Cookie Program Reference Guide - Girl Scouts of South Carolina

2016
Girl Scout
Cookie Program
Reference Guide
Where to Find it
#?
Welcome Troop Cookie Managers ............................................................................................................ 2
Getting Started .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Conducting A Girl/Parent Training ........................................................................................................... 4
Snap+ Online Cookie Tool (UPDATED)................................................................................................... 5
The Initial Order is Due ..................................................................................................................................... 7
Cookie Deliveries ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Planned Orders and Home Delivery (UPDATED) ................................................................................ 9
Pod/Truck Locations/Hours (UPDATED) .............................................................................................. 10
Cookie Booths ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Kiosk ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13
The 5 Skills (center pull-out) ..................................................................................................................... 14
2016 Girl Scout Cookie Program Dates (UPDATED - center pull-out) .................................. 15
Successful Cookie Program (center pull-out) .................................................................................. 16
Tools that Work (center pull-out) .......................................................................................................... 17
COCOdirect........................................................................................................................................................... 18
2016 Troop Benefits (NEW) ...................................................................................................................... 19
Troop-base proceeds/troop bonus (NEW) ............................................................................ 19
Money Matters .......................................................................................................................................... 20-22
Money Collection Issues ................................................................................................................................. 23
Girl Rewards (NEW) .................................................................................................................................... 24
Cookie Dough (NEW) .................................................................................................................................... 25
Virtual Cookies for Soldier (UPDATED) ................................................................................................ 26
2016 Girl Scout Cookie Line-up ..................................................................................................... 26
Cookie Program Glossary (UPDATED)................................................................................................... 27
2015-2016 Product Sales Team ................................................................................................................. 28
Notes ....................................................................................................................................................................... 29
Final Checklist ................................................................................................................................................... 30
Welcome Troop Cookie Managers
Thank you for serving as your Troop’s Cookie Manager for the 2016 Girl Scout cookie program. The purpose of this
reference guide is to provide you with information, tools, and answers to most of the questions about the Girl Scout
cookie program. When you have a question, simply look at the topic on the Where to Find it (page 1) and you’ll find
your answer. If you cannot find the answer you seek in this reference guide, please contact your Service Unit Cookie
Manager (SUCM).
Check out ABC/Interbake on their website at www.abcsmartcookies.com to find lots of FUN and INNOVATIVE activities
for everyone to use throughout the Girl Scout cookie program. For more resources check out www.gssccookies.org or
www.girlscouts.org.
This year’s Girl Scout cookie program theme is Dream Design Do! Today’s Girl Scout is more than a thinker: She’s a
doer, a dreamer of ideas, creator of solutions, and a believer in herself. This year’s theme captures the spirit of this
creative, proactive girl! It incites her to take action, and encourages her to make her dreams a reality.
By participating in the cookie program your Girl Scouts are developing skills that can lay the groundwork for a lifetime
of success. Plus, it’s a great way to think about the many ways the cookie program yields tangible results in support of
the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Volunteers help girls develop leadership skills while they engage in the cookie
program by using these three Girl Scout processes: Girl-Led, Learning by Doing, and Cooperative Learning.
Remember to use The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting on how girls earn the Financial Literacy and Cookie Business badges
and/or Daisy leaves. The Financial Literacy badges/leaves teach girls how to use money wisely and the Cookie Business
badges/leaves help put girls’ financial literacy skills into practice.
In addition to the life skills Girl Scouts gain from their hands-on participation, 100% of the proceeds generated from the
cookie program stay in our council, including the portion that goes directly to the troop selling the cookies (see How the
Cookie Crumbes on page 17).
Each year, some girls - who are otherwise actively involved in their troops - do not participate in the cookie program. We
challenge each troop to achieve 100% participation from their girls. The point is that every cookie counts, and any level
of participation is welcome. We believe that every girl should have the opportunity to be a part of this great American
tradition.
Thank you for all you do to ‘Dream Design Do!’ in supporting this program that provides girls with “Skills for today...and
tomorrow.”
What’s NEW?
Troops have the
OPPORTUNITY
to EARN
$.70 or $.75
New
Recognitions
SNAP+
Trios
GLUTEN FREE
Cookie
Available only
during direct/booth sales
(while supplies last)
2
3
Getting Started
Conducting a Girl/Parent Session
Getting Started
In addition to what you learned by participating in the TCM adult learning session, you will need the 2016 Girl Scout
Cookie Program Reference Guide, Girl Order Cards, and the Troop Goal Tracker. Encourage your Girl Scouts to go to
COCO Command and begin setting their goals as well as setting an overall troop goal.
Try A Sample Agenda
As the Troop Cookie Manager (TCM), you are responsible for informing the girls and parents in your troop about the Girl
Scout cookie program. Set your informational date and make it FUN! The more fun you make it, the more motivated
your girls (and families) will be. When thinking about what you would like to cover during your cookie informational
session, remember there may be parents who have participated in the Girl Scout cookie program and some who have
participated for multiple years.
Volunteer Essentials, Chapter 5 (pages 73-79)
Preparation
Become familiar with the way in which the Girl Scout cookie program is conducted and read through the 2016
1
Girl Scout Cookie Program Reference Guide.
Take into consideration the dates set by your Service Unit Cookie Manager and Council as you set troop
2
deadline dates (SUCM dates supercede council deadline dates).
Schedule at least one troop meeting to inform the girls and parents about the exciting program being offered
3
through the cookie program before the sale begins.
Fill in important information (girls’ first name and last initial, troop number only) as well as
4
sale dates on the Girl Order Cards.
Safety
Before your girls ever begin selling cookies, everyone should learn all about
our safety guidelines. Safety is one of the most important concepts that all
adults must emphasize when talking with the girls. All Girl Scouts may sell
cookies, subject to the following guidelines. *Volunteer Essentials - Chapter
4 (pages 56-66)
Girls can use electronic marketing, social networking,
and group websites, to gather sale commitments
from family, friends, and previous customers that are
appropriate for their age level. *Volunteer Essentials Chapter 5, pages 65-66
Girl Scout Daises, Brownies, and Juniors must be
accompanied by an adult at all times. Girl Scout
Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors (and older Girl
Scouts not associated with a troop) who participate
in door-to-door sales must be supervised by (but do
not need to be directy accompanied by an adult. Girls
of all grade levels must always use the buddy system.
*Volunteer Essentials - Chapter 5, pages 63
Girls should learn and practice these personal safety protection
guidellines:
ɈɈ Sell door -to-door only during daylight hours
ɈɈ Do not enter the home of a stranger or approach
customers in cars
ɈɈ Do not carry large amounts of cash
ɈɈ A girl should not give out her telephone number and/or
address to strangers
All girls selling must be a registered Girl Scout for the
current membership year before they participate in
the Girl Scout cookie sale. They must have a signed
Parent Permission Slip turned in before they can
receive a Girl Order Card. *Volunteer Essentials Chapter 5, page 63
When interacting with the public, girls should be
identifiable as Girl Scouts by wearing a membership
pin, official uniform, tunic, sash or vest, or other Girl
Scout clothing.
If you need help organizing and conducting a parent informational session, contact your Service Unit Cookie Manager
(SUCM) who may be able to assist you with the meeting or suggest a mentor leader from within your Service Unit to assist
you.
For more resources on troop training, go to www.abcsmartcookies.com, girlscouts.org, or download
parent/girl powerpoint on www.gssccookies.org under Resources.
Sample Parent/Girl Agenda
Benefits of participating in the cookie program
• Five key skills that will serve girls for life - goal setting,
decision making, money management, people skills
and business ethics
• Troop proceeds
• Girl recognitions
Setting troop and individual sales goals
• Go to COCO at www.abcsmartcookies.com
Safety
• Review Safety Activity Checkpoints - “Girl Scout
Cookie/Council-Sponsored Product Sale” and talk
about how girls sell safety. Possibly do some roleplaying to see if girls know how to handle themselves in
different situations
Important Dates
• Start and end dates
• What’s due when (how often money will be collected)
• When cookies will be available
• Initial Orders and Planned Orders
The Cookies!
• $4.00 per package for the eight (8) varieties
• Gluten Free cookie now available ($5.00) during
direct/booth sales only
• Get familiar with all of the cookie varieties
• Girls can use COCOdirect to take orders directly from
customers (see page 18 regarding COCOdirect)
• Remind parents they cannot return un-sold cookies
Using e-mail effectively in the cookie sale
• Visit COCO at abcsmartcookies.com where
girls can enter their goals and register to do
Online Marketing via COCOdirect
• COCOdirect benefits
Cookie Booths
• Where, when and how many cookie booths
your troop wants to do
• Being courteous and polite
• Booth sale etiquette
Cookie Money
• What the troop wants to do with their proceeds
• Adults signing for cookies and their payment
obligations
• How and when to collect money and when it’s
due to the troop
• Procedures on how and when to accept checks
Other
• Importance of parent/guardian support
• Don’t overcommit when placing an order for
cookies. There are lots of opportunities to get
more cookies throughout the sale
• Do some kind of fun activity related to the Girl
Scout cookie program
4
5
Snap+ Online Cookie Tool
NEW AND IMPROVED: Snap+ is the online cookie program management tool.
