Before cookie sales start, ask parents/guardians to estimate how many cookies they’d like to order for the troop’s Initial Order using the Girl Initial Cookie Order Form. Combine this with an estimate of what you expect you'll need for your first few booths, use the Initial Order Estimator Tool if you're unsure about what to place for your troop initial order. 

Create a simple system (like an online form) for parents to request more cookies, avoiding the need to manage multiple communication channels. Set clear deadlines for submitting orders based on your troop's order schedule and when planned orders are due. 

Keep all cookie-related forms, receipts, and payment records organized. Use a Cookie Tracker or receipts (print your own or use the books in your cookie materials shipment) to track planned orders, exchanges, and ensure everything is accounted for throughout the season. 

Keep parents informed about their orders, deliveries, and payments. Encourage families to submit payments for cookies as they receive them, rather than all at once at the end. GSGI recommends that troops do not take returns from families, as that limits your ability to manage your troop inventory down to zero, though the goal is that neither the troop nor the individual family gets “stuck” with cookies. 

Plan a booth – or several – in the final week of the program. For orders placed on March 15, and/or Sunday, March 22, (picked up by March 19-20 and March 26-27), troops can return any cookies leftover, in any varieties, at select cupboards on March 30. This means you can ensure you have enough cookies for a successful booth, and allows you the flexibility to return leftovers.