙ Pick-up supplies from your SU PPM ☙ Girl materials (one per girl): order cards, recognition flier ☙ Receipt books (three to four per troop) ☙ One package of Toast-Yays per troop for sampling ☙ Set up your profiles in Smart Cookies and Digital Cookie. Make sure all girls are registered for the 2024-2025 year SETTING UP YOUR PROFILES IN SMART COOKIES AND DIGITAL COOKIE If you have identified yourself as the Troop Cookie Manager in GSKSMO’s main registration system by December 1, 2024, and you are currently registered, you should receive emails allowing you to set up your passwords in Smart Cookies and Digital Cookie on December 1, 2024 Previous user data has been deleted so all TCMs will need to register in Smart Cookies and Digital Cookie. You will receive two different emails; one for Smart Cookies and the other for Digital Cookie. Check your spam, junk and/or promotions folders for the emails just in case.
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YOUR TROOP DASHBOARD IN SMART COOKIES Always click the recycle button (found next to the date and time on the dashboard) to update your dashboard when you log in. The Troop Dashboard provides an overview of all activity for your troop this year and last. Key stats include: ☙ Initial Order/Transfers Sold (cases): the total of all troop initial orders and transfers to your troop. ☙ Cookie Share Sold (cases): All Cookie Shares sold by your troop. ☙ Ship only Sold (cases) = total direct ship sales, does not include cookie share . ☙ Total Sold (cases) = Initial Order, Transfers, + Cookie Share + Direct Ship Orders ☙ Girls Registered and Selling.
SMART COOKIE TABS There are multiple tabs in Smart Cookies; each tab has various actions associated with Smart Cookies. You are welcome to click and review any tab and/or action. Step-by-step instructions on the actions under the tabs are provided throughout this handbook and will be included, when necessary, in our Cookiegrams. If you accidentally delete something, you most likely can add it back in yourself. If you need help, email cookies@gsksmo.org. Here are highlights of each tab and what you can access. My Troop : Goals, Online Activities, a list of your Girl Scouts under Troop Roster ( ACTION NEEDED : review your girls’ profiles in Smart Cookies), Troop Information ( ACTION NEEDED review and edit, click save when finished), and Troop Messages. Troop Messages are messages sent from GSKSMO’s Product Program Team through Smart Cookies. Orders : Allows you to manage and review all orders for the troop and girls. Booth : Where you will manage all schedules and reservations for your troop’s cookie booths. Rewards : Once the program has ended, you’ll go to this tab to complete and place the order for your troop’s recognitions. Finances : You will track girl finances in this section. Reports : Smart Cookies offer a multitude of reports. See page x for more information. The Cookies, Safety and Training, and Resources tabs offer information and tips on the cookies and best practices. Help : Connects you with Smart Cookies help when there is a technical problem.
☙ Financial, and Girl Sale Details: » Total Sales : gross amount of all
packages/cases distributed to and/or credited to troops. » Troop Proceeds : Amount of sales proceeds earned by the troops. » Council Proceeds : Amount of council sales proceeds. » Credits : If the council credits your troop, it will be shown here. » Deposits : Total of deposit + payment transactions from troops to council. » Debt : Amount owed to council. » Amount Collected : total of council proceeds collected from troop (EX: Credit Card payments through Digital Cookie.) » Balance Due : Total amount due to council. » If your Service Unit or Council has sent messages, they will be shown on the dashboard. Important dates and tasks are also shown.
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Prior to both meetings, the TCM and Troop Leader should collaborate on the details for each meeting. AT THE GIRL MEETING DISCUSS: ⃣ What badge are we going to work on? ⃣ Do we have a goal in mind? If so, what is it and how many packages of cookies will that goal require? Remember that you cannot assign a number of packages to a girl or insist all girls participate. ⃣ Do we want to host Cookie Booths? Be prepared to explain what a Cookie Booth is! ⃣ Cookie Booth etiquette (Specifics are noted in the Cookie Booth section of the handbook). ⃣ Safety guidelines for door-to-door and online sales can be found at gsksmo.org/cookiesellers under Cookie Program Safety. AT THE FAMILY MEETING DISCUSS: ⃣ How the program works ⃣ How and when you want each family’s initial order. ⃣ Set expectations and answer questions. By providing your families with these details, you’re setting your families, and your troop, up for success. This is also a good time to brainstorm Cookie Booth locations; your families may have ideas for locations. Additional Family Resources can be found on our website, www.gsksmo.org/cookies.
