Stock Management¶
Stock management keeps track of stock through a main stock and any number of sub-stocks — the fridge at each counter, the kitchen, the beverage store in the cellar. Every sale deducts stock automatically, including through recipes (a cocktail deducts rum and cola proportionally from their bottles). On top of that come suppliers, purchase orders, goods receipt, stocktaking and a booking journal for tracing stock movements.
Admin → Stock · Activation: Admin → Settings → Operations → Modules → Stock management
Keeping an overview even without the stock module
Don't need stock tracking? Then leave the module switched off and use the best and worst seller reports: quantities sold per article show what needs reordering — for many small businesses, that is entirely sufficient.
I want to … – where to go next¶
Coming with a task? Look it up here. Answers to individual questions ("Why does the stock level show a minus?") are collected in Answers to frequent questions.
| I want to … | Then read |
|---|---|
| set up stock for the first time | Setting up stock and the order below |
| see what needs attention today | Overview and setup |
| find a short answer to a single question | Answers to frequent questions |
| manage an article with stock | Articles with stock tracking |
| change stock location, minimum and target stock or default supplier for many articles at once | Bulk edit |
| have a dish or cocktail deducted from its ingredients | Recipes and costing |
| produce sauce, dough or bottled goods in advance | Producing own products |
| order goods and book the delivery in | Ordering and goods receipt |
| capture the delivery with a scanner or delivery file | Scanning, draft and delivery file |
| document temperature and condition when accepting goods | Goods-in inspection (HACCP) |
| see what expires soon and trace a batch | Batches and best-before dates |
| return goods to the supplier or check an invoice | Returns and purchase review |
| take volume discounts and freight into account when ordering | Tier prices and freight |
| request replenishment for the counter or book breakage | Stock at the register |
| count – the whole stock or only a part | Stocktake and reports |
| see what has been sitting too long or which dishes earn too little | Days of cover, recipe check, events |
| buy for a party or catering | Planning events |
| catch up a deduction that did not go through | Catching up missing deductions |
| decide how strictly the stock works | Stock settings |
Setting up in the right order¶
Working from top to bottom avoids most follow-up questions. A small business gets through steps 1 to 6 in one afternoon.
- Switch on the module (Admin → Settings → Operations → Modules → Stock management) – Setting up stock.
- Create suppliers (Admin → Suppliers; name and e-mail are enough to start).
- Create or import articles and, for every article that should have stock, switch on Track stock; check unit and content – Articles with stock tracking.
- Store suppliers and packs on the article (so that the order proposal knows from whom and in which pack to order).
- Set minimum and target stock – individually, by import, or for many articles with the bulk edit.
- Book the opening stock: record the goods on hand once as a goods receipt, count them in a stocktake, or open them by import.
- Only if needed: create further stock locations (counter, kitchen) and assign workstations.
- Only if needed: recipes for dishes and cocktails, then own products.
- Assign permissions: who views, books, orders, counts.
- Trial sale: sell one article at the register, check in the Inventory tab that it decreases by the right quantity, and void the sale.
Only after that are the extras worthwhile: batches and best-before dates, goods-in inspection, tier prices, events, days-of-cover analysis.
What is optional – and what needs a module, licence or permission?¶
| Function | Requires |
|---|---|
| Stock management as a whole | the Stock management add-on module in the licence and the switch under Admin → Settings → Operations → Modules |
| Several stock locations, recipes, producing, tiers | only the stock module; everything is optional – without an entry nothing changes |
| Batches and best-before dates | only the stock module; to be switched on per article (Track batches and best-before dates) |
| Goods-in inspection (HACCP) | the HACCP module with HACCP switched on, an active checklist of the category "Goods receipt" and the matching stock setting |
| Freight, free-shipping threshold, serial numbers, delivery notes, packing bench, claims | additionally the Merchandise Management module |
| Reading a delivery note by AI | setting in the stock, explicit consent |
| Bulk edit | permission to edit articles; for the stock location assignment additionally the permission Locations & suppliers |
| Partial stocktake, stocktake | permission Stocktaking |
| Purchase orders, events | permission Orders |
| Recipe check (Recipes tab) | View stock and Manage articles and prices |
If a tab or a button is missing, it is almost always down to a permission or a module that is not switched on. Which permissions exist is described in Setting up stock, step 5.
Introduction to stock management¶
The register knows what was sold. Stock management connects that sale with the goods on the shelf: What has arrived? What has been used? What is at which counter? What has to be ordered again?
