Selling and marketing
Cookie Order Form Google Docs: 9 Fields and a Deposit Rule
Set up a cookie order form in Google Docs with the 9 fields and a deposit rule that stops unpaid orders.
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What to remember
- A Google Doc is easy to share from your phone.
- 9 fields cover the order from start to finish.
- A deposit rule protects your ingredient money.
- Keep the form on your phone for market day.
You can build a cookie order form google docs in a few minutes. The hard part is not the typing. It is knowing which fields stop a customer from changing their mind after you have bought the butter. This guide gives you the 9 fields and a deposit rule that work for home bakers. For a printable version, see the cookie order form template.
Why put your cookie order form in Google Docs
You already have Google Docs on your phone. You can type your form there and share the link with customers. They fill it in and send it back. You do not need to learn a new app to start. You can also print it if you sell at a market. The form is yours to change as your cookies change.
The 9 fields every cookie order form needs
These 9 fields cover the order from start to finish. Leave one out and you will be texting back and forth. Each field has a job. Together they make a clear order you can bake from.
Customer details
Get the name and a phone number. You need to reach them about pickup.
Cookie details
List your cookies. Let them pick one or a mix. Ask for the quantity in dozens.
Pickup date
The day and time they will pick up. This is not the order date.
Deposit paid
How much they paid to hold the order. Write the amount.
Balance due
The rest they pay at pickup. Write the amount.
Allergies
Ask about nuts, dairy, gluten, and eggs. This keeps your customer safe.
Notes and your contact
Any special requests. A name on a cookie, a color, a box. Add your phone or email.
Each field has a job. The name and phone let you confirm the order. The cookie type and quantity tell you what to bake. The pickup date tells you when to bake. The deposit and balance tell you what money is coming. Allergies keep your customer safe. Notes catch the small things. Your contact lets them reach you. If you want a form with these fields already laid out, use the cookie order form.
The deposit rule that protects your ingredient money
A deposit is not rude. It is normal for custom orders. You are buying ingredients for one customer. If they cancel, you cannot sell those cookies to someone else. The deposit covers that risk. Set it at half the total or at your ingredient cost. Write it on the form so there is no confusion. For a deposit rule that fits a baking order, see the baking order form.
How to share your form and take orders
Open a blank Google Doc
Start a new document on your phone or computer.
Type your 9 fields
Use the list above. Add your cookie names and prices.
Add your deposit rule
Write the deposit amount and when it is due.
Share the link
Send the link to customers. Ask them to fill it in and send it back.
Take the order
Check the form. Confirm the pickup date and deposit.
Collect the balance at pickup
Get the rest of the money when you hand over the cookies.
Mistakes that cost you money on cookie orders
Check your form before you send it out. A few minutes now saves you a lost order later. The mistakes below are the ones that cost home bakers the most money. Read them and fix your form.
When to move off Google Docs
A Google Doc works for your first orders. When you have five or more orders a week, it gets messy. You lose track of who paid. You scroll through texts to find an address. That is when a shop with payments and order tracking saves you time. You can see every order in one place. You can take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account. You can also take Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. For more selling guides, visit the selling hub.
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A worked example of a cookie order
For example, a customer orders 3 dozen chocolate chip cookies for a birthday. You fill in her name, phone, cookie type, quantity, pickup date, deposit paid, balance due, allergies, and notes. You take a $15 deposit. That covers your ingredients. You bake, she pays the balance at pickup. Your margin is the balance minus your ingredient cost, your labor, and your overhead. If the number is too low, raise your price or cut your time.
To find your margin, write down your ingredient cost for the batch. Add your hourly rate times the hours you worked. Add a share of your overhead. The $20 a month for Brevl is an overhead cost. If you sell 20 dozen cookies a month, that is $1 per dozen in overhead. Subtract all three from the total you charged. That is your profit.
- Cookie Order Form Template: 8 Fields and a Deposit Rule
- Cookie Order Form: 9 Fields and a Deposit Rule
- Baking Order Form: 9 Fields, Deposit, and Pickup Date
Common questions
What should I put on a cookie order form in Google Docs?
Include 9 fields: customer name and phone, cookie type, quantity, pickup date, deposit paid, balance due, allergies, notes, and your contact. These fields cover the order from start to finish. Leave one out and you will be texting back and forth to fill the gaps.
How much deposit should I ask for on a cookie order?
Set the deposit at half the total or at the cost of your ingredients. The deposit covers your ingredient money if the customer cancels. Never start baking without a deposit. This one rule stops you from losing money on a custom order.
Can I share a Google Doc order form from my phone?
Yes. You can type the form on your phone and share the link. Customers fill it in and send it back. You can also print it if you sell at a market. The form is yours to change as your cookies change.
What if a customer will not pay a deposit?
Do not take the order. A customer who will not pay a deposit is a customer who might cancel after you buy ingredients. You are running a business. A deposit is the only thing that makes a custom order real. Without it, you are baking on a maybe.
When should I stop using Google Docs for orders?
When you have five or more orders a week, a Google Doc gets messy. You lose track of who paid. You scroll through texts to find an address. That is when a shop with payments and order tracking saves you time. You can see every order in one place.
General information, not legal or tax advice.