REVIEW YOUR GIRLS’ PROFILES IN SMART COOKIES AND DIGITAL COOKIE
Girls who have registered for the 2024-2025 membership year are automatically uploaded to Smart Cookies and Digital Cookie. You can review your troop in Smart Cookies by clicking Troop Roster under the My Troop Tab. Once the Girl Scout is in Smart Cookies, that information will transfer to Digital Cookie. If a girl is not listed, it could mean she is not registered; follow up to make sure she is registered for the current year. If is the girl is registered, email cookies@gsksmo.org. Include her full name and your troop number. If she goes by a nickname (EX: Missy instead of Melissa), please include that information as well. SCHEDULE AND HOST GIRL AND FAMILY MEETINGS Don’t host these meetings together! Coordinate with your Troop Leader to schedule a Cookie Meeting for the girls and another for their families. Girls have varied attention spans depending on age and want to talk about what’s fun for them. Families want to know details: dates, expectations, rules, and regulations.
Smart Tip Older girl troops need service hours; reach out to your SU to recruit girls to engage your troop while you meet with families. Alternatively, you could host a virtual meeting in the evening after you’ve put your kids to bed!
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Retiring 2025
Online Only!
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Your Service Unit Product Program Manager (SU PPM) will let you know when and where to pick up your Initial Order. More information about picking up your Initial Order can be found on page 15. Not all troops place an initial order and that’s okay! Alternatively, troops can place an order from their assigned Cookie Cupboard and pick up cookies after initial deliveries are over. To get cookies from a cupboard, you will place a Planned Order. Directions can be found on page 17.
MEET THE COOKIES
All varieties, except Caramel Chocolate Chip, are listed on the order card and can be reordered throughout the program by troops. Caramel Chocolate Chip cookies can only be ordered on-line.
All varieties are available for on-line ordering while supplies last.
GSKSMO cookies retail for $6 per package. Troops and girls may not sell cookies at any other price point. This includes pricing incentives like buy four; get one free, BOGO offers, etc. You also cannot add fees for credit card processing or shipping. HOW THE TROOP ORDERS COOKIES INITIAL ORDER The first order placed by a troop is called the Initial Order. Initial orders are made up of the girl’s packages needed for Girl Delivery, any additional cookies you want for booths, and because cookies are distributed in full cases (12 packages per case) your order will be rounded up to equal full cases. Your initial order should include enough product to fulfill your Girl Scout’s initial orders and get you through booths scheduled through February 16, 2025 . Girls can continue to take orders after turning in their initial order to you. These orders should be filled after girls’ initial orders and any cookies you have for booths scheduled through February 16th are set aside. You will find information about ordering additional cookies in the Cookie Cupboard section. THE DEADLINE TO PLACE YOUR TROOP’S INITIAL ORDER IS FRIDAY, JANUARY 10TH AT 11:59 PM.
COLLECTING INITIAL ORDERS FROM YOUR GIRL SCOUTS
TCMs must complete the troop’s initial order in Smart Cookies no later than Friday, January 10, 2025 . To do this, you’ll need your Girl Scout’s initial orders. Collect the Girl Scout’s orders on paper, using the Cookie Order Worksheet, the Order Sheet Template. You will want to collect your Girl Scout’s orders ahead of your troop deadline; you’ll be entering the order in Smart Cookies. GSKSMO does not recommend collecting order cards from the Girl Scouts. Often, they are not totaled, they can be hard to read, and by not collecting them there is no opportunity for them to be misplaced.