For this it is crucial to recognise the same goods through all the steps. The supplier delivers a carton, the stock holds single bottles and the recipe uses centilitres. These three figures belong together; they are not three different stocks.
An example from purchase to stocktake¶
A business buys rum in cartons of six bottles. Each bottle contains 70 cl. A cocktail uses 4 cl of rum.
- Create: A purchase article "Rum 0.7 l" tracks its stock in bottles. Its content is 70 cl. A carton of six bottles is stored at the supplier.
- Order: Ordering two cartons means expecting twelve bottles. The order alone does not put any goods into stock.
- Accept: If only one carton arrives, just this one carton is booked as a goods receipt first. Afterwards the stock holds six bottles; the second carton stays open as a remaining delivery.
- Distribute: Two bottles move from the main stock to the bar. Afterwards four are in the main stock and two at the bar. In total, six bottles are still in the house.
- Sell: A cocktail at the bar takes 4/70 of a bottle of rum from there. The bottle stock may therefore contain decimal places. A bottle that has been opened still counts towards the stock.
- Record loss: A broken bottle is booked out with the reason "Breakage". The loss appears separately from sales.
- Count: In the stocktake, the quantities actually on hand are checked. A difference is documented as a correction.
The same principle applies to a kitchen: purchase in sacks, stock in kilograms and recipe quantity per portion. A retailer often works directly with piece counts and needs no recipe.
Which articles need a stock of their own¶
Purchase articles are goods that are actually stored: for example rum, juice, flour or a sellable bottle of water. For these articles, "Track stock" is activated.
Recipe articles describe the composition of a dish or drink. A freshly mixed cocktail normally needs no shelf stock of its own: its ingredients are taken via the recipe. The cocktail remains a normal sellable article. With "Track stock", on the other hand, the recipe article is treated as finished stock: a sale uses up only its own stock. Activate this for prepared own products and build the finished stock via Produce. The ingredients are then taken at production.
A component without stock tracking is not recorded as a stock consumption of its own. So first set up the purchase articles correctly and only then assemble the recipes. The costing helps to spot missing details.
Stock is kept separately per location¶
A stock location is a separately counted quantity of goods. A fridge only needs a stock location of its own if its stock is to be tracked separately. A small business can start with the main stock.
For each workstation you define from which stock its sales are taken. Without an assignment, DiKAS uses the main stock. If goods physically sit at the bar while sales are deducted from the main stock, the stock levels do not match even though the total quantity is right. So align the workstation assignment with the actual distribution of goods.
Transferring moves goods within the business. Ordering obtains goods from outside. Requesting asks, for example, the main stock for replenishment for the counter. These processes have different purposes and should not be used as substitutes for each other.
Understanding quantities and prices¶
| Item | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Stock unit | Bottle | This is how the article's stock is tracked |
| Content | 70 cl per bottle | This much is in one stock unit |
| Recipe quantity | 4 cl | This much is needed for one portion |
| Order pack | Carton of 6 bottles | This much one order unit delivers |
| Purchase price per pack | 60 for the carton | This gives 10 per bottle, in each case net |
| Average purchase price | Average of the goods in stock | Basis of the current stock value |
To get started, use the same content unit in recipes as on the ingredient, for example 4 cl with a bottle content of 70 cl. When purchasing, always check whether the entered price applies to one bottle or to the whole carton. Detailed examples are under Articles with stock tracking and Recipes and costing.
Minimum stock and target stock¶
The minimum stock is the threshold below which replenishment is needed. The target stock is the quantity up to which stock should be topped up. With a current stock of four bottles, a minimum stock of ten and a target stock of thirty, 26 bottles are initially missing to reach the target. With a carton of six bottles, you have to order in whole cartons: five cartons contain thirty bottles.
A sensible minimum stock covers the time until the next delivery. Choose the target stock so that the goods last until the next purchase without overloading storage space and shelf life. DiKAS knows the actual daily business only as well as the booked goods movements and maintained rules. So always review an order proposal before ordering.
The min/target stock on the article serves the main stock. For further stock locations, rules of their own are maintained. A stock rule of its own takes precedence there. For a small range, it is enough to maintain the most important purchase articles; for large ranges, a step-by-step set-up by article group is recommended.
A good routine in daily business¶
Before opening: Compare new deliveries with the delivery note and book in only goods actually accepted. Then transfer goods to the stock locations where they are needed. Check shortfalls and open remaining deliveries.