Snap+ makes ordering cookies and recognitions simple, quick and easy as 1-2-3!
The Snap+ tutorial can be found at www.gssccookies.org under Resources.
Once the Service Unit Cookie Manager (SUCM) receives your signed Volunteer
Agreement form, you will receive log-in information for Snap+ (if you are returning TCM
- your log-in/password has not changed.) You will be responsible
for entering and updating your contact information in Snap+ as
well as your troop’s information and bank account and routing
numbers.
Quick SNAP+ Review
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ Go to Edit My Profile and edit Troop
Cookie Manager information (putting “TCM”
after your last name)
Go to My Troop and edit troop information – enter the
PRIMARY Troop Leader’s full information (putting “PL”
after her/his last name)
You MUST enter your troop bank account and bank
routing number in Snap+ (including all leading
zeros). This step is done under My Troop – Edit Troop
Information.
My Troop – Please delete a girl if she is no longer active
with the troop prior to committing your initial order(after
upload from e-council has been done � early January).
As new girls are added to your troop, you will need to
add them in Snap+. Make sure it is the same way they
registered as a Girl Scout.
SnapShot – keeps messages, tasks and dates updated
ɈɈ
Go to Cookies – click on initial order and input girls’
initial orders, along with extras for first booth sales
Save as you go as Snap+ will time out. DO NOT
ORDER FOR ALL BOOTH SALES SCHEDULED.
ɈɈ
Go to Cookies to transfer cookies – ensure all troop
cookies are transferred to the girls through Troop
to Girl, Girl to Girl, or Girl to Troop (packages only –
must be done by variety −NEW!). Troop to Troop
transfers can be done by packages – must be done
by variety (your SUCM will need to do the Troop
To Troop transfer – please receipt this transfer
transaction with troop receiving the cookies)
ɈɈ NEW! Smart Cookie Booth Divider (see Snap+
tutorial for further instructions)
ɈɈEnsure all money collected from girls is entered
into Girl Balance Summary Report - a separate
transaction should be entered for any cookies
given and money received (this should have a
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
$0.00 balance like the Troop Balance
Summary report at the end of the sale).
If Girl Balance Summary has not been
continually updated, it will affect the girl
recognitions.
To create recognitions go to Rewards Icon:
ɈɈ
Early recognitions (earned during the initial
order taking between January 8 – 24) are
created AFTER you have entered in all the
girls’ cookie orders (if your troop opted out
of recognitions, you will not need to create
Early Recognitions)
ɈɈ
Main recognitions are created at the end
of the Girl Scout dookie program AFTER all
cookies have been transferred to the girls
(if your troop opted out of recognitions,
you will need to create Main Recognitions to
receive patches)
ɈɈ
If recognitions were created prior to
transferring cookies to the girls, you will
need to UPDATE the recognitions and then
SAVE!
Reports: check your math through SNAP+ −
ensuring you have not over or under deposited
(this can be done by reviewing the Troop Balance
Summary Report). The report will show you what
the outstanding balance is prior to making that
final deposit (any over payments − under $1.00−
will exclude troop from meeting the
Correct and On-time bonus
criteria, see page 19)
Helpful Snap+ Reports
Helpful Summary Reports to use throughout the Girl Scout cookie program:
Snap+ allows you to run a variety of reports to review information about your cookie sale.
Reports are located under the Reports icon and are generated in real time, which means
that as soon as you enter information, you will be able to view the current information
via the reports.
The following reports will help you throughout the Girl Scout Cookie Program:
Troop Balance Summary
informs troop of all cookies received/
transferred as well as showing troop
proceeds and what needs to be
remitted to the council. This report
should show a $0.00 balance due at
the end of the sale
Girl Cookie Totals Summary
keeps track of all cookies received by
each girl. All cookies sold should be
credited to girls (this report should
equal the number showing on the
Troop Balance Summary)
Recognition Order
Summary by Girl
shows what recognitions have been
earned by the girls (after all cookies
have been transfered to the girls).
This will also ensure you have input
all manual patches into Snap+ (DO
NOT ENTER PATCHES IF THEY HAVE
NOT BEEN EARNED). One (1) of each
Booth (1+), Goal Getter (ONLY if they
participated in the COCO Command
online activity from start to finish)
and Online Patch (2 orders or more
taken via COCOdirect) .
Girl Balance Summary
shows all Pod/Truck to Troop, Troop to
Troop transfers, etc.
Troop Cookie Manager will input in
Snap+ what money has been paid by
the parent for each girl. This report
should show a $0.00 balance due at
the end of the sale for each girl. This
report MUST be completed to ensure
recognitions for the girls are correct.
COCO Report
Girl Internet Orders
shows all goal setting activity in COCO
Command
shows all e-card, COCOmobile and
COCOdirect activities
Transfer Order Summary
Girl Balance Summary Report MUST be completed prior to meeting with your SUCM
This report will show all packages the girls have received and show all payments girls have made to the troop (please
enter all transactions separately into Snap+). If the girl does not owe money, this report should show a $0.00
balance. If a girl owes, this report will help us in the documentation of what has been paid and what is still showing as
outstanding. If it hasn’t been done correctly, recognitions will not be correct.
6
7
The Initial Order is Due
Initial Order is due to Service Unit Cookie Manager by January 26 (or as specified by SUCM)
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
Collect all order cards from girls by January 25th.
Encourage your girls to continue taking orders and ɈɈ
give additional cards.
Enter your *troop’s initial order and create early
recognition order (for girls to receive their 300+ early
recognition - earned only between January 8-24 Daisy T-shirt).
Contact information (Troop Cookie Manager and
Primary Troop Leader) is correct and bank account
and routing number has been entered into Snap+.
Notify Service Unit Cookie Manager (SUCM) of
your choice of troop base proceeds plan, via email,
January 26. Troop base proceeds plan cannot be
changed after initial order has been submitted.
Verify (via email) with your Service Unit Cookie
Manager that the submission of the inital cookie order
and early recognition has been created.
Fill out delivery station information (if 200 cases or
more) and turn-in/email to SUCM by January 26.
Turn in ALL Parent Permission Forms and voided
troop check or letter of authorization from bank with
bank account and routing number to SUCM (by their
Now
What?
inital order deadline date).
Initial Cookie Delivery:
Two ways of obtaining initial
orders: service unit** or troop
delivery. Inform your Service Unit
Cookie Manager of your choice of
delivery station:
ɈɈ Troops under 200 cases to be delivered with
the service unit**
OR
ɈɈ Individual/combined troops that qualify for
a 200+ case delivery to a location of their
choice must provide complete delivery
station information (includes the address and
brief description of the delivery site as well as
contact information and name of the person
signing for the cookies, along with an email
address) to the Service Unit Cookie Manager
by the initial deadline (January 26). Copy of
blank delivery ticket form can be found on
www.gssccookies.org under Resources - fill
out and return to your SUCM.
*Delete any girls who are no longer active in troop before submitting initial order.
NO SPECIFIC DELIVERY DATES/TIMES WILL BE ACCEPTED. If there is a ‘restriction’ on time/date/location for
delivery site - please have a second alternative. **If Service Units DO NOT have delivery, they will combine area troops
together.
Cookie Deliveries
Cookie Delivery Day
The cookies are finally here! By this time your Service Unit Cookie Manager should have announced the date that the
cookies will be delivered to your area; OR if individual/combined troops have an order of 200 or more cases, you (if
you are the contact) should have received notification via email from the delivery agent, Carey Moving and Storage, on
delivery time and date (this is being done via email so please check your spam/junk folder). Please respond promptly
to Carey Moving and Storage email notifying you of date/time. If you are not able to receive cookies on
date/time specified by Carey Moving and Storage, please recruit a trusted friend/family member/neighbor
to accept the cookies on your behalf.
REMEMBER
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
All initial cookie orders must be picked up/received on delivery day.
All cookies delivered/picked up and signed for are your troop’s responsibility. Cookies
cannot be returned due to the Federal Department of Agriculture guidelines.
Do not accept or sign for any damaged cases of cookies. The delivery agent is
responsible for replacing damaged cases if you call it to their attention.
Count and recount your order before signing for the cookies (you are responsible for
all cookies listed on any receipt you sign).
If you have a combined troop delivery:
ɈɈ all troops are responsible for that delivery count;
ɈɈ all troop representatives must sign-off on the delivery ticket, if possible;
ɈɈ disperse cookies out to each troop to ensure total and individual count is
correct; and
ɈɈ receive individual receipts prior to departing the delivery site.
Once girls have received their cookies, they may begin
delivering the cookies to customers.
Extra cookies may not be picked up at Pods/Trucks until Friday, February 19.
