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Let’s get right to it—how do I get my cookies? Managing the troop’s cookies means placing an initial forecasted order, transferring cookies to girls, and visiting Cookie Cupboards to pick up more cookies when necessary. With the Smart Cookies online platform, managing cookie inventory is a breeze!
How Troops and Girls Get Cookies 
Initial Forecasted Orders: Remember, because we no longer take orders via order card, your first order is for your direct door to door sales and your Cookie Booths. Troops will pick up their cookies at SU Pickups. These pickup locations are reserved by the Service Unit Cookie Chair and are where all the Service Unit cookies will be delivered at the same time. Your Service Unit Cookie Chair will let you know the date, time, and location of your cookie pickup.
Cookie Cupboards: Cookie Cupboards are an important resource this year since we are moving to a direct sale only model. This will be your go-to place to restock for your door-to-door and cookie booths. Remember, before heading out to a cupboard, make sure to place a Planned Order in Smart Cookies ahead of time—see page 43 on how to place one!
From Other Troops: Transferring cookies between troops is another way to manage troop inventory. Troops with an excess of one or multiple varieties can transfer to troops who need more.
The Inside Scoop on Initial Forecasted Orders
The Initial Order period has changed to the Initial Forecasting Order period as we transition to a new Direct Sales Model! Initial Forecast Orders are due to your Service Unit by January 19. This is now the time where troops review how many cookies they sold last year-- ordering enough to get your troop thr ough the first 2-3 weeks of the 2026 Cookie Program.
Troops place an Initial Forecast Order to receive cookies as soon as the Direct Sale Period starts. Here are some benefits to placing these Orders:
- Troops order cookies to get through the first 2-3 weeks of the sale, decreasing trips needed to the Cookie Cupboard - saving gas and time!
- Troops should include cookies for Cookie Booths on their initial order, it decreases trips needed to a Cookie Cupboard—saving gas and time! Additional guidance on what to order on page 40.
- Placing Initial Forecast Orders helps prevent shortages. The cookies you order in your Initial Forecast Order are guaranteed by our baker for you to receive.
- GSMH has made a tool for troops to use to forecast your troops Initial Forecast Order. We recommend the order to be 60-70% of your total troop sales from the previous year. If you are a new troop, you will use last year's council PGA. Check your troop level at the top of the calculator for your age level PGA. Troops will enter their Initial Forecast Order in cases.
Submitting Initial Forecasted Orders
Follow the steps below to place your troop’s order under the Orders tab:
1. Select 'Troop Initial Order.' Note: Don't be confused by the "initial" term, this is just what is used in the system.
2. Enter the amount of cases for each cookie you want to order.
3. You can edit this initial order until the troop order due date on January 19, which is also listed in red at the top of the Initial Order screen.
4. When your order is complete, slide the 'Ready for Review' button to the left to let your Service Unit Cookie Chair know that your order is complete and ready for processing.
5. Once it is saved, the assigned Delivery Station for cookie pick up will be shown at the bottom of the screen. Click to lock it in.
Prefer a video? Follow along with this Initial Order by Troop tutorial from ABC bakers.
What Cookies Should I Order for Direct Sales?
So many flavors! How do I know which cookies to offer to customers? When ordering cookies, there are a few things to consider!
- Forecasting: Troops that live farther away from a cupboard may want to order more of their direct sales cookies during the Initial Forecast Order period to eliminate traveling to the cupboard. We recommend ordering up to 70% of your total sales from last year, and then fill the remaining 30% with restocks throughout the program. This will eliminate an excess inventory leftover at the end of the program. In addition, GSMH has created a forecasting tool to help your troop know what to order. When using this calculator, please input the percentage of cookies you want to order, last year's PGA, and how many girls will be selling cookies in your troop. The calculator will then tell you exactly how many packages to order for your troops Initial Forecast Order.
- Troop Goals: Review your troop goals and how many cookies you plan to sell.
- Cookie Booths: Check your calendar and work with your girls to decide how many cookie booths you want to participate in and what locations. Historically, our GSMH Community Booth Partners receive the highest foot traffic for booth sales. In addition, be sure to schedule your own Troop Secured Cookie Booths to help meet your goals .