During service: Sales use up goods automatically. Record breakage, spoilage and own consumption immediately where possible, with a suitable reason. Request replenishment for the counter and confirm it on receipt. A manual correction serves to clear up an unclear stock level; for a known loss, the loss booking is more meaningful.
After service: Check conspicuous negative stock levels and large losses, check open deliveries and order if needed. Carry out stocktakes during a quiet period. A stocktake counts the whole stock or – as a partial stocktake – only a part of it, for example the expensive articles (class A), an article group or only the articles that are due again (Partial stocktake). From the start of the count until closing, do not sell, move or accept goods in the stock concerned: if there has been any movement since the start, DiKAS refuses to close, and the stocktake has to be recounted.
Regularly: Count the stock at fixed intervals; the stock level shows which articles often deviate. Compare quantities and values in the stock report. A difference does not yet explain its cause: possible reasons are a missing receipt, the wrong workstation assignment, unrecorded breakage or an unsuitable recipe quantity.
What a negative stock level means¶
DiKAS allows sales even when stock is missing. A negative stock level therefore indicates a need for clarification. First check the last delivery, the stock used and the recipe quantity. Do not simply raise the stock level before the cause is known; otherwise the actual problem remains.
A void with undamaged goods can reverse a withdrawal. Goods that have already been prepared or have spoiled do not become physically usable again as a result. Choose the appropriate void reason and record the loss in line with your operating procedure.
How small and larger businesses begin¶
Start with a manageable article group, for example beverages. Maintain unit, content, supplier and pack, record a checked opening stock and test a sale followed by a void. Only when the quantities are traceably correct do further articles and recipes follow.
With several thousand articles, clear article numbers, consistent names, article groups and fixed responsibilities help. The article import takes over article data including stock tracking, min/target stock and content; supplier items with packs, recipe lines and opening stocks are added via Stock relations (see Setting up stock). Both imports check in advance and save nothing if there are errors. Even afterwards: an imported sales list is not yet a set-up stock management — check by sampling that units, packs and recipes are right.
For normal purchasing and consumption processes, stock management is enough. Serial numbers, delivery notes, the packing bench and device claims are explained in the additional Merchandise Management. The Hygiene documentation describes checks such as goods receipt and refrigeration temperatures; a temperature check does not replace a quantity booking.
The chapters at a glance¶
| Chapter | For whom | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Overview and setup | Owner, setup person | The first tab: what needs attention today, checklist for the set-up, checking recipes |
| Setting up stock | Owner, setup person | Switch on the module, import articles and opening stocks, create stock locations, assign workstations, assign permissions |
| Articles with stock tracking | Owner, office staff | Track stock, unit and content, minimum/maximum stock, supplier and pack, the stock list, bulk edit for many articles |
| Recipes and costing | Kitchen, bar, owner | Create a recipe, the three quantity units, check on saving, cost of goods and contribution margin |
| Producing own products | Kitchen, owner | Produce sauce, dough or bottled goods in advance: take ingredients, store the actual yield, reverse |
| Ordering and goods receipt | Office staff | Suppliers, order proposal, send order, accept delivery (also partial delivery), goods-in inspection (HACCP) |
| Scanning, draft and delivery file | Warehouse staff, office staff | Capture with a scanner, nothing gets lost, read in a delivery file (CSV) and a delivery note by AI as a proposal |
| Sending an order and dispatch status | Office staff | Order by e-mail to the supplier, dispatch status, unclear outcome |
| Returns and purchase review | Office staff, owner | Return goods to the supplier, record a credit note on the return, check the supplier invoice against receipts |
| Batches and best-before dates | Kitchen, warehouse, office | Batch and best-before date at goods receipt, oldest goods first, warning list, traceability |
| Stock settings | Owner | How the stock works: batch requirement, purchase price definition, purchase review, correction permission, prices only for authorised staff, stocktake per stock, delivery note by AI |
| Tier prices and freight at the supplier | Purchasing, office | Take volume discounts and freight into account in the order proposal |
| Stock at the register | Counter, kitchen | View stock, request replenishment, book breakage, accept goods |
| Catching up missing deductions | Owner, office staff | Recognise open or held sales deductions and rebook them safely |
| Stocktake and reports | Owner, tax adviser | Count and close a stocktake, partial stocktake, "last counted", stock report, booking journal |
| Days of cover, recipe check, events | Owner, kitchen and purchasing management | What has been sitting too long, which dishes have too little margin, what is needed for an event |