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HOW TO PLACE THE TROOP’S INITIAL ORDER 1. Log in to Smart Cookies 2. Hover over the Orders Tab and click Troop Initial Order 3. Under the red bar that shows the Initial Orders be sure that button is clicked next to Build Order by Girl. 4. Orders are entered by girl in packages. 5. Click on the girl icon on the left or the arrow on the right (your choice) 6. Enter the package total, by variety, for each girl. On the order page you’ll see two columns. The column on the right is editable ( INV PKGS ) and the column on the left is not ( PRE-SALE PACKAGES ). INV PACKAGES = the number of packages the girl needs to deliver and collect payment. Typically these are orders that the girl has collected on her order card. PRE-SALE PACKAGES = the number of packages that the girl needs to deliver that have already been paid for. After January 10 th , girl delivery orders placed via links from digital cookie are not communicated to smart cookies. THE ONLY TIME THAT INFORMATION ON GIRL DELIVERY PREPAID ORDERS ARE COMMUNICATED VIA SMART COOKIES IS PRIOR TO THE INITIAL ORDER. Any orders that come in via Digital Cookie for Girl Delivery between Jan 11 - Mar 9 are not automatically communicated to Smart Cookies. Families MUST tell the troop they need cookies for the order. 13
INV. PKGS These fields are editable
PRE SALE PKGS
1. GSKSMO distributes cookies by cases only. After all girl orders are entered, scroll down to review the EXTRA line—these additional packages have been added to your order to round up the order to full cases. You are responsible for the sale (or transfer to another troop) of these cookies. 2. If you need additional cookies add them under BOOTH (More information on Cookie Booths can be found on page 18, including tips on ordering for your booth.) 3. Order notes may be entered but are not viewed by council—these are for you only. If you need to ask a question, email cookies@gsksmo.org. 4. Click save.
5. If you are done, slide the “Ready for Review” button. You can undo this step and edit it until 11:59pm on Friday, January 10, 2025. 6. Your screen will change to the Delivery Info screen. 7. Click on your delivery location (click on the bar under the map—it will turn blue) and click save. 8. Your screen will change again and will show the location and order detail. 9. Your initial order is complete!
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PICKING UP YOUR TROOP’S INITIAL ORDER Your SU PPM will alert you to your troop’s pick-up time and location. Each troop is responsible for moving the cases from the SU pick up site to the troop’s secure location. ☙ Plan to pick up your full order. Your SU PPM is not responsible for your cookies. Many do not allow partial order pick- up, and your cookies cannot be stored at the pick-up location. Recruit help if needed. The chart below gives an approximate number of cases that can be fit into an empty vehicle – in other words, no kids, no pets, no lawn chairs, etc. ☙ Arrive early; if you are assigned a time and you are late, you may have to wait. ☙ Count and double count your order.
DAMAGES AT INITIAL ORDER DELIVERY Bring any damages or shortages noticed on initial delivery to the attention of the SU PPM. If it can be fixed at that time your SU PPM will fix it. If it cannot, order a replacement case (even if you just need one or two packages) on a planned order and bring it to your cupboard to exchange. DAMAGES AFTER DELIVERY If you open a case after cookies are removed from the initial delivery site and there’s a problem, place a planned order and bring it to your cupboard to exchange. Questions about damages? Email cookies@gsksmo.org. DISTRIBUTING COOKIES TO FAMILIES Create a plan to distribute cookies to your troop families and communicate the pick-up plan to them ahead of time. Receipts must be filled out every time you give a family* cookies or accept payments from a family. THIS IS A REQUIREMENT. Only give cookies or accept payments from a family member 18+ years of age. Girls under 18 cannot sign receipts. Reminders: ☙ Have helpers! ☙ Cookies should be kept in an odor-free, controlled temperature (40-70 degrees, F) location.
Once you sign the receipt you are responsible for what you receive.
Approximate Number of Cases, by Vehicle Type:
VEHICLE *with driver only
NUMBER OF CASES
Compact Car
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Hatchback/Small Wagon 25-30 Mid-Size Sedan (six passenger) 35 Minivan/SUV (eight passenger) 60 Full-Size Wagon 75 Van (seats left in) 150 Van (seats removed) 200
DAMAGES Damages and shortages may happen. Don’t worry--GSKSMO will help! Damages include a case missing packages, packages that are unsealed, crushed, or missing product inside.
☙ Do not expose cookies to dirt, fuel, exhaust, pets, or cigarette/tobacco smoke.
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CREDITING GIRLS FOR THEIR INDIVIDUAL COOKIE SALES When you place an initial order, the cookies that are ordered for each girl are automatically assigned to the girl. Any other sales, other than Direct Ship orders, need to be assigned to the girls. They include: ☙ Any packages ordered in the Extras or Booth sections by the troop. ☙ Packages picked up from a Cookie Cupboard and distributed to the Girl Scout. ☙ Cookies sold at a Cookie Booth. ☙ Cookies sold via the Troop Ship Link (Look for info on the Troop Ship Link in mid-February.) ☙ Any Cookie Shares that were sold, but not assigned to the initial order.