Initial Cookie Delivery – Vehicle Loading Suggestions
Not sure what will fit in your car? Use the following chart as a guide when planning for cookie
pick-ups on delivery day. The approximate amounts are figured with the vehicle empty and
using all space except the driver’s seat. COUNT YOUR ORDER BEFORE YOU LEAVE. If you
get home and realize you are short, your Service Unit Cookie Manager will have no choice but
to go by the count agreed upon at your pick-up time.
INITIAL ORDER IS IN - NOW WHAT?
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
Encourage your girls to continue taking orders!
Determine how your troop is doing in reaching your troop goal. Keep your
Troop Goal Chart current as a visual aid to the girls. It will help to keep them
motivated! Make sure you update the goal in COCO - keep checking COCO
(encourage your Girl Scouts to update their information in COCO as well)
Plan cookie booths for your troop through the service unit or council-managed
businesses/retailers.
Prepare to receive your cookies at your selected delivery station according
to instructions given to you by your Service Unit Cookie Manager (SUCM) or
contact person.
Plan for help from parents and have sufficient vehicle space to transport
cookies safely (see page 8 for vehicle loading suggestions).
Car Type & Approximate Fit for Cases
Compact Auto
Standard Auto
Sport Utility
Standard Station
Wagon
Standard Pickup Truck
Mini Van
Standard Van
35
50
50 – 85
85
100
150
200
8
9
Planned Orders & Home Delivery
Pod/Truck Locations & Hours
Pods/Trucks open February 19-March 13
TRUCKS
Planned Orders are required when picking up cookies at the Pods/Trucks (except Saturdays and
Sundays – variety based on availability)
Instructions for placing Planned Orders are in the Snap+ tutorial located under Resources at www.gssccookies.org.
WHAT IS A PLANNED ORDER?
A Planned Order allows troops to pick-up orders on a predesignated day at a specific Pod/Truck location (see page
10). Troops that place a Planned Order** are guaranteed
availability of the cookies ordered. Troops that DO NOT
place a Planned Order may have to wait until 5:00 PM each Friday.
In order to make sure that all Pods/Trucks are stocked each week with the
correct number of cases of each variety, you will need to enter a Planned
Order for any additional cases of cookies that you need to pick up to
fulfill your girls’ orders or for booth sales.
We will have six Planned Order dates.
Planned Orders* must be in Snap+ before
or by 11:00pm on the dates below:
Tuesday, February 16
Pickup: Friday, February 19
Sunday, February 21
Pickup: Wednesday-Friday, February 24-26
(must be picked up before 5:00pm on Friday)
Tuesday, February 23
Pickup: Friday, February 26
Troops are not obligated for Planned Orders until they have been picked
up and receipted. However, if you enter a Planned Order and do not need
the order, please notify the regional Product Sales Assistant to cancel.
Sunday, February 28
Pickup: Thursday-Friday, March 3-4 (must be
picked up before 5:00pm on Friday)
A Planned Order must be entered in Snap+ by the designated date/time
in order to guarantee* availability of cookie varieties at the Pods/Trucks
(date will no longer be available after the deadline date/time has passed
and TCM will have to select the next available date for a Planned Order
and follow pickup guidelines). Planned Orders not picked up by Friday
at 5:00 PM (unless Pod/Truck has been notified of a pickup delay) will be
returned to inventory.
• Planned Orders are not required for a Saturday or Sunday pick-up.
However, there is a possibility that not all varieties will be available.
To enter a Planned Order in Snap+:
• Click on the “Cookies” icon
• Click on “Planned Order”
• Select a Pod/Truck from the drop-down box
• Once you select the date, the screen will register the troop number,
Pod/Truck and requested date. Enter in the number of cases for each
variety that you want to pick up at the Pod/Truck. When reviewing
your Planned Order, it will show up in packages and not cases.
• Click Submit. You will be asked to confirm your order.
• Your SUCM may edit a Planned Order up until the ‘cut-off’ date/time
(see to the side)
Tuesday, March 1
Pickup: Friday, March 4
*HOME DELIVERY FOR 150+ CASES:
Sunday, March 6 (last day to do a PO)
Pickup: Thursday-Friday, March 10-11
*Planned Orders are NOT required for a
Saturday or Sunday pick-up.
Last two weeks of sale - Pod/Truck varieties
based upon availability, as well as PO might
be filled on Thursday or Friday if truck has not
arrived at warehouse.
**Guaranteed date based on Pods/Trucks
being re-stocked. If regular deposits have
not been made, we reserve the right to not
disperse additional cookies.
Review all Planned Orders picked up from Pod/
Trucks. After you pick up your Planned Order, you
will be able to view it on the Manage Order page as
a Transfer within 24 hours after you’ve picked up.
Beginning February 21, orders for 150+ cases may be placed for a home delivery. Please do not call in
an order – emails only. During direct/cookie booth sales, orders will be delivered on Thursday to Service
Units/troops that have additional case orders of 150+ cases. Orders must be placed by using the Order
Form found at www.gssccookies.org under Resources. For a Thursday delivery the order must be placed by or
before 11:00pm on Sunday. Please note: gluten free cookie is not available for a home delivery.
*NOTE: Any cookies received as a home delivery will be entered into Snap+ in a timely manner (please allow a 24-hour
turnaround). TCM’s should always check the information in Snap+ to ensure delivery was ‘submitted’ in correctly.
10
Day*
Time
Wednesday
8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday
8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday
8:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday: February 20 &
27, March 5 and
**March 12
9:00am - 3:00pm
**March 12 only:
9:00am - 12:00pm
*Cookie pick-ups may be delayed while the truck is
being re-stocked. Please be patient while the cookies
are unloaded and inventoried. Cookies will NOT BE
dispersed out while the truck is bring loaded or counted.
GS Service Center Locations:
130 Pinnacle Point Court, Suite 100
Columbia, SC 29223
807.782.5133
Back Door
349 East Blackstock Road
Spartanburg, SC 29301
864.576.2514
Back Door
5 Independence Pointe, Suite 120
Greenville, SC 29615
800.849.4475 or 864.770.1400
Bottom of Parking Lot
PODS
Remember, the Pods are run by a volunteer
just like you. Please be courteous and
respect their hours as they are BY APPOINTMENT
ONLY (DO NOT just show up at a Pod without having
made an appointment).
AIKEN (by appointment
only)
Katie or Neil Miller
803.502.0247
1430 Morningside Drive
Aiken, SC 29801
ANDERSON (by
appointment only)
Veronika Hyte
864.525.9748
SU642cookes@gmail.com
Camp Wistagamon
1013 Manse Jolly Road
Anderson, SC
GREENWOOD (by
appointment only)
Theresa McAfee
864.337.8849
106 Cypress
Greenwood, SC 29649
LANCASTER (by
appointment only)
Susan Prete
803.246.1461
Cookie Pick-up Authorization Card
Cookie Authorization Cards are used as an identifier when a troop representative
is picking up cookies at the Pods/Trucks.
Two Cookie Authorization Cards are provided in each troop’s materials. You, the
Troop Cookie Manager, must fill out one Cookie Authorization Card for yourself
as well as one card for a designated volunteer (Troop Leader or other registered,
designated adult) and have it stamped/signed.
The Cookie Authorization Card (and photo ID) must be presented
at all times when picking up cookies at the Pods/Trucks. Cookies
will not given out to anyone without this proper documentation.
Authorization Card must be filled our completely and accompanied
by a photo ID.
LEXINGTON (by
appointment only)
Karon Meadows
118 Cherry Hall Drive
Lexington, SC 29072
803.687.0756
SUMTER (by
appointment only)
Tanya Bowman
Troop2252@gmail.com
25 Youmans Drive
Wedgefield, SC 29168
WEST UNION (by
appointment only)
Lori McCurry
864.638.8780
311 Country Junction Road
West Union, SC 29696
11
Cookie Booths
A cookie booth is set up by a Girl Scout troop to sell Girl Scout cookies directly to customers who
were not solicited during door-to-door sales. Booth sales begin February 19th.
Cookie Booth Sites
Bi-Lo, Kmart, Lowes, SAM’s Club, and Walmart/Walmart Neighborhood Market will be arranged and
managed at the council level to ensure fair and consistent procedures/guidelines are given to all troops
throughout the council’s 220country jurisdiction.
If you have a public place where you would like to set up a cookie booth, contact your Service Unit
Cookie Manager to assist you. Their community booth sale coordination ensures retailers are not
inundated and that locations are geographically dispersed. Troops and parents are not allowed to set
up booths without going through their Service Unit Cookie Manager/Booth Coordinator.
Please remember that you are setting an example, not only for your troop but for Girl Scouts as an
organization. For more information on booth sales, go to www.abcsmartcookies.com,
www.gssccookies.org under Resources, or www.girlscouts.org.
Cookie Booth Preparation:
• Have each girl and parent (assisting with booths) sign a Cookie Etiquette Contract (www.gssccookies.org
under Resources)
• Have a complete Health History Form for all girls.
• Take a card table and chairs.
• Take a money box and change (about $110 in change consisting of: $20-quarters; $40- one’s; $20- five’s; $30ten’s).