This year, we have created a Forecasting Calculator to help you when forecasting your troops initial order! Once you click on the link, you will enter in your troops per girl selling average from the 2025 season, how many girls you have selling for 2026, and the percentage up to 70% you would like to order of your troop goals. Once all the information is input, it will calculate what you should order by case by variety for your troop. If you are a new troop, we have added the per girl averages for each troop level for you to use.
What to Expect from Your Initial Pick Up
Once initial orders are in, it’s time to plan for the arrival of cookies. If you haven’t yet seen a cookie delivery, it’s quite a sight! Many semi-trucks deliver over 60,000 cases of cookies to our Cookie Cupboards and Initial Pick Up sites, and there’s a great deal of excitement and Girl Scout sisterhood. Your Service Unit Cookie Chair will give you instructions on the process, date, and time for attending Initial Pick Up and picking up your troops initial order cookies. Be sure to print your Initial Order confirmation to bring to the pick up to confirm totals. While there, the Service Unit Cookie Chair will receive and confirm the product first. Then, work together to verify totals by cookie variety for your troop—count each case by variety with the Service Unit Cookie Chair or designated volunteer before signing for the product and leaving the location.
Next, as a Troop Cookie Chair you:
- Arrange the distribution of your troop's cookies to girls and families—set a day and time for families to pick up their inventory and communicate the process.
- Verify total by cookie variety—counting with families during distribution.
- Issue receipts to families for total number of cookies picked up, by variety of cookie.
Our Cookie Mix & What to Order
What's the right mix? On average, this is what Cookie Sales look like in Missouri Heartland:
- Thin Mints | 25%
- Caramel deLites | 18%
- Peanut Butter Patties | 14%
- Adventurefuls | 7%
- Peanut Butter Sandwich | 7%
- Lemonades | 9%
- Trefoils | 6%
- Exploremores | 12%
- Gluten Free Caramel Chocolate Chip | 2%
*Gluten-Free Caramel Chocolate Chip are in limited supply. This year there is no limit on troop initial orders, while supplies last. GSMH has the authority to edit Gluten Free cases based on supply. If supply remains after initial order, Gluten Free are first-come, first-served at Cookie Cupboards.
To help plan for a cookie booth, use this Cookie Booth Order Calculator for an estimate of what to order. Requires Microsoft Excel.
Note: Troops are responsible for deciding the quantity of cookies that they order.
Transferring Cookies
Throughout the Direct Sales Period, cookies should be transferred to girls after every booth and sales activity. At the end of the Direct Sales Period, you must transfer all cookies to girls.
Under the Orders tab, to transfer cookies to girls:
- Choose 'Transfer Order.'
- For the type of transfer, select 'Troop to Girl.'
- Transfer all cookies from troop to girls, including any unsold cookies.
- Number of available quantity will decrease as they are assigned to girls. Monitor this until the troop’s inventory is zero. Troop cookie balance must be zero once all packages are transferred.
Prefer a video? Follow along with this Troop to Girl Transfer tutorial from ABC Bakers.
Throughout the Direct Sales Period, cookies should be transferred to girls after every booth and sales activity. By April 12 you must transfer all cookies to girls.
Managing Inventory
Managing inventory accurately is paramount to a successful Cookie Program.
Troops are responsible for tracking their troop inventory by variety on a weekly basis. Doing this will help you find any discrepancies and give you time to fix them before the end of the program! Entering troop to girl transfers on a weekly basis also makes it easier to identify where the discrepancy might be and allows you the chance to correct the error sooner than later. This makes your season wrap up go much smoother!
Weekly Tracking of Inventory
When tracking your troop inventory weekly, keep these guidelines in mind:
- All troop to girl transfers must be entered in Smart Cookies on a weekly basis.
- Setting a schedule with your girls/caregivers with specific dates and times they are able to pick up more cookies helps with consistency and makes it easier to manage your inventory.
- Keep a copy of each signed receipt.
To find any discrepancies in your troop inventory, follow these steps:
- Log into Smart Cookies.
- Click on the ‘Reports’ tab.
- Select ‘Troop on Hand Inventory’ report.