GIVING GIRLS CREDIT FOR INDIVIDUAL SALES: 1. Log in to Smart Cookies. 2. Hover over the Orders tab and click Transfer Order. 3. The system defaults to Troop to Girl under type of transfer. You use these same instructions for transfers between troops, girls or if the need arises to take cookies back from a girl (not advised.) 4. Under Girl, click on the girl’s name, the field will turn blue. 5. Click apply. 6. Enter the quantities, by variety, you wish to transfer under PACKAGES (see image below.) 7. Enter notes (optional) if you wish; these notes are for your reference only. 8. Click save Enter notes (optional) if you wish; these notes are for your reference only. 9. Click save.
Reminders:
☙ Direct Ship sales, including any Cookie Shares sales on Direct Ship, are automatically assigned. ☙ If you placed an Initial Order, you do not need to manually transfer initial order cookies to the girls.
Smart Tip: Complete a transfer as soon as possible after giving the family cookies so that the girls accounts are kept current.
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5. Enter your order. Planned orders are always in cases. Each case has 12 packages. 6. Click save. 7. If you’d like, click print receipt at the bottom. You will not need it to pick up your order; it’s for your reference only. NOTES: ☙ The order will say Not Approved. This means the order has not been picked up. Once you pick up the order and the Cupboard Manager enters it in Smart Cookies the order is approved ☙ You can delete the order by clicking delete. ☙ We allow two planned orders per week. If you need to edit your order you may do so if it is before the deadline (9 pm, Sunday) by visiting the Manage Order screen under orders. ☙ If you are out of a variety of cookie, you can turn that variety on and/or off by going into your troop site in Digital Cookie. To do that 1. Log into Digital Cookie. 2. Go to the My Cookies tab. 3. Scroll down and use the toggle to turn varieties on or off.
COOKIE CUPBOARDS Every troop is assigned to a Cookie Cupboard; by placing a Planned Order, you can pick up cookies at your assigned Cookie Cupboard. Some cupboards are run by a SU Volunteer, the council runs others. Your SU PPM can tell you where your SU’s cupboard is located. No matter the location, all SU have the same deadline to place a Planned Order – Sundays at 9 PM. If you place an order after 9 PM on a Sunday, the system will default to dates available the following calendar week. If that happens, reach out to your Cupboard Manager to see if the Cookie Cupboard can accommodate you earlier. Cookie Cupboards run by SU Volunteers have varied hours of operation. The two Cookie Cupboards run by GSKSMO are open on Fridays from 11AM to 6PM. PLANNED ORDERS Like initial orders, cookies obtained from the cupboard are in full cases. The weekly deadline to place a Planned Order is 9PM CT on Sundays. HOW TO PLACE A PLANNED ORDER 1. Log in to Smart Cookies. 2. Hover over the orders tab and click on planned order. 3. Your cupboard options will be listed. Most troops have a single choice, but some may have more than one option. If you do have more than one, choose one. 4. Select a date and time and click save. You may edit by picking edit under each category.
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Businesses listed on the No Call list are not guaranteed to be available Cookie Booth locations. Some of the listed businesses will be part of the Cookie Booth Lottery, some may be managed by the SU, and some have told us no to hosting a booth. If you are not in one of the counties listed above, consult your SU PPM for more details on SU organized booths in your area before reaching out to businesses. If a location is not on the No Call List, troops are welcome to secure their own booths. GSKSMO must approve all locations. Approval is confirmed through Smart Cookies; see page 21 for instructions on adding a booth to Smart Cookies. Be a sister to every Girl Scout and be mindful of where you secure a booth; setting up in the parking lot of a Walmart, for example, is unfair to the troop at the Walmart.
COOKIE BOOTHS Cookie Booths are a fun way for Girl Scouts to sell cookies in the community because they can run their business—marketing, people skills, and money management are all skills needed to run a booth! In highly desirable locations, the council and/or the SU may decide to manage those locations for the troops in the area. This allows troops to share the location equitably. These Cookie Booth locations are distributed in our Cookie Booth Lottery (typically locations in Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties in MO, and Johnson, and Wyandotte counties in KS). GSKSMO will manage all Walmart, Walmart Neighborhood Market, and Sam’s Club locations due to the agreement GSUSA has with Walmart. Because the locations are distributed via lottery, they are on our No Call List, shown on the next page.
Are you ready to kick off your best cookie season ever? Earn your cookie badges at Cookie U, where you think creatively about yourself, selling cookies, and what you want to achieve in Girl Scouts and beyond with fun interactive workshops! Head home with fun swag, a badge, and most importantly, helpful tools to make your cookie sales a huge success! To sign up for Cookie U, visit the events calendar at gsksmo.org/calendar.