• Take enough cookies to sell.
• Count packages and money BEFORE and AFTER the cookie booth begins/ends and enter information on a
booth tally sheet and place the tally sheet in the cash box (a sample Booth Tally Sheet can be found under
Resources at www.gssccookies.org). Keep track of girls who worked the cookie booth.
• During the booth, write down any packages that are opened for samples on back of tally sheet.
• REMEMBER to keep money/money box out of sight at all times
How to have a successful Cookie Booth:
• Take an adequate supply of the best sellers (this is a recommendation only): at least 2-3 cases each of Thin
Mints, Caramel de-Lites, Peanut Butter Patties and Peanut Butter Sandwiches, 1-2 cases each of the other
varieties (a typical three-hour booth sells between 12-14 cases)
• Make an attractive table display to invite customer interest.
• Prepare a troop goal poster and display it at your booth. Customers love to help girls reach their goals! Update
the poster as packages are sold.
• DO NOT accept large bills- if so, use a counterfeit pin.
Cookie Booths
Cookie Booth Tips to Share with Girls/Parents:
ɈɈ If you are the first troop at a booth sale site, always
check in with the store manager before setting up your
cookie booth to let her/him know you are there and to
verify that you are setting up in the right place.
ɈɈ Do not ask the place of business for change.
ɈɈ Make eye contact with the customer and ask, “Would
you like to purchase Girl Scout cookies?” Be prepared
to share your troop goal and how proceeds will be
used.
ɈɈ Always thank the customer, whether or not a purchase
is made.
ɈɈ Ask customers on their way out of the place of
business. Never badger customers.
ɈɈ If one variety is not selling as well as the others, open
a package, break the cookies into bite-size pieces
and let customers take a small sample. This may
spark interest amoung customers and increase your
sales (your troop will be responsible for paying for the
package that was opened to taste).
ɈɈ It is a good idea for troops to purchase a counterfeit
detection pen and to teach girls the skill of checking
for counterfeit bills (DO NOT ACCEPT $50 or $100
bills).
ɈɈ Secure your money to prevent loss and/or theft. Have
the Emergency Procedures card on hand. You can get
this from your Troop Leader.
ɈɈ If accepting a check, the following is required:
name, address, phone number and driver’s
license number along with expiration date (please
check the customer’s driver’s license). Write in
any missing information on the front of the check,
i.e., driver’s license number and expiration date.
NO counter checks or starter checks. Write your
troop number on the front or back of the check.
ɈɈ Girls should never run into the parking lot either to
ask customer to purchase cookies or to play.
ɈɈ Girls should be identifiable as Girl Scouts by wearing
a membership pin, official uniform, tunic, sash or
vest, or other Girl Scout clothing.
ɈɈ Keep cookies out of the sun and/or rain.
ɈɈ Credit Cards are accepted. Please review credit
card safety guidelines.
ɈɈ CLEAN UP BEFORE YOU LEAVE and take your
trash and empty cases with you. Remember, a
Girl Scout always leaves the place cleaner than she
found it!
ɈɈ Your troop is financially responsible for all cookies
signed out to the troop. If you have problems
selling the cookies, please contact your Service
Unit Cookie Manager immediately. Do not wait until
the end of the sale to inform your SUCM.
If your booth is double booked, please do the following:
• Remain calm- remember, girls are present and watching you.
• Contact your SUCM.
• Never involve the store manager. By doing so, you could cause the store to deny us the opportunity to sell
cookies there again.
Cookie Booth Basics
• Have at least two adults on site at all times. NO ADULT ONLY BOOTHS.
• Have at least two girls at each booth at all times (no more than four).
• Girls should do the selling and handling the money (age-appropriate skill builder).
Adults should supervise younger girls.
• If it is raining, set up a canopy. Do not set up inside the store unless you have
permission from the store manager.
• Do not keep your car at the booth site – it should be moved immediately after
unloading/ or loading.
• DO NOT LEAVE ANY TRASH when closing down your booth.
• Not Allowed: Pets, animals, tagalongs (younger/older siblings); adults or girls
smoking; or other food or chewing gum should not be at a booth.
12
13
Kiosk
The 5 Skills
Everything girls do in Girl Scouting is designed to help them grow into leaders of courage,
confidence, and character. The 5 Skills girls learn through the Girl Scout cookie program are an
important ingredient in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.
Kiosk is the site where troops obtain a council
managed booth location, date, and time. The
council has contacted and received or is in the
process of receiving approval from the following
five businesses at Bi-Lo, Kmart, Lowe’s, SAM’s
Club and Walmart/Walmart Neighborhood
Market, for troops to hold booth sales on their
premises (this is separate from the service unit
managed booths). Service Unit Booth Sale
Coordinators and individual troops are not to
contact these businesses. Some businesses
may not be on the list at the opening of the
Kiosk. They will be added to the Kiosk as
confirmation is received (throughout the Girl
Scout cookie program). See page 15 for Kiosk
dates.
Occasionally, businesses will cancel even after
confirming. You will be notified by the product
sales department if a business cancels a booth.
If you have scheduled a council managed cookie
booth at a business or during a time slot that
has canceled after the scheduling periods, the
council or your Service Unit Cookie Manager will
help you to find another booth opportunity.
14
To learn more about the Girl Scout Leadership Experience and Girl Scouts Financial Empowerment
Program visit www.girlscouts.org/gsle. You may also download the Financial Empowerment
booklet at www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies.
Here are a few examples of how participating in the cookie program teaches
Girl Scouts skills that will help them grow into leaders in their own lives, leaders
in business and leaders in the world:
The
Busniess
Ethics
Go to www.gssccookies.org
under Resources for Kiosk tutorial
To access Kiosk for the first time:
1. Go to www.gssccookies.org and click on Kiosk icon.
2. In the login section, click on “Forgot Password.” You will be taken to a “Forgot Password Form.”
3. Enter your email address, then click on “Retrieve Password.”
4. If it says “Account Not Found,” please check with your Service Unit Cookie Manager to receive access
(you must be a registered Girl Scout to have access to Kiosk).
5. If your email address is recognized, you will receive an email with a password. If you do not receive an
email, check your spam/junk email folder or with your SUCM.
6. After receiving your password, return to www.gssccookies.org and click on Cookie Icon.
7. In the log in section, enter your username (your membership ID #) and the new password you received in
your email and click “Log In.” You will have the opportunity to change your password.
Once you access the site, if you have any problems with the Kiosk, please click on “Report A
Problem.” Do not call as email will have a quicker response. See page 15 for Kiosk dates opening
and closing dates.
You can also use the Kiosk to check troop roster and check bonus status (late May).
5
Skills
Leadership Benefits
in Girl Scouting &
Beyond
Your Girl Scout is honest
and responsible at every step
of the cookie sale. Her business
ethics help reinforce the postive
values she is developing as a Girl Scout.
Goal
Setting
Your Girl Scout sets cookie
sale goals individually and
with her team; she creates a plan
to reach them; and she develops
cooperation and team building skills all
along the way!
Decision Making
People Skills
Your Girl Scout learns how to talk to, listen
Your Girl Scout helps decide how
to and work with all kinds of people
her team will spend their cookie
while selling cookies. These
money, furthering her
experiences help her
critical thinking and
develop healthy
problem solving
relationship
skills that will help
and conflict
her in many
Your
Girl
Scout
takes
resolution skills
aspects of her
cookie orders, handles
she can use
life
customers’ money and gains
throughout
valuable and practical life skills
her life.
around financial literacy.
