Help: answers when you need more detail
Normal work should be understandable on each screen. Use Help when you need the fuller explanation, a correction procedure or troubleshooting details.
The complete process
Set the Restaurant Profile → map Locations → build the Item Master → establish starting stock → record receiving, transfers and waste → count and verify → review reorder needs → review History and keep backups. Success means the physical restaurant and Inventory Center tell the same story.
Barcodes: where they come from
A barcode is optional. If the product already has a useful barcode, scan or type that code into the item. If a bulk, local or unlabeled item does not have one, choose Create Inventory Barcode while adding or editing the item. Save the item, then use its Barcode button in Item Master to print a label. Keep one barcode assigned to one inventory item.
Local stores and multiple purchase sources
Items bought from Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, grocery stores or other local sources are handled as normal inventory. Do not create a duplicate item just because the source changes. In Item Master, Vendor is the item’s usual source and may be left blank. When receiving a purchase, use Vendor / invoice to record the actual store and receipt or invoice reference. If the same ketchup is bought from Walmart today and a distributor next week, it remains the same ketchup item; each receipt records its own source and current unit cost.
For one-time emergency purchases, receive the quantity into the existing matching item when possible and identify the local source in Vendor / invoice. Only create a new inventory item when the product truly needs to be counted and controlled separately.
Counts and unexpected stock
Pause inventory movements while counting. Full inventory requires all built lines, including zeros. Inspect every location and use Add Count Row for stock found outside an item's assigned locations. Any inventory scope or balance change requires rebuilding. Cycle counts can be partial. Unposted entries are temporary: post before closing, or cancel the discard prompt to continue. A crash or power failure can still lose an unposted sheet.
Correct a mistaken transaction
History is retained rather than deleted. If you received 10 lb but should have received 8, post a negative adjustment of 2 lb at the same location and reference the original receipt. If you transferred stock to the wrong location, transfer it back and then post the correct transfer if the stock is still available. If later activity has changed balances, verify physical stock first and use a documented count.
Quantity corrections do not reverse unit cost. To correct cost, edit the item's Unit cost. This revalues remaining stock and records a cost change. Inventory Center uses latest cost for operational inventory value; it is not FIFO or weighted-average accounting.
Backups and recovery
Create Backup saves the full posted inventory so it can be restored later. Export Items and Export History create reports; they are not restorable backups. Keep dated backup files in a separate safe location. Restore Backup replaces current inventory, so create a current backup first. Unposted count entries are not included in backups.
Save, export and print
Posted inventory changes save in this browser. Missing required names, dates, quantities, costs or movement reasons block the action and tell you what to correct. Print Current View prints the selected tab. Export Items saves all items; Export History saves recorded movement and cost history. Create Backup saves restorable working data. Keep dated backup files outside the browser because clearing site data can remove browser-stored inventory.
When something goes wrong
If saving fails, the operation is rolled back. Keep the page open, read the displayed error, verify the required fields and available browser storage, then retry. Do not clear site data while troubleshooting; create a current backup first whenever the workspace still allows it. If browser storage is blocked or unavailable, use a normal browser window with site storage allowed. For a problem report, include the browser/device, what you clicked, what you expected and what happened.