Daisy & Brownie Cookie U - Jan. 11 from 9am-12pm Johnson County Community College (12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210)
Junior Cookie U - Jan. 11 from 1pm-4pm Johnson County Community College (12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS 66210)
Cadette, Senior, & Ambassador Cookie U - Dec. 15 from 2pm-4:30pm Camp Prairie Schooner (15300 Ess Road, Kansas City, MO 64136)
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NO CALL LIST LOCATIONS:
Ace Hardware Stores Aldi AMC Theatres American Legion – Independence, MO Andy’s Frozen Custard Apple Market At Home B&B Theatres Barnes and Noble
Furniture Mall of Missouri Gabe’s Go Chicken Go Grain Valley Market Green Acres Market Half Price Books Harbor Freight Tools Hen House Hobby Lobby HyVee IKEA Independence Center Independence Event Center Jo-Ann Fabric + Craft Kansas City Comets KC Public Libraries Kansas City River Market Kansas City Mavericks Kansas City Soccer Dome Kohl’s Legends Shopping Center LL Bean Love’s Travel Stops
Petco PetSmart
Planet Fitness Price Chopper Quik Trip Raygun REI Roeland Park Dome Sam’s Club Scheels Soccer Nation KC Sprouts Strasser Hardware Summit Fair Shopping Center Sunfresh Market Sutherlands Swig Target Trader Joe’s True Value Hardware Waffle House Waldo Hardware Walgreens Walmart Walmart Neighborhood Market Westlake Hardware Zona Rosa
Bass Pro Best Buy Bichelmeyer Meats Big Biscuit Big Lots Broadway Cafe Burlington Coat Factory Cabela’s Cable-Dahmer Arena Casey’s Central Library (MO) City Barrel Costco Cosentino’s Markets Country Market Grocery Stores Crowley Furniture Crown Center CVS Dick’s Sporting Goods Dillons Dollar General Euston Hardware Feldman’s Farm & Home First Watch Five Below Furniture Mall of Kansas
Lowe’s Macy’s Main Event
Maj-R Thrift Discount Store McKeever’s Market & Eatery
Menards Michaels Midwest Cyclery Minsky’s Pizza
Nebraska Furniture Mart Office Depot/OfficeMax Old Navy Payless Discount Foods
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☙ Troops located outside of the six county areas are welcome to join the lottery for locations that are destinations or places they would normally shop. (Ex: Bass Pro, Sam’s Club.) We ask that you otherwise enter the lottery in the businesses in your area; retailers want to support local troops. ☙ Not all the stores on the No Call list will be in the lottery. Additional stores may be offered in lotteries via email; this happens when stores commit after the electronic process. As stores are added we will notify the SU where they are located via email. After the lottery runs and the Product Program Team has reached out to the troops who did not “win” a choice, we will release what is called a First Come, First Serve (FCFS) schedule. This allows troops to pick up additional booths in a fair manner. Watch your email for a Cookiegram with the schedule. HOW TO ENTER THE BOOTH LOTTERY 1. Log in to Smart Cookies. 2. Hover over the booth tab and click on schedule booths. 3. Click on the location you’re interested in. 4. Click on the desired month and date. 5. Click save. To delete a selection, go to the My Reservations screen and delete them. You may enter up to three times. You can only earn a maximum of one time.
HOW THE LOTTERY WORKS ☙ The lottery will open in Smart Cookies on January 2 and close at 11:59pm on January 5, 2025. ☙ There is no advantage to what day you enter the lottery. ☙ No locations have been designated as “premium” in our lottery. 1. Troops enter up to three entries (defined as a location + date + time). 2. Troops can win one spot in the lottery. Not all troops will “win” a lottery choice. 3. Troops are notified, via email, if they won or lost. GSKSMO doesn’t get to write the automatic messages that you receive so here’s a few notes on them: ☙ If the troop isn’t awarded a booth your message will say to contact the council. You don’t need to do this, we’ll contact you! ☙ We realize that message of denial is a little crisp, remember we didn’t write it! ☙ Troops awarded a booth through the lottery or when the Product Program Team calls do not need to add the booth to Smart Cookies; they will be automatically added to Smart Cookies. ☙ While we are contacting troops the week of the lottery, the Cookie Booth function of Smart Cookies is not accessible by troops.
