Managing inventory is an essential aspect of running a restaurant, and using an inventory mobile app can simplify the process. These apps, which are available through restaurant inventory software, can help you track your inventory levels in real-time, streamline the ordering process, and prevent overstocking or stockouts. In turn, this can help reduce food waste at your restaurant and therefore your CoGS.
The made available by inventory apps can also help improve your restaurant operations through advanced reporting. Gone are the days of manual Excel spreadsheets. Restaurant operators can easily create a detailed list of items, set par levels, and generate reports on usage and wastage, all through an app. By integrating with your POS system and accounting software, this also provides you with a complete view of your restaurant operations.
Here are some benefits to using mobile inventory at your restaurant.
Reduce Count Time With Multiple Users
Whether or not you restrict inventory to certain members of your team is your decision. That said, mobile apps mean the process no longer needs to be restricted to one person at a time. Mobile apps allow multiple people to perform counts at the same time, as they are instantly auto-saved when entered. For establishments with both a kitchen and a bar, or multiple locations for storage, this can greatly reduce the time spent on inventory.
Real-time Access Across Locations
If you run multiple locations, managing inventory has the added headache of keeping things consistent across multiple locations. However, with an inventory app, restaurant management can access information from all their locations in one place. This allows managers to communicate and analyze inventory data in real time. It also gives store managers the ability to easily transfer inventory between stores when necessary in a trackable format.
Mobile Barcode Scanning
Mobile cameras can be leveraged far beyond a QR code for customers to download your menu. Inventory apps allow workers to scan barcodes that are then automatically uploaded to your inventory software, greatly reducing inventory count time and reducing the chance of errors.
Instant Visibility Into Reporting & Trends
The true power of digitalizing inventory is not just increasing efficiency, but the data and insights it gives you access to about your restaurants performance. By having access to data in real time, you can make more-informed decisions more often to prevent overstocking or stockouts.
Once you’ve adopted an inventory tracking system implemented it for a few weeks, you can start to look at trends in your data and catch any inaccuracies or unusually high or low inventory levels. Sorting items by current quantity, current cost, and current dollar total can help identify high and low cost and quantity items. A few key trends to look for are 1) items that fluctuate greatly from count to count and 2) items that unusually high or low in inventory. Again, this allows you to recheck your count to see if a mistake was made, or if you may need to adjust your ordering schedule to prevent over-ordering a product.
Conclusion
Mobile apps can simplify inventory management and eliminate human errors caused by pen and paper methods or manual spreadsheets. It allows inventory managers to take food and bar inventory via mobile devices and update quantities and values immediately in real-time. They also offer benefits such as real-time updates, tracking low inventory, and monitoring food waste. All these processes together help reduce restaurants inventory costs, streamline the ordering process, and maximize stocktake while increasing the profit margin.
