First check: can you manage stock and menu items?
How much stock came in, how much is left, and how menu categories and specifications are set up are all maintained in the back office. This item covers the stock list and inbound, categories and specifications, and item and menu profiles. Finding items and pricing them at the till is a separate item, “item lookup and basic pricing”. For how to manage it step by step, see the inventory guide.
Stock: list and inbound
The back office has a stock list and inbound management. The list shows columns such as item name, stock and status. When booking stock in, you can enter the operator and a note, find items by barcode or name, enter quantities and press Save inbound; you can also update the selling price while booking stock in.
The stock features also include a sales-lines entry; reports are not covered here.
Item and menu master data
Item and menu master data are maintained in the back office too. Screens and menu locations may change between versions, so go by your own store's back office.
CategoriesIn category management you can add categories, refresh, and save after changing the order. If no categories exist yet, the screen says so.
In specification management you can add specifications and refresh, to maintain item specifications.
The item list is where you maintain items, and you can set tax rates and other price-related fields in bulk. For step-by-step item setup, see the inventory guide.
Surcharge settings are for maintaining surcharge items; how to add a surcharge at the till is not covered here.
Menu profiles and menu publishing also have entries. If the screen says a menu-publishing plugin has expired or cannot run, publishing may need the corresponding plugin.
What to check before you choose
- How much do you need to manage? This covers the stock list and inbound; purchase approval and transfers between warehouses are out of scope.
- Do you want to update prices while booking stock in? The inbound screen has an option for it.
- Does your menu fit into categories, specifications and surcharges, and can item tax rates be set in bulk?
- Do you publish menus from profiles? Menu profiles have an entry, but publishing may depend on a plugin licence, so check your store's plugin status first.
- Finding items and pricing at the till: this is the separate “item lookup and basic pricing” item.
Good fit / less of a fit
Good fit: Restaurants that maintain menu items in the back office, book basic stock in and keep an eye on stock levels.
Less of a fit: Businesses that need full warehouse management, purchase approval or transfers between warehouses.
How it fits into a store day
- Before adding new dishes, set up categories and specifications first, then add the items and set their tax rates in bulk.
- A delivery arrives in the morning: scan barcodes or search by name to book it in; if the supplier has raised prices, update the selling price at the same time.
- At closing, look over the stock list, note what is running low and restock the next day.
Out of scope
- Full warehouse management (WMS), a purchasing module and multi-warehouse management.
- Plugin marketplace features do not count as core capabilities.