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The main contact listed under Troop Information (under the My Troop tab) will receive a confirmation email from noreply@abcsmartcookies.com . You are welcome to edit this area before you secure a booth. ADDING A COOKIE BOOTH TO SMART COOKIES REMINDER : You do not need to enter the booth if you earned the booth via the Council’s Cookie Booth Lottery, if you were assigned a booth with the help of the Product Program Team, or if claimed a booth from the available booths on Smart Cookie. These instructions are for troop secured booths and booths that were secured by the Service Unit. TO ENTER A TROOP SECURED BOOTH: 1. Log in to Smart Cookies. 2. Choose the booth tab, then Troop Secured Booths. 3. Enter the info on both tabs – Booth Information and Appointment Times. 4. Click save. Your entry will be reviewed and approved by the Product Program Team. Allow 72 hours for approval. For more information Cookie Booths see page 18 of this handbook.
TO ADD A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE (FCFS) BOOTH 1. Log in to Smart Cookies. 2. Go to the Booth tab and choose Schedule Booths. 3. Click on the desired location on the list on the left. 4. A calendar will open, and available
dates will be highlighted. Click a date to see what time slots are available. If you see a time slot that works for you click it and it will turn blue.
5. Click SAVE to secure the spot. A pop- up box indicating that the reservation was received will appear. If you use the search field, enter a store name or city for best results. NOTE : Because all booths in Smart Cookie were part of the lottery, they are all designated as Lottery Booth with a purple dot. Ignore the designation/color coding.
VIEW ALL AVAILABLE BOOTHS AT ONE TIME
If you would prefer to run a report of all available booths for a time range vs looking at each location, you can do so by running a report called Available Booth Summary. Ń Log into Smart Cookies. Ń Go to the Reports tab and click Current from the list. Ń Under Report Categories click Booths. Ń Under Reports click Available Booth Summary. Ń Click Go to Report. Ń You can choose a location or leave as All to see All. Ń Enter a beginning date and end date. Ń To create a sortable report, change View Type to Text_Excel. Ń Click View Report.
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HOW TO CANCEL YOUR TROOP’S COOKIE BOOTH RESERVATION If you cannot attend a Cookie Booth, please cancel the reservation in Smart Cookies as soon as possible; another troop may want to pick up the shift. TO CANCEL YOUR TROOP’S COOKIE BOOTH RESERVATION: 1. Log in to Smart Cookies: 2. Go to the Booth tab and choose My Reservations. 3. Click on the hamburger menu ( ) on the far right (you may have to reduce your screen image to 90% to see it). 4. Click on Remove Reservation and confirm by clicking Delete Forever. You no longer have this reservation. Email notification is also sent. Reminder : If you set up a pickup at this booth, you’ll need to contact those customers to plan for pick up or refund those orders.
PREPARING FOR A COOKIE BOOTH SALE DO!
Ń Secure a location. Review No Call list first if securing your own! Ń Recruit booth workers: Ń Girls : There should be a minimum of one girl and maximum of four Girl Scouts at every booth. We do not allow booths without currently registered Girl Scouts. Ń Adults : There should be a minimum/maximum of two adults at every booth. Even if there is only one girl, GSKSMO would like two adults so there is always one at the table and one with the girl. Ń Create signs and props for your booth. Pinterest is a great resource for ideas. Dollar store balloons, tablecloths, and décor are economical. Promoting Cookie Share is a great way to show another way Girl Scouts give back! Ń Review Booth Etiquette with the girls. Ń INSIDE BOOTHS : Minimize the volume. Greet customers as they approach, do not yell. No chants, songs, cheers, etc. Ń OUTSIDE BOOTHS: Again, keep
the volume in check and do not shout at customers—let them approach you.
Ń Order cookies for the booth.
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Ń GSKSMO estimates, in general, troops sell approximately 50 packages an hour at high traffic locations like Walmart or a weekend grocery store. The number of packages sold at any location can vary depending on the weather, the store’s traffic, what you have in stock, and if you’ve promoted the booth. Discuss your location with your sister TCMs – they will have the best advice because they have most likely hosted a booth at the location. Ń Get plenty of change, especially ones, fives, and tens. A change box is helpful as well as a secondary box or envelope so you can pull large bills out. Ń Download the Digital Cookie app! This app is free for both iPhone and Android users from your app store. You’ll use this app to accept credit cards from Booth Customers! Digital Cookie uses OCR (scanning) to capture and send (not photograph and save) credit cards. Girls can also manually enter a credit card using Digital Cookie. Think of it as a portable cash register.
