Inventory Management Guide
Inventory is part of every Restovax account. You will find it in the sidebar under Inventory.
The big idea
You keep a list of ingredients and supplies (inventory items). Each menu item can have a recipe that says how much of each ingredient one portion uses. When an order is completed (paid), the system takes the ingredients off stock automatically.
Stock is deducted when the order is completed, not when it is sent to the kitchen. Reversing a completed order puts the stock back from the record of what was taken.
Set up
- Categories: group your items (Dairy, Meat, Packaging).
- Suppliers: who you buy from.
- Items: add each ingredient or supply with its unit (kg, litres, pieces), reorder level and a barcode if you use one. Units convert automatically, for example grams to kilograms.
- Stock: record what you have on hand. Use Stock Counts to count the shelves and correct differences.
Recipes and costing
Open Recipes to build a recipe for a menu item: pick the ingredients and the quantity each portion uses. A recipe quantity describes the whole batch and how many portions it serves, so the cost is worked out per portion.
The cost of a portion is calculated from each ingredient's average cost, so it moves as your purchase prices change. Use Profit Analysis to compare cost against selling price.
Buying stock
- Purchase Orders: create an order to a supplier, receive it, and stock and cost update. Low-stock suggestions can pre-fill an order.
- Stock Transfers: move stock between branches.
- Adjustments: record waste, spoilage or corrections, with a reason.
Prepared food and production batches
If you cook in batches (a pot of stew, a tray of pastries), use Production. A batch turns raw ingredients into prepared portions. Two settings control it: how production works for your restaurant, and when ingredients leave stock (when the batch is made, or when portions are sold). Check Settings for both.
Alerts
Alerts lists items below their reorder level, items about to expire, and purchase orders that are overdue. Check it at the start of each day.
Reports
Reports covers stock on hand, wastage and production, with exports. Theoretical Usage compares what your recipes say you should have used with what was actually taken, which is the quickest way to spot waste or theft.
Tips
- Keep units consistent. Buy in cases, store in kilograms, recipe in grams. The system converts, but only if each item's units are set correctly.
- Do a Stock Count at least weekly for fast-moving items.
- Always give a reason for adjustments. It makes the audit trail useful.
