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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about the Cold Stone SaaS Platform.

General Questions

What is the Cold Stone SaaS Platform?

The Cold Stone SaaS Platform is a comprehensive franchise management system that helps Cold Stone Creamery franchisees manage employee scheduling, time off, onboarding, and more.

How do I access the platform?

Access the platform at dashboards.coldstonereno.com. You'll need an authorized Google account to log in.

What browsers are supported?

We support the latest versions of:

  • Google Chrome (recommended)
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Safari

Is there a mobile app?

Currently, the platform is web-based and fully responsive on mobile devices. A native mobile app is planned for Q3 2026.

Account & Access

How do I get access to the platform?

Contact your franchise administrator or email support@coldstonereno.com to request access.

I forgot my password. How do I reset it?

The platform uses Google Sign-In. Reset your Google account password at accounts.google.com.

Can I use a non-Google email address?

Currently, authentication requires a Google account. You can create a Google account using any email address at accounts.google.com/signup.

How do I change my role or permissions?

Contact your franchise administrator or owner. Only Owner and Admin roles can modify user permissions.

Scheduling

How far in advance can I create schedules?

You can create schedules up to 12 weeks in advance.

Can employees see unpublished schedules?

No, employees only see schedules after they've been published.

How do I copy a schedule from a previous week?

  1. Open the schedule view
  2. Click Copy Previous Week
  3. Select the week to copy from
  4. Adjust as needed
  5. Publish

Can employees swap shifts with each other?

Yes, if shift swaps are enabled in your settings. Employees request swaps through the employee portal, and managers can approve or deny them.

What happens when I edit a published schedule?

Affected employees receive notifications about the changes. The change is logged in the audit trail.

Time Off

How do employees request time off?

Employees log into the employee portal, navigate to Time Off, and submit a request with their desired dates.

How long do I have to respond to time off requests?

We recommend responding within 48 hours. Employees receive notifications when their request is approved or denied.

Can I set blackout dates when no one can request time off?

Yes, go to Settings > Time Off > Blackout Dates to configure periods when time off requests are restricted.

How is PTO balance calculated?

PTO accrues based on the policy assigned to each employee. View policies in Settings > Time Off > Policies.

Employees

How do I add a new employee?

  1. Go to Employees
  2. Click Add Employee
  3. Enter their information
  4. Click Save & Send Invitation

The employee will receive an onboarding email.

Can an employee work at multiple locations?

Yes, employees can be assigned to multiple locations. Set this in their employee profile under "Assigned Locations."

How do I deactivate an employee who has left?

  1. Go to Employees
  2. Click on the employee
  3. Click Deactivate
  4. Confirm

Their historical data is preserved but they can no longer log in.

How do employees update their availability?

Employees update availability through the employee portal under My Availability.

Reports

What reports are available?

  • Scheduling reports (hours, coverage, labor cost)
  • Time off reports (balances, usage, requests)
  • Employee reports (roster, onboarding status)
  • Audit reports (changes, access logs)

Can I export reports?

Yes, most reports can be exported to CSV or PDF. Look for the Export button on any report.

How often is report data updated?

Report data is updated in real-time for most metrics. Some aggregate reports update hourly.

Technical Issues

The page won't load. What should I do?

  1. Check your internet connection
  2. Clear your browser cache
  3. Try a different browser
  4. Try incognito/private mode
  5. Contact support if the issue persists

I'm seeing old/cached data. How do I refresh?

Press Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac) to force refresh, or clear your browser cache.

Notifications aren't working. What's wrong?

  1. Check your email spam/junk folder
  2. Verify your email address is correct in your profile
  3. Check notification settings in Settings > Notifications
  4. Contact support if issues persist

The schedule looks wrong on my phone.

Try rotating your phone to landscape mode for better viewing, or access the platform on a tablet or computer for the full experience.

Billing & Subscription

How do I upgrade my subscription?

Contact support@coldstonereno.com to discuss subscription options.

How do I update my billing information?

Only franchise owners can access billing. Go to Settings > Billing or contact support.

What payment methods are accepted?

We accept major credit cards and ACH bank transfers.

Data & Security

Is my data secure?

Yes, we use industry-standard security measures:

  • Data encrypted in transit and at rest
  • Regular security audits
  • SOC 2 Type II compliance (in progress)
  • Role-based access control

Can I export my data?

Yes, you can export reports and employee data. Contact support for a full data export.

How long is data retained?

Employee and schedule data is retained for 7 years for compliance purposes. You can request data deletion by contacting support.

Who can see my franchise's data?

Only users with access to your franchise can see your data. We do not share data between franchises.

Still Have Questions?

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