Ń Thin Mints are the #1 selling Girl Scout cookie (25% of our sales); it’s key you have them at your booth. Ideally, you’ll have the rest of the varieties, but plan accordingly based on average sales. Here are average sales, by variety, for our council in 2024: 1. Thin Mints: 26%. 2. Peanut Butter Patties: 15%. 3. Caramel deLites: 15%. 4. Lemonades: 11%. 5. Peanut Butter Sandwiches: 9%. 6. Adventurefuls: 8%. 7. Trefoils: 6%. 8. Toast-Yay!: 4%. 9. Caramel Chocolate Chip: 2%.
DO NOT!
☙ Ask the retailer for change. ☙ Use shopping carts to transport cookies from the car to the booth and back. ☙ Tape signs to the walls of the stores. ☙ Bring non-troop children to the booth. Tag-alongs are not allowed! ☙ Use an empty cookie box or any other “disposable” thing for booth money. If you don’t have money boxes or envelopes, use storage containers, a lunch box, a fanny pack/belt bag, or something you can designate as the place you keep cookie money. ☙ Set out a TIP jar. Any donations should be turned into Cookie Shares.
Ń Have a table, chairs, and a way to move the cookies from the car to the booth. Some stores provide tables and chairs, but most don’t. Look at the location notes for this info.
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BOOTH SALE BEST PRACTICES
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO ASSIGN CREDIT FOR BOOTH SALES. THE MOST COMMON: Ń Divide total number of packages sold by the number of girls who worked the booth. Ń Add up all packages sold at booths through the season and divide by number of shifts worked. This option is helpful to girls who worked at booths where traffic was slower. Ń Make sure your girls and their families know how the cookies will be distributed. Ń For instruction on how to distribute cookies, sold at booths, in Smart Cookies see pages 26. “AT HOME” BOOTHS Cookies can be sold at home booths (think lemonade stand or during a garage sale) if you follow these guidelines: Ń For every Girl Scout present, an adult (18 years+) must be present, even for Girl Scouts aged 18+ Ń Your local community ordinances/HOAs/
Ń If there’s a problem call or text 816- 759-3028 and include your contact info (phone.) Ń Be ready to go at your start time and ready to close out at the finish, especially if you’re at a location where another troop is there before and after you. Ń If you are at a location where another troop is scheduled before you, do not begin selling until your booth time. Ń Be friendly and always say thank you even if the answer is no from a potential customer. Ń Have fun but be respectful to customers and sister troops. Ń Girls should stay with the booth. Do not let girls wander throughout the business. Ń Take all trash and supplies with you and dispose of it offsite. Do not jam empty case packaging in the store’s trash can. Leave the location better than you found it. Ń Give the girls who worked at the booth credit in Smart Cookies for the sales of the booth.
etc. allows Cookie Booths. Ń Girls are in a safe location.
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The first two options are part of your set up as the TCM logs into Digital Cookie. The third option is available once you set up your booth in Smart Cookies and those details transfer over to Digital Cookie. Once you can view the booth in Digital Cookie, follow these steps: 1. Under the Virtual Booths tab select an existing cookie booth from your list and click “Add Pick-Up Option.” 2. Enter the details requested. The end time should be 12 – 24 hours before the physical booth sale start time you have time to approve orders and acquire the inventory needed. 3. Send out the link to customers. Before the booth, review the orders: 1. Log into Digital Cookie. 2. Navigate to the My Troop Orders Tab. 3. Choose Digital Cookie Orders to Pickup. 4. Approve (or decline) orders. Once you approve the order it moves to the Orders to Pick up section. Once the order is picked up, mark the order as “Order Picked Up” to remove it from your list of orders. Troop Links are not available until February 21, 2025. Watch for a Cookiegram with more information.