Money
Management
15
2016 Cookie Program Dates
January
Cookie rallies held throughout the council
By January 7
All girls and parents trained in Girl Scout cookie program procedures and program
components by the Troop Cookie Manager (TCM)
All girls/troops/TCM’s need to be registered Girl Scouts to participate in the 2016 Girl
Scout cookie program (girls may be added throughout the sale as long as they are
registered for the 2015-2016 membership year and have a signed Parent Permission Slip)
Girl Scout cookie program begins
January 7
January 8
January 12 (noon) January 15 (10:00am)
January 15 (noon) January 19 (10:00am)
January 19 (noon) January 21 (10:00am)
January 21 (noon) January 25 (10:00am)
January 24
Round 1 - Kiosk open for council-managed booth selections
January 25
Girl orders due to Troop Cookie Manager (TCM)
January 26 - March 13
February 12 - 18
Live round - Kiosk open for council-managed booth selections - first come, first served
(two cookie booths assigned per day per troop)
Initial order, Early Recognitions, Troop Base Proceeds, Parent Permission Slips, voided
troop check/authorized letter from bank turned in to SUCM and bank info entered into
Snap+ by TCM and Delivery Station information
Cookie delivery to SUCM and/or troops
February 16 (11:00pm)
First Planned Order due in Snap+
February 19 - March 13
Direct/Cookie Booth Sales
February 21 (11:00pm)
Second Planned Order due in Snap+
February 23 (11:00pm)
Third Planned Order due in Snap+
February 26 - 28
National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend
February 28 (11:00pm)
Fourth Planned Order due in Snap+
March 1 (11:00pm)
Fifth Planned Order due in Snap+
March 1 (on or before this
date)
March 6 (11:00pm)
35% OR MORE of troop’s initial order (amount due to council) has been deposited in
council’s account at First Citizens (see page 20)
Sixth and final Planned Order due in Snap+
March 13
Girl Scout cookie sale ends
March 14
Girl money due to TCM
March 17 (or date
specified by your SUCM)
ALL troop final paperwork due to SUCM (see page 30)
January 26 (or date
specified by your SUCM)
Successful Cookie Program
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER
• Note ALL your SUCM’s deadlines (as their dates supercedes council dates)
• Plan and conduct girl/parent meetings
• Encourage girls to use COCO to set personal goals (and earn the Goal Getter Patch) and to track and update troop/
individual girl goals/activity throughout the sale
• Enter troop information into Snap+ (both Troop Cookie Manager and Primary Leader information), along with
troop bank account and routing number (including all leading zeros)
JANUARY
Round 2 - Kiosk open for council-managed booth selections
Round 3 - Kiosk open for council-managed booth selections
Round 4 - Kiosk open for council-managed booth selections
Initial order of Girl Scout cookie sale ends - GIRLS CONTINUE TO TAKE ORDERS
• Collect Parent Permission Slip from each girl prior to handing out order cards. Make sure there is a physical
address versus a PO Box. Ensure she is not owing from previous product sales.
• Turn in voided troop check or bank authorization letter showing troop’s bank account/routing number (enter
information into Snap+) and Parent Permission Slips.
• Begin selecting cookie booths (either through the Council or Service Unit managed booths).
• Collect order cards to prepare initial cookie order; distribute additional order cards so girls may continue to take
orders.
• Inform SUCM of troop base proceeds plan IF the troop is a registered Girl Scout Cadette, Senior, Ambassador
troop or older Girl Scout not associated with a troop.
• Enter initial cookie order into Snap+ and submit delivery information to SUCM (do not make parent’s order full
cases if they don’t need them). Reminder: Delete any girl no longer active in your troop.
• Create Early Recognition order (do this last)..
FEBRUARY
• Pick up and distribute cookies to girls (ensuring separate receipts are given for all cookies signed out and girl
name is at the top of the receipt). Do not combine sister’s on the same receipt.
• Conduct booth sales.
• Collect and deposit cookie money as frequently and as often as possible (ensuring separate receipts are given
for all money turned in or cookies handed out and girl name is at the top of the receipt).
• Enter receipt of money into Snap+ (each deposit must be entered separately). Track how much each girl still
owes by entering individual transactions into Snap+.
• Distribute out Early Recognitions to girls who earned the Daisy T-shirt (hand these out as soon as possible –
thus why they are called Early Recognitions).
MARCH
Mar
k
Cal your
end
er!
• Deposit 35% or more of council profits of troop’s initial order into council’s account at First Citizens on or before
March 1 (depositing frequently and often will cause less confusion)
• Credit individual girls with all cookies assigned to troop. Check the following reports to ensure all cookies have
been credited to the girls: Troop Balance Summary against Girl Cookie Totals Summary
• DO NOT MAKE FINAL DEPOSIT until you have updated and reviewed the Troop Balance Summary Report –
ensuring all COCOdirect orders have been credited.
• Create Main Recognition Order for troop (this is to be done AFTER all cookies credited to girls). Don’t forget to
input manually the three patches – Goal Getter (check COCO report to see which girls earned this patch), Online
Patch (girls MUST have 2 online orders via COCOdirect) and Booth Patch (if they sold at least 1 package at a booth
sale – 1 per girl)
• Updated and reviewed the Troop Balance Summary Report
• Finalize sale using Checklist for Final Turn-In (page 30) and give to SUCM to sign-off (ensuring everything has been
completed correctly and on-time).
MAY
• Rewards given out at Service Unit Meetings so you can distribute to girls before end of troop year
16
17
18
Tools that Work!
The Girl Scout cookie program can help girls learn about goal setting, decision making, money management, people
skills and business ethics. Check out the following resources for important Girl Scout cookie program information!
Resource
What You’ll Find
Who It’s For?
www.abcsmartcookies.com
Don’t forget to check out COCO
and COCOdirect!
Fabulous grade-level specific resources for your troop,
girls, and families along with information about cookies,
clip art and reasons to participate in the Girl Scout Cookie
Program.
Cookie information, resources (manual, forms, tutorials,
girl recognitions and LOTS more!
Girl Scouts, Parents, Troop
Leaders
www.gssccookies.org/cookies
Kiosk for council-managed booth sales
Troop Cookie Manager
www.gssc-mm.org
Safety manual, council office hours, program information, Parents, Girls, Troop Leaders,
staff listing and so much more!
Troop Cookie Managers
www.gssccookies.org
Troop Cookie Manager, Troop
Leader, Parents, Girls
System for ordering cookies, tracking payments and sales Troop Cookie Manager
(password and login required)
http://girlscouts.org/program/
gs_cookies
Cookie Activity Pin, 411 On Online Marketing, 5 Skills, Girl
Scout Leadership Experience and the list goes on!
Troop Cookie Manager, Troop
Leader, Parents, Girls
Volunteer Essentials
Reference to use as needed – an encyclopedia to Girl
Scout volunteering
Troop Leader, Troop Cookie
Manager
The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting
Information and requirements for earning the *Financial
Literacy and *Cookie Business badges/leaves - one for
each year for all age levels
All Girl Scouts earn badges,
while Daisy awards are called
leaves
Service Unit Cookie Manager
Volunteer support, information center, mentor and
coordinator for troops in your service unit
Troop Cookie Manager, Troop
Leader
Cookie Costumes
Cookie Costumes are available for
troops to sign out at Girl Scout Service
Centers and must be reserved
in advance by the Troop Cookie
Manager.
Costumes are subject
to availability – first come, first
served. Reservations can be made
by calling your Girl Scout Service
Center. There is a $15.00 refundable
deposit (deposit is refundable ONLY
IF costumes are returned clean and
complete).
COCO COMMAND
Check out www.abcsmartcookies.com – COCO. This is the place where girls will find COCO Cookie
Command – an interactive online experience for goal setting, sales planning and online marketing.
With COCO, your troop and each girl can have their own customized online business center.
COCO tutorial can be found under www.gssccookies.org under Resources
Set Your Goals!
www.abcsnap.com
*Girls can earn one Financial Literacy
and one Cookie Business badge or
leaf each year. Girls can choose to
earn badges for their grade level in
any order. Girls do NOT have to earn
a Financial Literacy badge before
earning a Cookie Business badge or
vice versa.
COCOdirect - Girl Experience via COCOmobile
How can a Girl Scout win Henrietta the Giant Hedgehog?
It is all about goal setting!
1. She must sell at least 450 packages of cookies to have her
name entered into the drawing.
2. For each additional 100 packages of cookies she
sells, her name will be entered into the drawing
again.
For example, if a girl sells 700 packages of
cookies her name will be entered into the
drawing three times.
Dream Design Do with Henrietta the Headgehog!
Each regional office will have Henrietta the Giant Hedgehog on display. Three lucky
Girl Scouts will have the opportunity to win one of the three Henrietta the Giant
Hedgehog!
When you visit one of the three regional offices, we invite you to stage a fun photo
shoot with your girls and Henrietta, and tag your photo #HiHenrietta on Facebook or
Twitter! Search the hashtag to see what Henrietta is up to all around the country.
Henrietta is here to get you and your girls excited about the 2016 Girl Scout cookie
sale season, and we can’t wait to see how much fun you have with her.
Research shows that when girls set goals they reach them. Setting goals is easy, fun and inspiring! Take your girls to the
interactive and cool goal setting activity at www.abcsmartcookies.com, click on COCO, then click Girl Login and have
them set and track their personal goals. Girls who participate in the online activity by entering their name, troop
number, goal and continually updating the information in COCO (packages sold, etc.) will earn a Goal Getter patch
between January 8 – March 13.
COCO Highlights for Volunteers
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
Track each girl’s performance and her troop engagement
Message girls to remind them of important troop events and sale activity milestones
Access troop level reporting to review sales performance (i.e. print out an excel report to track girl progress)
COCOdirect will make it easier than ever to be a part of the world’s largest girl-led business. COCOdirect is easy to use.
For sales made through COCOdirect, there’s NO money collection and NO hand delivery (as the cookies will be shipped
directly to the customers)!
COCOmobile is available on Android, iPod touch, iPhone and iPad. This is a free mobile app for
girls participating in the Girl Scout cookie program. To use this app, Girl Scouts must have a valid
username and password on COCO (ABC Bakers’ Cookie Command Center), available exclusively
at abcsmartcookies.com. COCOmobile allows girls to sell Girl Scout cookies and track sale progress right from their
mobile device!