| Planning events | Kitchen and purchasing management | Save an event, check whether the goods arrive in time, include it in the order proposal (option) |
Basic terms¶
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Stock location | A place with its own stock: main stock, counter 1, kitchen … |
| Workstation stock | A stock location can be assigned to each workstation. Sales at this workstation are deducted from there; without an assignment, from the main stock. |
| Stock unit | The unit in which counting is done (bottle, piece, kg) — stored on the article. |
| Content per unit | Content of one stock unit (e.g. bottle = 0.7 l) — the basis for recipe conversion. |
| Pack | Order unit at the supplier (e.g. crate of 20 bottles) with its own purchase price. |
| Min / target | Per stock and article: below min, replenishment is requested; it is topped up to target. |
| Minimum stock | The threshold: if the stock level falls below it, the article needs replenishment. |
| Target stock | The target quantity: stock is topped up to this level. |
| Current stock | The quantity that, according to bookings, is currently in the stock. |
| Batch | One delivery of an article with a number of its own (from the delivery note or label). It allows you to say later where the goods came from and where they went. |
| Best-before date | Minimum durability date – until then the goods are at least durable. |
| FEFO | "First expired, first out": the goods with the earliest best-before date go out first. DiKAS chooses this itself at the sale. |
| Days of cover | For how many days today's stock lasts at the consumption so far. |
| Tier price | The supplier's volume discount: from a certain number of packs, a cheaper price applies. |
| Partial stocktake | A count that covers only a part of the stock (for example only class A). Everything else stays unchanged. |
| Finished-goods stock | Stock of a self-made article (for example sauce) that is held in advance. |
The three basic rules¶
These three sentences save the most follow-up questions
- The stock level changes only when the booking is executed. A booking that has been created changes nothing.
- Negative stock levels are allowed — a sale is never blocked. A red minus is a hint, not a program error.
- The minimum stock on the article applies only in the main stock. In every other stock, the rule you stored there counts.
The tabs in the admin area¶
Admin → Stock opens with the Overview tab. Which tabs an employee sees depends on their permissions; Batches appears only once an article tracks batches.
| Tab | Purpose | Permission | Described in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | What needs clarifying today, set-up checklist | View stock | Overview and setup |
| Inventory | Stock levels per stock with average purchase price and stock value; row actions for loss, transfer and correction | View stock | Articles with stock tracking |
| Batches | Warning list and history per batch | View stock | Batches and best-before dates |
| Bookings | Booking journal, manual bookings, open deductions | View stock | Stocktake and reports |
| Requests | Replenishment requests from the counters | View stock | Stock at the register |
| Produce | Produce own products in advance | Bookings/requests | Producing own products |
| Purchase orders | Supplier orders, order proposal, event demand | Orders | Ordering and goods receipt |
| Stocktakes | Count lists and closing | Stocktaking | Stocktake and reports |
| Recipes | Margin, price deviation and price age of all recipes | Manage articles and prices | Days of cover, recipe check, events |
| Stock locations | Create stocks and maintain min/target rules | Locations & suppliers | Setting up stock |
With the Merchandise Management module, the tabs Devices, Delivery notes, Packing bench, Claims and Statistics are added (see below). The stock settings are not here but under Admin → Settings → Operations → Warehouse (expert mode) — see Stock settings.
Suppliers are under Administration
You maintain the supplier master data under Admin → Suppliers — there in one form with master data, terms, bank details, accounting, assigned articles and the supplier's documents. There is no tab of its own for this in the stock.
More than stock levels: Merchandise Management¶
Businesses that pass on goods instead of using them up — retail, workshop, shipping — additionally activate the Merchandise Management module. Five tabs are then added: Devices, Delivery notes, Packing bench, Claims and Statistics.
| Topic | Chapter |
|---|---|
| What the module can do and how it is activated | Merchandise Management — overview |
| Terms and supplier number | Suppliers with terms |
| Tracking devices individually, warranty, customer link | Serial numbers |
| Delivery note with number, PDF and void | Delivery note |
| Packing bench, partial delivery, tracking number | Packing and shipping |
| Returns, warranty check, decision | Complaint |
| Bundles of several articles | Sets |
| Key figures and delivery times | Statistics |
For a pure catering business the module is not needed: there the kitchen uses up the goods, and stock management alone takes care of that.
Next step¶
- Setting up stock — the starting point for a new business
- Managing suppliers — the supplier master data under Administration
- Merchandise Management — for retail, workshop and shipping