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Cut back on human error by using food and beverage software systems

'To err is human, to forgive divine' aside, providers of food software are aware of the amount of waste that occurs through human error when inventory and ordering are done by people.

I recommend: Food Software is a low cost provider of food service management software solutions. Its IPro Restaurant Inventory, Recipe & Menu Software covers inventory, ordering and also compares vendor prices for you. CostGuard Food Service is pricey but it can be customized to your inventory needs and reporting. Try its tutorials.

Let food and beverage software eliminate employee theft

Using food and beverage software will cut back on employee theft, which is especially a problem in bars and restaurants that serve liquor.

I recommend: Squirrel Systems provides hardware and software for the restaurant industry. Its clients are name-brand food chains. Its software for bars is integrated with flow metering software for optimal control. Alcohol Controls' software is developed to prevent over-pouring, free drinks and cash skimming.

Get front and back coverage from food service software companies

The 'front' in the food and beverage industry refers to the dining room--taking reservations, credit card payments and gift cards. The back refers to the kitchen, inventory and purchasing. Food service software companies will supply you with software solutions for both ends.

I recommend: Silverware POS supplies front and back software coverage with table service, reservation and kitchen and inventory. Comus Software provides software for all sorts of food and beverage operations from fine dining to fast food.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make the correct choice for using food and beverage software--you want to ask for tech support, training (if necessary), warranties and guarantees if the software promises to cut your costs by a percentage.

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Test food manufacturing software

The entire food industry depends on manufacturers of food and beverage items and supplies. Some manufacturers do their own distributing with food distribution software, while others contract out for it. Regardless, using food and beverage software systems to manage data and scheduling can increase productivity and reduce costs.

I recommend: Volusion’s products for the food service industry allow customers to order products online from the food industry. Get a demo of food service management software solutions from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association.

Keep track of inventory

Keeping track of ingredients and supplies is of utmost importance in the restaurant and other food and beverage industries. By knowing exactly what you have and how much you need, you can limit waste and always be prepared with the correct items.

I recommend: Use Compeat Mobile food industry software for a way to centralize inventory control. Bars and fine restaurants can track wine inventory with Virtual Wine Cellar.

Try recipe software for restaurants

Food software can do more than keep track of favorite recipes. Some programs can identify the costs of the items you produce and help you determine whether they are cost effective. Look at ways to cut the costs of certain recipes.

I recommend: Flavor-Base lets you manage an extensive database of food flavorings and additives. Cookware Deluxe helps you keep recipes organized as you plan meals by date and prepare shopping lists. IPro Restaurant Inventory, Recipe & Menu software tracks food and beverage costs in addition to inventory, recipes and menu design.

Order food supplies with purchasing software

Make the ordering process quick and easy with the right food and beverage software.

I recommend: Culinary Software offers food service software solutions for streamlining orders and monitoring costs. Business industry software provider Capterra offers EatecNetX for purchasing, inventory and sales analysis features.

Design menus for your restaurant

You don't have to hire a graphic designer if you use software to create your own menus. Industry specific and general desktop publishing programs contain hundreds of menu templates that you can manipulate to fit the needs of your business.

I recommend: MenuPro and the Menu Maker are leading programs for designing menus, but don’t forget to check software you already own as well. Other food service programs might include a menu design feature, as does Microsoft Publisher.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Whenever possible, download a trial version from food service software companies to see if the software meets the needs of your business.
• •  Invest in training any employees who will be using food industry software solutions.
• •  Make certain that various software programs are compatible with one another.

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Streamline your record-keeping with food industry software solutions

One of the best software solutions for the food industry is inventory and cost control. Many providers of food software make claims that your profits will be increased by at least 10%.

I recommend: US Food Software is a good source for food and beverage software basics. Its Restaurant Manager Software is reasonably priced and tracks inventory but also analyzes menu costing. ChefTec inventory control software will also analyze menu costing. It claims you will save 5% on food costs.

Find food service software companies with beverage software

Tracking beverage inventory, especially if alcohol is served, can require its own software package because it is necessary to read bar codes and track liquids.

I recommend: Bar Cop's software is designed specifically for operations that serve alcohol. Its inventory software not only tracks the amount and kind of alcohol served, it prevents employee theft. AccuBar gets rid of the waste involved in pouring drinks. It uses a Pocket PC PDA to scan and report inventory.

Gain on efficiency using food and beverage software systems

Depending on the size of your enterprise, a full-service food and beverage systems could work to your advantage.

I recommend: Business Software's product includes inventory control and menu costing and also features payroll, table management and server control. Shaken Soft is designed for use in small restaurants and clubs. Not as elaborate as Business Software's product, it covers inventory, menu costing, other management needs and also ID verification and music management. It emphasizes customer value.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you purchase food industry software solutions, buy wisely. After you open the box, do an inventory of what's enclosed, keep all the paperwork and send in warranties. Be wary of 'free' software for licensing and virus reasons.

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Inventory

Food and beverage inventory is one of a restaurant's largest -- and most controllable -- costs. Accounting for used items and maintaining an accurate inventory is important for determining costs and profits. A food and beverage software program often has pre-filled lists and pull-down items to make it easier to take inventory.

I recommend: The Restaurant Resource Group provides information on getting started with counting inventory, categorizing inventory and computing costs.

Nutritional analysis

Packaged food must meet specific federal labeling requirements, and list information about fats and allergens. Recipes and formulas can be evaluated by food and beverage software or in a laboratory to get content information.

I recommend: Check out nutraCoster from SWEETware to find out what kind of nutritional analysis is provided with their software. See the United States Food and Drug Administration for food labeling requirements.

Customer tracking

Keeping track of return customers' preferences and dining history allows servers and management to provide top service to loyal patrons. A caller identification feature can save time and produce more accurate orders for restaurants that offer delivery.

I recommend: View the offerings from Kiwi Operation to get examples of customer relationship and call tracking software features.

Recipe management

Recipe management software can help keep track of the costs and quantities of ingredients, additives and flavorings used in good preparation.

I recommend: See information about additive tracking available through Flavor-Base from Leffingwell & Associates, which includes regulations and evaluations.

Menu design

An attractive menu is a marketing tool that can increase sales and enforce customers' perceptions of a restaurant. Menus can be designed with specialized software that offers templates in a graphics publishing program or by a professional designer.

I recommend: SoftCafe is professional menu design software. It offers sample menus for inspiration.

Table management

Table management can make a restaurant more efficient and organized. Floor plans, staff scheduling, wait time estimates and reservation management are some of the functions available in food and beverage software.

I recommend: Table management software from ReServe Interactive offers many advanced features and provides examples of some of the features to look for in this type of program.