This is a great way to promote participation in a contemporary way. Doing business online is expected today. And today’s
Girl Scouts are living in a digital world, so offering a digital sale is not only relevant but also critical to keeping the cookie
sale going for the next 100 years. Girls can sell using COCOdirect in two ways by using:
ɈɈ COCOmobile or
ɈɈ COCO Online Marketing where girls can send an eCard to friends and family that includes a secure link to
COCOdirect.
ɈɈ Girls’ would choose the COCOdirect e-Card
ɈɈ Choose the contact name(s)
ɈɈ Add a message
ɈɈ Preview the card
ɈɈ Hit send and friends and family receive an email with a link to COCOdirect, allowing them to place an order
and pay with a credit card!
Customers can choose from packaging sizes:
ɈɈ An eight-pack sampler that includes one of each variety (Trios -- Gluten Free Cookie is not part of this sampler); a
half dozen of any one variety; a dozen of any one variety; AND while supplies last, they can
order ABC’s Gluten Free Trios Cookie
Please review the Snap+ tutorial for more complete information.
Internet Selling
*Check out the 411 on Online Product Marketing under http://girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies
19
2016 Troop Benefits
TROOP BASE PROCEEDS OPTIONS
All troops earn proceeds for each package of cookies sold
by their troop.
• $.45 per package/Standard Option: for girls at every
level. Girls will receive rewards and patches, which are
listed on page 24 of this manual.
• $.50 per package/No Recognitions Option: an option for
older girls - Girl Scout Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador
troops and older Girl Scouts not associated with a troop
who choose this option will not receive any recognitions,
but will receive patches and Cookie Dough (excluding
double Cookie Dough).
• If the troop chooses to opt out of receiving
recognitions, the Service Unit Cookie Manager must
be informed of this choice via email by January 28.
This option must be voted on by the girls in the older
girl troop and if it is a troop which contains more than
one Girl Scout level, the troop must declare their level
according to the level of the largest number of girls in
their troop.
*Once the troop chooses which option they want, the
troop base proceeds plan cannot be changed. However,
ALL troops must create a main recognitions order in
Snap+ to receive their patches.
NEW! Troop Cookie Manager Reward
As a special reward, a foldup Eco Tote will be earned by the
TCM, IF the troop has a 10% package increase in sales over
the previous year or NEW troops who meet the 200 Per Girl
Average registered on packages sold. The Eco Tote will not
be available for purchase and is only given to the Troop Cookie
Manager (must fill out section on page 30).
Girl Scout groups are large enough to provide a cooperative
learning environment and small enough to allow
development of individual girls. The following group sizes are
recommended:
• Girl Scout Daisies: 5-12 girls
• Girl Scout Brownies: 10-20 girls
• Girl Scout Juniors: 10-25 girls
• Girl Scout Cadettes: 5-25 girls
• Girl Scout Seniors: 5-30 girls
• Girl Scout Ambassadors: 5-30 girlsGirl Scouts’ adult-to-
NEW! ALLTCM will also
receive a Dream Design
Do! Volunteer Patch for
turning in their paperwork
correct and on-time.
Oppor
tunit
to mak y
e
$.70 or
per pa
Money Matters
$.75
ckage!
Troop Base Proceeds
TROOP BONUS
Troops that meet ALL of the following criteria will
receive Cookie Bonus(es) – which is determined AFTER
reconciliation has occurred on council level. These are
EARNED bonuses for troops who meet the criteria (they are
not given out automatically). Bonus checks will be issued
after the council bank account is reconciled and all paperwork
is reviewed for accuracy, ensuring all the criteria for EARNING
the bonus has been met. This process might take 6-8 weeks.
The bonus (if earned) will be direct deposited into your troop
account.
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
THREE TROOP TIERED BONUS CRITERIA
• Correct and On-time = +$.05 per
package
• Picked up initial order as scheduled
• Troop turned in paperwork complete
and correct
• 1st set of Parent Permission slips and
voided troop check/bank authorization
letter turned in January 28 (as well as
banking information entered into Snap+)
• All recognition orders submitted (January 26 and
March 17);
• 35% or more of initial order money deposited on or
before March 1st
• All money deposited and entered correctly in Snap+
(each deposit entered in separately), and
• All Red Flag documentation completed correctly and
attached (see page 23)
• 200 PGA = +$.05 per package: Troop
had a 200 Per-Girl-Average (per package
based on registered girls in troop). This
information can be found on the Troop
Balance Summary Report in Snap+.
Calculation may exclude girls who have
moved or dropped out of the troop, but not
girls who opt out of participating in the Girl Scout
cookie program.
• Must meet minimum age level troop size standard
and 2 adult leaders-refer to guide (left) or Volunteer
Essentials page 11 for your suggested troop size
standard.
• Early Bird Registration= +$.15: must
register at least 75% of the troop for the
2016-2017 membership year by March
31 AND meet the minimum 5 girls and
2 adult troop size (see guide on left or
Volunteer Essentials, page 11)
20
All money (minus the troop base proceeds $.45 per package) should be deposited into the
council bank account (First Citizens) using your
assigned deposit slips.
Girl Scout Cadette, Senior and Ambassador
troops who opt out of recognitions will keep the
troop base proceeds of $.50 per package and
deposit the rest into First Citizens.
Girl Scouts not associated with a troop must
deposit all money.
What you earn....
Troop Base Proceeds Level
Troop Base Proceeds to Keep
Standard troop base
proceeds
$.45 per package/
$5.40 per case
No-Award Option (available
to Cadette, Senior and
Ambassador Troops)
$.50 per package/
$6.00 per case
All Girl Scouts not associated
with a troop
$0 (All money deposited
into council account)
Do not keep more than the $.45 or $.50 per package. *Refer to page 19 for further information on troop base
proceeds.
Troops:
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
Distribute money envelopes to the girls to assist with the collection of cookie money.
Remind parents that they are financially responsible for all cookies signed for and received by their daughter and
that cookies cannot be returned to the troop.
Collect money as frequently and as often as possible. If a girl requests more cookies and has not made any
payments for the initial order, do not give her any more cookies until payment has been made
Issue separate receipts for each payment made by parents (with the girl’s name at the top of
the receipt. If you have sisters in the same troop – they must have separate receipts). Troop
retains the white (top) copy and parents are given the yellow (bottom) copy. DO NOT
RECEIVE MONEY WITHOUT GIVING A RECEIPT.
Deposit 35% or more of troop’s initial order money before or by March 1.
Sample Initial Payment Calculation:
Depositing as frequently and as often
as possible will ensure the deposit is
If a troop places an initial order for 100 cases:
correct. Transfers do not affect the
Based on:
initial payment due from a troop. So if
$.45: 100 cases x 12 packages x 3.55 x 35% = $1491.00
your troop places an initial order for
$.50: 100 cases x 12 packages x 3.50 x 35% = $1470.00 100 cases and transfers 10 cases to
another troop, your troop would still
*Always do a higher percentage than 35% so you are not be responsible for paying 35% of 100
short on the deposit.
cases on March 1.
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
Check all girl and troop records carefully.
Use Snap+ to keep track of money collected from each girl and to know her balance (enter each
financial transaction and cookies signed out separately).
ɈɈ Take note of a girl not turning in money. Follow up with a telephone call to her parent/guardian(s). Do not
continue to issue cookies to the girl if money is not being turned it.
ɈɈ Remind girls to accept payment for Girl Scout cookies ONLY at the time of delivery to customers. Girls
should not accept payment before the cookies have been delivered.
21
Money Matters
Check Endorsement:
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
Checks and money orders should be made payable to Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands (or
GSSCMM or Girl Scouts).
ɈɈ If accepting a check, the following is required: name, address, phone number, and driver’s license
number along with expiration date (please check the customer’s driver’s license*). Write in any missing
information on the front of the check, i.e., driver’s license number and expiration date. NO counter checks
or starter checks from newly opened accounts should be accepted at any time. *NOTE: This will allow
council to pursue any Non-Sufficient Fund checks received by the troop.
Your troop number should be either on the front or back of the check before depositing it into council account.
Banking Procedures:
Money Matters
Making the Deposit:
Inform the teller prior to your transaction that the deposit is for Girl Scouts. If there is a problem with a bank branch,
please contact your regional Product Sales Department.
ɈɈ Request one white bank transaction receipt for each deposit made. The council’s deposit slips must be
validated (bank will keep the top white copy and return the remaining validated copies to you – yellow and pink).
ONLY use one deposit slip per transaction.
ɈɈ The council’s account is designated for deposit only. Double check the Troop Balance Summary report, as any
overpayments will not be returned to your troop for 6-8 weeks, when reconciliation is completed.
ɈɈ Enter your deposit into Snap+. Use the deposit reference number found in the bottom left hand corner to
identify each deposit. Record ALL deposit transactions into Snap+ – individually. Verify that all deposits match
amounts entered in Snap+.
