When we start talking about inventory, do not forget why it is needed. First of all, for the opportunity to optimize the profit of the institution and reduce the costs of the institution.
The cost price in catering establishments accounts for up to 30% of all costs, it is here that it is necessary to carefully study all the data and control this indicator.
In the cost price there is such a thing as the movement of goods, that is, the whole path of any product from the desire to order it before the guest ate the finished dish.
Commodity movement is divided into stages:
- order of goods
- posting of goods
- placement and storage
- moving within units
- preparation of the final product from the goods
- selling it through the cashier
- expiration date decommissioning and disposal.
Inventory allows you to control the movement of goods within the institution. The process is not the most pleasant, but very important for the financial side of any project, thanks to which you can avoid many problems with rationalization of costs. The results of the inventory directly affect the revenue of the institution and profit.
In the process of inventorying, the factual data on the product is fixed at the time of its recounting, a reflection of what reality the product is in the current moment.
The data obtained are entered into the accounting program and compared with those data that are recorded regarding the movement of goods. Here also arise
Three main questions about inventory that need to be answered:
1. How often do you need to take an inventory?
- Every week, basic food products are kept records.
- Every month - all other products.
- Unscheduled (conducted by the owner or consultant)
2. Who does the inventory?
There can be any materially responsible persons: the business owner, the manager of the establishment, the chef or the bartender, if there are such staffing units. Cons on balances, as a rule, are distributed between them and affect the level of wages.
3. Why take an inventory?
This is the most important question in which the analysis of the reasons why surpluses and shortcomings are formed are very important and indicate how well we work with the goods.
1. To avoid errors in the accounting system in units.
It is important to look at the accounting system, how the incoming goods should be capitalized. In pieces or packaging. It happens that it comes in packages, but gets clogged in pieces and vice versa. The human factor in case of errors in the accounting system can give you huge shortages.
2. To identify “frozen money” in large stock balances. + More risks are added by expiration dates. Storage of larger consignments is a minus in your margin.
3. To eliminate the shortcomings in the calculations. In order to avoid discrepancies in balances for a specific position, it is important to check all the technical cards and the calculation of them, where this product is taken into account.
4. Theft control.
What to do next with inventory results?
After carrying out the inventory, you will generate reports that show the presence of real discrepancies (here the data is possible both in “+” and in “-”). Persons who are responsible for the inventory in your institution should be able to read this data and understand the reason for the non-compliance.
Here you can resort to the method of “5 why.”
How to analyze:
- select the positions by which the discrepancies were reflected and check them for proper accounting in the system.
- if the accounting in the system is carried out in the correct units, then the reasons may be the following: theft, the goods were not discarded due to expiration dates, the goods were broken through at the cash desk incorrectly.
- if these positions are ingredients for the kitchen, then it is necessary to deal with technical maps and estimates for erroneous calculations.
In the process, there was the experience of consulting a client who did not take an inventory at all. He didn’t even have a program. They bought food when the need arose. Naturally, the level of theft in such an institution is the maximum.
Another client had a program for accounting, but they did not use it. For 3 months, we set the months and put all the control and accounting system in place, which allowed us to reduce costs for production costs by as much as 8%.
If your institution sells finished products, then it is better to carry out piece counting as often as possible so that you always have the latest data at hand. So you can immediately identify errors in invoices, accounting units and identify theft. The manager can take an inventory while the bartender closes the bar after the shift.
If you sell take-away goods, then accounting for packaging materials is also connected to the main products. They must be taken into account in the calculation, as they also participate in the formation of cost.
What other alternative methods of controlling the movement of goods are there?
- Unscheduled inventory of individual items when none of the staff is aware of this event. The effect of surprise is important here.
- Analysis and control of write-off acts with analysis of the reasons for write-offs. This will allow you to competently maneuver in product orders and prevent errors in the future.
Always rememberUnscheduled inventory of individual items when none of the staff is aware of this event. The effect of surprise is important here.
Analysis and control of write-off acts with analysis of the reasons for write-offs. This will allow you to competently maneuver in product orders and prevent errors in the future.
Always remember that the inventory is an inventory, but the analysis of discrepancies is a permanent and very important task for the manager and business owner. The system needs to be set up once, to train staff and start the process on an ongoing basis.
The opportunity for your profit to grow is in your hands.
Act!