- For Unit of Measure, select ‘cases/packages.’
- Click ‘View the Report.’
- Compare the report totals to your troop inventory by variety.
If there are discrepancies, go through each receipt from that week and verify the numbers were entered correctly in Smart Cookies. To correct errors, follow the steps below.
To correct any errors in Smart Cookies, follow these steps:
- Click on the ‘Orders’ tab.
- Select ‘Manage Order.’
- Expand the ‘Refine Search’ and select the girl who has the error.
- Click ‘Apply Search Parameters.’
- Click the 3 dots on the right-hand side of the desired order.
- Click ‘edit order.’
- Update the totals to the correct amount.
- Click ‘save.’
Ordering Additional Cookies & Cookie Cupboards
After you have received your initial cookie order, your troop may need more cookies to fill additional girl orders or for Cookie Booth sales. Cookie Cupboards are where you can pick up additional cookies and replace damaged product with the same variety. Cookie Cupboards are located throughout GSMH and are hosted by both staff and volunteers. All Cookie Cupboards are open to all troops and operate similarly, but hours will vary. All cupboards accept orders through our Planned Order process.
Some Cookie Cupboards may close before the end of the Direct Sales Period based on the flow of product coming out of the cupboard. If a cupboard closes before the end of the Direct Sales Period, this will be communicated with the volunteers via email.
Our 2026 Cookie Cupboard locations are still being finalized, check back for updates!
Ordering Additional Cookies
To order cookies from a Cookie Cupboard, troops will place a Planned Order in Smart Cookies! A Planned Order allows a troop to schedule a cookie pick-up on a designated day from any Cookie Cupboard. It also allows time for the Cookie Cupboard to guarantee the proper cookie inventory to fill the order.
How do Planned Orders work? Cookie Cupboard locations are uploaded into Smart Cookies—and acts as our inventory management system (just like it does for troop inventory). Planned Orders are submitted through Smart Cookies for pickup at any of these locations. Planned Orders can be placed daily and must be submitted by 1 p.m. each day for pickup the following day.
For example, orders placed by 1 p.m. on Monday are eligible for pick up Tuesday, as long as there are pickup times available. An order placed at 3 p.m. on Monday would be eligible for pickup beginning Wednesday, as long as there are pickup times available.
To schedule a Planned Order in Smart Cookies:
- Log in to your Smart Cookies account.
- Click on the 'Orders' tab at the top of the page.
- Select 'Planned Order'.
- Choose the cupboard location you want to pick up from. Click 'Continue'.
- Select the date and time you wish to pick up your order. Click 'Save'.
- Enter the number of packages for each variety that you want to pick up (1 case=12 packages).
- If you are having someone other than the Troop Cookie Chair pick up cookies for the troop, add their name and phone number in the 'Order Notes' box.
- Click 'Save'.
- Print or Save your receipt.
The receipt confirmation will state “Not Approved.” This only indicates that your order has not yet been picked up. Once you have picked up your order, it will become a Cupboard to Troop Transfer and show ‘“Approved” on the receipt.
Under the Orders tab, you can select 'Manage Orders' to review your order—you have until 1 p.m. the day before your scheduled pick up to make edits to your order. If edits need to be made after the deadline, please reach out directly to the Cookie Cupboard. Phone numbers can be found in Smart Cookies. Once picked up, Planned Orders will immediately appear on your Troop Balance Summary and will be calculated for the next electronic withdrawal.
Prefer a video? Follow along with this Planned Order tutorial from ABC Bakers.
Tips for a Smooth Cookie Cupboard Experience
- Remove obstacles from your vehicle to ensure it is ready to be loaded.
- Verify the cookie count and sign the receipt before you leave the building.
- No returns or exchanges. However, damaged packages of cookies can be exchanged for the same variety.
- Gluten Free Caramel Chocolate Chip cookies are not guaranteed to be in stock at any cupboard location.
Planned Order FAQs
What are the benefits to Planned Orders?
Cookies+ Team has the ability to see each cupboard's inventory at any given moment. This helps us know when, where, and how many cookies are needed at cupboards—decreasing the likelihood of cookie shortages. Our goal is to always have cookies available when and where our girls are selling.