Bank Corrections (Debit/Credit)
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
The council will be notified if there is a bank correction from your
troop’s deposit. You and your SUCM will receive an email notification if
it is a:
ɈɈ debit (less check/money showing on your deposit slip) or
ɈɈ credit (more check/money deposited but not showing on deposit
slip).
Your SUCM will go into Snap+ and enter the:
ɈɈ debit as a Deposit Adjustment - Debit correction or
ɈɈ credit as a Deposit Adjustment - Addition correction to ensure your
Troop Balance Report will be correct. Please verify this has been
done and is correct prior to submitting paperwork to SUCM.
Finalizing Collections and Deposits
ɈɈ
ɈɈ
Preparing the Deposit:
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BANK
Troop cookie money (minus troop base proceeds) must be
deposited into the council’s account at any First Citizens
branch location by the Troop Cookie Manager. Make deposits
FREQUENTLY and as OFTEN as possible. Only 1 deposit slip
per deposit (do not combine multiple deposit slips for one
deposit).
ɈɈ Deposit slips are assigned (by reference number, located on
the bottom left hand side of the deposit slip) specifically to
your troop by your Service Unit Cookie Manager. Do NOT share
your deposit slips with other troops OR use over-the-counter
deposit slips.
ɈɈ Enter the total cash and currency to be deposited in the
spaces provided. List each check*, using last names or check
numbers as identifiers, on the deposit slip. Press down firmly
as there are three carbon copies.
ɈɈ Ensure you triple check the addition as council will incur
bank charges for corrections made by the bank.
*Deposit checks received from customers within five business
days.
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All final cookie money collected from the girls should be turned in to you by March 17.
If there are monies outstanding from girls, make every effort to collect and contact the parent(s) involved.
ɈɈ If your efforts to collect the money are not successful, fill out and submit information using the Red Flag
Form (www.gssccookies.org under Resources). Do not cover their outstanding balance out of your troop’s
account. See page 23.
ɈɈ Make sure the Red Flag PLUS money deposited into First Citizens EQUAL the total amount showing from
the Troop Balance Summary report. If this is not correct or proper documentation has not been given,
the troop will be liable for the difference (see page 23).
Before making your final deposit, check your Troop Balance Summary Report in Snap+ to verify the amount
needed to deposit to ensure your troop will have a $0.00 balance due to council (there is a $1.00 overpayment
‘grace’ amount). If you overpay by more than $1.00, consider purchasing another case of cookies to zero out
your balance-can be done by purchasing virtual Cookies for Soldiers.
ɈɈ Confirm the accuracy of your deposit balance before turning paperwork in to your Service Unit Cookie
Manager. If you are still unsure as to how to determine your balance owed to council, contact your Service
Unit Cookie Manager for assistance.
PLEASE NOTE: Checks written on closed accounts, non-sufficient funds or missing money will be pursued by the
Solicitor’s Office. Mishandling money is a serious matter. Any misuse of girl funds collected is a criminal offense
and action will be taken as necessary. Do not give girls more cookies if money has not been turned in.
22
Girl Rewards
Money Collection Issues
Troops should not pay for cookies issued to parents who have not turned in cookie money. Fill out the Red Flag Form
when a girl fails to turn in money for cookies received. All transactions between the Troop Cookie Manager and parent/
guardian(s) must be properly and correctly documented.
The following documentation must be turned in
CORRECTLY with the Red Flag Form:
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Sample Red Flag
ALL ORIGINAL cookie receipts signed by the parent/
guardian(s) when cookies are issued (this is the white
receipt copy). Individual girl’s name should be at the
top of the receipt.
ALL ORIGINAL receipts for any/all money turned in
by parent/guardian(s) during the sale (this is the white
receipt copy). Individual girl’s name should be at the
top of the receipt.
UPDATED Girl Balance Summary report (must match
white copy of receipts - cookies and money)
Be sure to state clearly on the Red Flag Form the total
amount owed to the troop by the parent/guardian(s)
- this should be the full $4.00 per package (all receipts
- cookies and money - MUST equal what is showing on
the Red Flad Form and Girl Balance Summary Report)
Any notes and/or copies of correspondence with the
parent/guardian(s)
DO NOT combine receipts for cookies signed out or
money turned in on same receipt (especially if they
are sisters or from the same family). Must be separate
receipts given for each transaction per girl with girl’s
name on the receipt.
Turn in the Red Flag Form (along with documentation listed above) to your Service Unit Cookie Manager, along with the
rest of your paperwork. The information you provide on the Red Flag Form will assist council in resolving outstanding
balances more efficiently. If troop does not turn in all correct documentation, they will be liable for the difference.
24
The rewards program is a proven method to
excite and motivate the girls during the Girl
Scout cookie program.
Other Available Patches:
*Booth Sale: girls
must have sold 1 or more
packages
Online: for girls who took
2+ orders via COCOdirect
- 6, 12 or 8 packages sold=
1 order
The rewards for the 2016 Girl Scout cookie
program were selected by the girls who
attended summer camps or participated in
the online rewards selection.
*Goal Getter: only if
Girl Scout participated in
the online activity at www.
abcsmartcookies.com COCO Command
Achievement Bars:
in increments of 100 (1003000) - only the highest
earned level will be awarded
(these are not cumulative)
Girls begin earning Cookie Dough at 150+
packages (see page 25).
*To be manually entered in Snap+ (only 1 per girl, if earned)
12+
100+
200+
300+
Early Recognition:
Girls selling 300+
packages of
cookies during
January 8-24, will
receive a Daisy
t-shirt. This is
not available
to troops/girls
who opt out
of receiving
rewards.
Dream, Design,
Do! patch
scarf
400+
550+
cross-body bag
AND
lip balm in
hedgehog
container
If a troop does not turn in any paperwork at the final deadline, they will automatically be Red Flagged and will not receive any bonus
(if earned) or recognitions.
Outstanding funds owed to the troop will be pursued by the council; however, without proper
documentation, the troop assumes financial responsibility.
1500+
small plush
hedgehog
750+
duffle bag
OR
large plush
hedgehog
S ARE
D
R
A
W
ALL RE LATIVE!
CUMU
double cookie dough
pillow
OR
hoodie
2016+
OR
Bike & helmet
1000+
towel
23
$300 Campership
OR
iPad mini
25
Cookie Dough
Girls who participate in the Girl Scout cookie program and sell 150–174 packages will earn $15 in Cookie Dough. For
every additional 25-package increment sold, girls earn an additional $2.50 in Cookie Dough (Cookie Dough Table is
located at www.gssccookies.org under Resources):
Number of Packages Sold
Amount of Cookie Dough Earned
starting at 150-174 packages
$15.00
175-199 packages
$17.50
200-224 packages
$20.00
225-249
$22.50 and so on
Cookie Dough may be used for:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Council-sponsored Girl Scout day camp and resident camp fees
Council-sponsored program event fees (designated events in FOCALPoint)
GSUSA-sponsored destinations
Council-sponsored trips with regional, national or international itineraries
Girl Scout Silver and Gold Award project expenses and
To help pay for Girl Scout Lifetime Membership
•
•
•
•
outreach to girls who are at-risk
financial assistance and camperships
equipping and maintaining our Girl Scout camps
council-sponsored teen program options
A girl may designate the unused value of her Cookie Dough prior to its expiration date to help sustain
and build Girl Scouting in our council. Girls may select:
Bring or send in your unused Cookie Dough to the Girl Scout Service Center, along with a letter stating how you would
like to designate your unused Cookie Dough.
Sister-to-sister transfers will be accepted (registered Girl Scout sisters living in the same household).
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Cookies for Soldiers
Cookies for Soldiers brings philanthropy to the Girl Scout cookie
program. For various reasons, some customers do not want to
purchase cookies themselves, but they want to support Girl Scouts,
your troop, and/or our military troops. We have a program that will
allow them to do all three!
How can Girl Scouts and the community help support the men and
women of our armed forces? With Girl Scout cookies - COOKIES
FOR SOLDIERS! Midlands and Upstate Chapters of the Blue Star
Mothers of America; Soldiers’ Angels and the Girl Scouts of South
Carolina – Mountains to Midlands are working together during the
months of February and March to show soldiers how big our hearts
are.
When girls take orders, ask customers if they would like to donate a
package to our Cookies for Soldiers program. If the customer wishes to donate cookies to this program, indicate the number of
packages in the white column on the girl order form. Customers do not specify flavors nor does the TCM order these cookies in with
your initial order.
Virtual Cookies for Soldiers
If customers want to purchase Girl Scout cookies to support a Girl Scout without taking cookies home? No problem! Troops in Girl
Scouts of SC Mountains to Midlands have the option of participating in the Virtual Cookie Share program. Customers can indicate
they would like their purchase donated instead of delivered, and the cookies will be distributed to the indicated organizations. Not
only is the customer helping a Girl Scout learn the 5 Skills of the cookie program they are helping others who serve our military.
Enter Cookies for Soldiers in Snap+ with the girl’s initial order in the column marked Cookie Share. Troops DO NOT TAKE possession
of these cookies but are responsible for collecting the money for these orders. At the end of the season all of these cookies are
accounted for and GSSCMM will make arrangements to have them delivered to our specified organizations. If a troop is sending/
delivering cookies to an organization or military personnel, the troop will continue to order physical cookies.