TROOP VIRTUAL BOOTHS Virtual booths allow troops to capture orders ahead of, or instead of, a physical booth sale. You can create a link, offer pick-up and/or delivery to enhance sales. Virtual Booth links will be set up in Digital Cookie. TROOP SITE LEAD The Troop Site Lead is referring to the Digital Cookie site (not the location of a Cookie Booth) and should be the Troop’s Cookie Manager. THERE ARE A FEW VARIATIONS ON TROOP VIRTUAL BOOTHS: 1. Troop Virtual Booth Link: this allows the troop to share a link for customers to order on behalf of the troop. The order may be direct ship or girl delivered. A link and a QR code can be used. 2. Troop Shipped Only Link: this allows the troop to share a link for customers, but they can only order direct ship and/or Cookie Share. 3. Troop Booth Pick Up: This allows customers to order and pick up from your troop’s physical cookie booth. Pre-orders are captured, and your customers will know they need to stop by your booth to get their order. In other words, they are reserving the product they want.
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6. Verify the booth is correct. If it isn’t, click the back arrow to change the booth. 7. Enter the number of packages sold, by variety, at the booth. 8. Click the Save and Distribute button. 9. Click Select Troop Girls (next to Save & Distribute) and select girls that you wish to include in the distribution (click on the box to the right of their names.) 10. Girls selected appear on the grid and the divider will distribute as evenly as possible. Any remaining packages will need to be manually distributed. To do this in Smart Divider, edit the boxes. 11. Once complete, click save. You’ll receive a confirmation package, and all packages will show as distributed. CREDITING GIRLS FOR BOOTH SALES, MANUALLY: This is exactly like crediting them for their individual sales except that you enter the packages under a different column. 1. Log in to Smart Cookies. 2. Hover over the Orders tab and click Transfer Order. 3. The system defaults to Troop to Girl under type of transfer. You use these same instructions for transfers between troops, girls or if the need arises to take cookies back from a girl (not advised). 4. Under Girl, click on the girl’s name, the field will turn blue. 5. Click apply. 6. Enter the quantities, by variety, you wish to transfer under BOOTH PACKAGES (see image below.)
REFUNDING ORDERS If a customer doesn’t show up to pick up their order, you can contact them to arrange another pick-up time or you can simply refund the order. To Refund the Order: 1. Log into Digital Cookie. 2. Go to the Order Tab. 3. Enter one qualifier. 4. Click search. 5. Click on the green order number to bring up the order. 6. Click Refund. 7. Choose the appropriate options. 8. Click Yes. This will begin the process to refund the customer which can take a few weeks. DISTRIBUTING COOKIES
TO GIRLS SOLD AT A COOKIE BOOTH
You can manually distribute packages sold at a booth or, if your booth was in Smart Cookies prior to the booth, you can use the Smart Cookie Divider. Using the Smart Cookie Divider: 1. Log into Smart Cookies. 2. Hover over Booth and choose My Reservations. 3. Click the booth sale you are distributing cookies for. Do this by scrolling. ‘Click Booths Left to Distribute’ to filter the booths that do not have cookies distributed. 4. At the far right of the row, click on the three dots on the far right; a tab will extend. 5. Click on Smart Booth Divider.
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7. Enter notes (optional) if you wish; these notes are for your reference only. 8. Click save Enter notes (optional) if you wish; these notes are for your reference only. 9. Click save.
3. Enter the total number of additional Cookie Share packages for each girl. 4. You can enter for one or more girls, and you may enter as many times as you need to during the program. 5. Enter notes if you wish; these are for your info only. 6. Click Save. You should receive a pop-up window alerting you that the order was successfully updated. 7. You may edit or delete your Cookie Share order by going to the Manage Order Screen (under Orders tab). You may need to transfer cookies between girls or to another troop. The process is simple and works just like you’re transferring cookies from the troop to the girl or another troop. After you log in to Smart Cookies and choose Transfer Cookies, choose the action you want from the drop-down menu (EX: Troop to Troop, Girl to Girl) and proceed with your transfer. Once the transfer is complete, the receiving party will get an email confirming the transfer. Reminder: If you are transferring cookies to a troop, the giving troop should complete the transfer AND fill out a receipt, so you have proof, in writing. ! Do not transfer cookies between the same girl entered twice. If a girl is listed twice in Smart Cookies stop and email cookies@gsksmo.org with details!
GIVING GIRLS CREDIT FOR COOKIE SHARE:
REMINDER : Any Cookie Shares entered with the initial order are already credited to the girls. You will only need to complete this step if the girls sell more Cookie Shares after the initial order. And Cookie Shares sold on-line via Direct Ship do not need to be added. For more information on Cookie Share see page xx. To give girls credit for Cookie Shares sold after the initial order: 1. Log in to Smart Cookies 2. Hover over Orders and choose Virtual Cookie Share
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