Who can pick up the Planned Order for my troop?
As with all cookies, the Troop Cookie Chair is the only person allowed to pick up the cookies unless prior permission for someone else is provided. To do that, provide that information in the 'Order Notes' while placing a Planned Order.
What if I don’t see a lot of time slots?
Time slots are available first-come, first-serve. Cupboard time slots are in 30-minute increments. As the maximum number of pickups allowed during a slot is reached, that time will fall off the list of available options.
What if I want to edit my order? How?
Under the Orders tab, you can select “Manage Orders” to review your order—you have until 1 p.m. the day before your scheduled pick up to make edits to your order. Once picked up, Planned Orders will immediately appear on your Troop Balance Summary and will be calculated for the next electronic withdrawal.
Do I need to calculate Planned Orders differently for the electronic withdrawal?
No. Once picked up, all Planned Orders will immediately appear on your Troop Balance Summary and will be calculated for the next electronic withdrawal.
What if I'm running late or no longer able to pick up my planned order?
Notify the cupboard as soon as possible. Depending on the cupboard schedule, they should be able to work with you on a new time. If the cupboard is unable to work in the changes, they will cancel the planned order and you will need to schedule a new pick up in Smart Cookies.
Can I add cookies to my order when I arrive to pick up my order?
Yes—as long as cookies are available and not being held to fulfill other planned orders that day.
What if I run out of cookies and I need more fast?
If you run out of cookies at a booth and need more but it's past the deadline to submit a planned order, you can contact the cupboard during their cupboard hours to request a urgent pick up. If the cupboard has the cookies you need, they will schedule an available time for you to pick up. Note: These urgent pick ups are only used forwhen troops run out of cookies at a cookie booth, not due to lack of planning ahead.
Tips & Tricks to Manage Your Inventory
It’s important to have a plan of how many cookies your troop will need to achieve your goals. Read below for some tips to help you manage your inventory from the beginning of the season to the end.
Project your Initial Forecast Order: Review your troop and individual girl's goals to take into account while forecasting your initial forecast order. Think about how many booths your troop is wanting to do. This order will include booth cookies.
Cookie Booth Participation: When hosting a Cookie Booth, it is important to keep track of your inventory and finances.
Consider the following:
-Use a tracking sheet to help manage both inventory and finances while at a Cookie Booth. We suggest using ours! It will be shared in in Cookie Crumbles—our weekly email newsletter—and on our website
-Be consistent where you’re setting up your booths and try to avoid canceling them.
-Forecast the number of cookies you will need for each booth.
-Girls should not be allowed to turn in individual cookie money or receive additional cookies for their individual sale during a Cookie Booth. This will eliminate any confusion.
-Reevaluate your inventory after each booth. If your girls are starting to slow down, you might not want to order cookies in bulk from the cupboard.
It's in the Details! Staying on top of the details makes managing inventory easier.
-Transferring sold cookies to girls in Smart Cookies when the transfers happen not only helps with managing troop inventory, it also helps you properly track financial responsibility of the cookies and makes closing out your season smoother.
-Troops should not accept unsold cookies back from any girl. Once cookies are transferred to a girl, the girl/caregiver are financially responsible.
-Always issue receipts any time cookies or money are exchanged! Keep these receipts until September 30, 2026.
-Cookies must be kept in good condition and stored in areas free of extreme temperature changes, pests, smoke or other damaging effects.
Leftover Inventory
Back again this year is the grace period, allowing troops to sell all leftover inventory.
The 2026 Cookie Program ends April 12— at this point, all cookies should be transferred to girls in Smart Cookies. However, if your troop has remaining physical, on-hand inventory the troop has until June 12 to sell to customers. You may not discount the cookies.
Please continue to follow all safety and sales guidelines during this period. Accepting credit cards via the mobile app will not be available after April 12.
If troops are unable to sell their remaining inventory by June 12, they can contact local organizations such as first responders, churches, and more to donate these cookies.
Troops can also choose to use the remaining cookies for snacks during troop meetings and/or troop activities throughout the summer!
Note: all troop inventory--including leftover inventory--is charged to the troop. Please account for this within your inventory management.