How are Cookies for Soldiers handled at booth sales? For customers who do not want to purchase cookies, you may ask them to
purchase Cookies for Soldiers. The money is collected and will be notated in Snap+, but they will be ‘virtual’ (no handling of physical
cookies). If a troop has an organization or military personnel to send or deliver cookies, the troop will continue to do it physically.
Booth sale divider will also divide up Cookie for Soldier sales. See Snap+ tutorial.
2016 Girl Scout Cookie Product Line-up
$4.00 per package
Cookie Dough:
1. Unused value may not be redeemed for cash.
2. Cookie Dough may not be used in the Girlz Gear shops or Camp Trading Posts.
3. Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands will not re-issue Cookie Dough if lost, stolen or damaged.
4. Cookie Dough will not be re-issued after September 2016.
To use your Cookie Dough:
To redeem Cookie Dough, use a Troop or Individual Registration Form. On the registration form,
list the amount of Cookie Dough being used (see page 13 in FOCALPoint for more information).
The 2016 Cookie Dough expires September 30, 2017.
The 2015 Cookie Dough expires September 30, 2016.
$5.00 per package
Lemonades™
Caramel deLites ®
Cranberry Citrus
Crisps
Peanut Butter
Patties ®
Peanut Butter
Sandwich
Thin Mints ®
Shortbread
Thanks-A-Lot ®
Trios
Gluten Free
Available only during
direct/booth sales
(while suplies last)
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Cookie Program Glossary
ABC
One of two commercial bakers who are licensed by Girl Scouts
of the USA to produce Girl Scout cookies. ABC is GSSCMM’s
baker.
COCO
An interactive online experience for goal setting, sales planning,
and online marketing.
Initial Order/Door-to-Door
This is the time girls TAKE cookie pre-orders from January 8-24
(after this date, girls continue to take orders).
COCOdirect
Where consumers can have cookies shipped and pay via credit
card. Girls use COCOmobile or COCO Online Marketing.
COCOmobile
Allows girls to sell Girl Scout cookies and track sale progress
right from their mobile device (iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Android)
Main Reward
Main rewards are earned from all cookies sold through door-todoor/initial and direct sales.
Parent Permission Slip
A slip signed by parent/guardian (s) giving their Girl Scout
permission to participate in the Girl Scout cookie program.
Cookie Booths
Troops set up at businesses to sell Girl Scout cookies directly
to the customers who were not solicited during door-to-door.
Planned Order
Troops can obtain additional cases of cookies from Pods/
Trucks by placing a Planned Order. This can be done in Snap+
under Cookie icon.
Pods/Trucks
Volunteers/staff-run cookie warehouse where troops pick up
extra cases of cookies
Credit - Deposit
Credit is a bank correction for a troop that deposited more
than what was shown on their deposit slip into First Citizens
account.
Debit - Deposit
Debit is a bank correction for a troop that deposited less
than what was shown on their deposit slip into First Citizens
account.
Delivery Station
Troop or Service Unit delivery of initial cookies ordered. Troops
go through their Service Unit Cookie Manager if they have an
order of less than 200 cases of cookies or combine with other
troops to have a home delivery.
Deposit Slip
Assigned deposit slips to individual troops to make troop
deposit (minus troop base proceeds) into First Citizens
account.
Kiosk
Council website for troops to obtain a council managed cookie
booth location
PL
Abbreviation for Primary Leader
Red Flag
Term used for troop/individual girl who does not pay the
balance owed on their cookies.
Snap+
Online cookie ordering program to keep track of girls’ cookie
sales, recognitions and financial transactions.
Early Rewards
TCM
The Early Reward is earned by a girl who sells 300+ during door- Abbreviation for Troop Cookie Manager.
to-door/initial order period (January 8-24)
Five Skills
The Girl Scout cookie program provides an important
ingredient for leadership by helping girls develop five key skills:
goal setting, decision making, money management, people
skills, and business ethics.
Troop Base Proceeds
Troop Profit from cookie sales kept by troop prior to depositing
money into First Citizens account
Goal Getter
Troop Bonus
An opportunity for girls to participate in COCO - an online
Troops who meet the criteria will earn one or two or three of
activity to set and follow through on goal setting to earn a patch the bonuses: Correct and On-Time; Early Bird Registration
and/or 200-Per-Girl-Average - Registered
Home Delivery for 150+ Cases
Trios
During Direct/Cookie Booth sales, troops can order 150+ cases Gluten Free Cookie - available only during Direct/Booth sales
of additional cases of cookies and have it delivered to their
as supplies last
home.
2015-2016 Product Sales Team
Many thanks to our volunteer Product Sales Team who helped strategize, plan
and implement the 2016 Girl Scout Cookie Program:
Cindy Becker - Columbia
Portia Grooms - Anderson
Katharine Harbison - Spartanburg
Veronika Hyte - Anderson
Jamilla Little - Travelers Rest
Theresa McAfee - Greenwood
Diane Martin - Simpsonville
Linda Medlin - Travelers Rest
Cathy Monts - Columbia
Kristy Perez - Lexington
Andrea Simpson - Simpsonville
Lasonya Wise - Columbia
Staff Representative
Sharon Hewitt - Greenville
shewitt@gssc-mm.org; 864-770-1417
ABC Representative
John Drikakis
Girl Scouts of South Carolina - Mountains to Midlands serves more than 12,500
girls and 5,000 adults in 22 countries of central and western South Carolina
28
29
Notes
Checklist For Final Turn-In
My Information:
Service Unit: _______________ SUCM: _____________________________________
SUCM email: __________________________________________ SUCM phone number: _______________________________________
Bring this checklist with you, along with ALL your final paperwork – correct and complete, when you meet with your
Service Unit Cookie Manager on March 17, 2016 (or on his/her designated date).
The below items are enclosed. I understand that if I do not return all of the paperwork below COMPLETE AND
CORRECT, along with meeting earlier information deadlines and turn-in dates, to my Service Unit Cookie Manager, my
troop will not have earned the Correct and On-time bonus criteria:
Bonus will be determined when paperwork is reconciled in April not at time with SUCM meeting.
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Updated Troop Balance Summary Report
Yellow deposit slips AND white bank transaction receipt for each deposit. Entered each deposit
transaction separately into Snap+
Parent Permissions Slips (for those girls who were added in throughout the sale)
Review Girl Balance Summary Report (everything zeroing out if no Red Flags)
All rewards correctly submitted in Snap+ (manually entered Goal Getter, Online and Booth patches
- if earned - 1 per girl)
Evaluation entered into Survey Monkey (link found at www.gssccookies.org under Resources).
If applicable, Red Flag Forms (all correct and completed documentation needed. If not, troop is
liable for balance)
If applicable, troop had 10% package increase. 10% increase goal of __________ pkgs.
TCM Name _____________________________
Page 30- signed by Troop Cookie Manager AND Service Unit Cookie Manager
TO FILL OUT WITH YOUR SERVICE UNIT COOKIE MANAGER
Service Unit # ________________ Troop # ________________ Total Packages Sold ____________
Overpaid $__________ Girl Red Flag Amount $__________ Troop Red Flag Amount $__________
Troop Cookie Manager
Service Unit Cookie Manager
Signed _________________________________ Signed _________________________________
Date ___________________________________ Date ___________________________________
Staff Use For Reconciliation Purposes
________ Correct and On-Time
_________ 200 PGA
_________ Early Bird Registration
30
800.849.GIRL (4475) � 864.770.1400 � www.gssc-mm.org
All calls are routed through our centralized switchboard
Girl Scout Service Centers and Girlz Gear Shops Customer Service Hours
Monday 1 – 5:30 PM � Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM � Thursday 8:30 AM – 7 PM (except
June and July)
Girlz Gear Shops and Resource Areas Only
Saturday 10 AM – 1 PM
1st Saturday of every month (except legal holiday weekends and the month of July)
Every Saturday in September, October, May (except legal holiday weekends)
Columbia Service Center
130 Pinnacle Point Court, Suite 100
Columbia, SC 29223
Toll Free 800.849.GIRL � Local 803.782.5133 � FAX 803.782.0410
Greenville Service Center/Corporate Headquarters
Five Independence Pointe, Suite 120
Greenville, SC 29615
Toll Free 800.849.GIRL � Local 864.770.1400 � FAX 864.272.3394
Spartanburg Service Center
349 East Blackstock Road
Spartanburg, SC 29301
Toll Free 800.849.GIRL � Local 864.576.2514 � FAX 864.587.7367
Service Centers, Girlz Gear Shops and Corporate Headquarters Holiday Closings
Winter Holidays
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday
Memorial Day
Fourth of July
Thursday-Friday, December 24-25
Friday, January 1
Monday, January 18
Saturday, May 21 and Monday, May 23
Saturday, July 2 and Monday, July 4