Answers to Frequently Asked Questions¶
For whom: everyone who works with stock · What is this for? You have a specific question and do not want to read a whole chapter. Here you find the short answer – and the link to the chapter that shows everything else.
The questions are sorted by task: accepting goods, understanding stock levels, counting, ordering and planning, recipes, settings and permissions.
Accepting and booking goods¶
How do I book delivered goods into stock?¶
Under Admin → Stock → Purchase orders, open the order (status Ordered). In the section Goods receipt, enter the delivery note number and date, then enter the quantity that actually arrived in Accepted now for each item and choose Book goods receipt. The goods are only in stock after the confirmation "Goods receipt booked." → Booking goods receipt
Goods arrived that were never ordered. What now?¶
Book them under Admin → Stock → Bookings → New booking → Goods receipt: choose the target stock, search for the article, enter quantity and purchase price, then Book. For devices with serial numbers this is only possible via an order. → Goods receipt without an order
Only part of the delivery arrived. How do I proceed?¶
Enter only what has arrived. The rest remains as an open remaining delivery, the order is set to Partially delivered, and the overview reminds you of it. If the supplier definitively cancels the remaining quantity, close the order with a reason. Never enter the missing quantity as "delivered". → Closing an order and clarifying the remaining delivery
How do I record temperature and condition on acceptance (goods-in inspection)?¶
At goods receipt, the section Goods-in inspection (HACCP) appears. Enter the inspection values there, for example the core temperature, and book. The inspection log belongs to exactly this delivery. If a value is outside the limits, DiKAS points this out – it does not reject or block anything by itself. Forgotten? With Add inspection log now you can record it later. The section only appears if the HACCP module is enabled and HACCP is switched on, there is an active checklist in the category "Goods receipt", and "Offer HACCP goods-in inspection at goods receipt" is ticked in the stock settings. → Goods-in inspection (HACCP)
The supplier sent a delivery file or a photo of the delivery note. Do I have to type everything in?¶
No. For large deliveries you import a delivery file (CSV). If you have switched on the option in the stock settings, a photo or PDF of the delivery note can also be read as a suggestion. In both cases you check every line; nothing is booked until you choose Book goods receipt. → Scanning, draft and delivery file
I accidentally closed a page. Is my input gone?¶
No. Entries in the booking form and in goods receipt are saved immediately on this device as a draft. The next time you open it, DiKAS offers Use draft. Nothing has been booked yet, though. → Draft: nothing gets lost
Shelf life and traceability¶
How do I see what is about to expire?¶
Open Admin → Stock → Batches. At the top are the batches that have expired or expire soon. With Warn from (days before best-before) you set the lead time (default: 7 days). Prerequisite: Track batches and best-before dates is switched on for the article, and batch and best-before date were entered at goods receipt. Without this switch DiKAS does not know an expiry date. → Batches and best-before dates
Which goods go out first?¶
Always the ones with the earliest best-before date (FEFO). DiKAS selects this itself for sales, transfers, losses and production. You do not have to choose anything. → Withdrawals take the oldest goods first
Where did a particular batch go (recall)?¶
In the Batches tab, open the History of the batch. It shows the receipt and all withdrawals of this batch with the quantity of this batch. If you used the goods-in inspection, the Inspection log button leads to the inspection of the delivery. → Batches tab: warning list and history
Expired goods have to go. How do I write them off?¶
In the Batches tab, choose Write off as expired for the batch. This books the quantity of this batch as a loss "Best-before date expired". A double click does not book twice. For other goods, use the loss booking at the register (Stock → Breakage / loss). → Stock at the register
At acceptance DiKAS asks for a batch. Is that necessary?¶
By default, yes: for articles with batch tracking DiKAS requires a batch number and best-before date. If you want to work without traceability, you can switch off the requirement in the stock settings ("Batch number is mandatory at goods receipt"). The quantity is then booked "without batch". → Stock settings
Understanding stock levels¶
Why does the stock level show a minus?¶
Because more was sold or used than has been booked in. DiKAS never blocks a sale – a minus is a hint, not a program error. Check in this order: Was the last delivery booked in? Does the register book from the right stock? Is the recipe quantity correct? Do not simply raise the stock level before the cause is known. It is cleared by booking the goods receipt retroactively or by a stocktake. → What a negative stock level means
Why does the stock level not change when I sell?¶
Three causes are the most common:
- Track stock is off for the article.
- The register books from a different stock than you expect (assignment under Admin → Settings → Workstations; without an assignment the main stock applies).
- The deduction was not completed. Look in the Bookings tab at the box Open stock deductions; there Book now books the sale retroactively.
→ Catching up on missing deductions
Why is nothing deducted for my dish or cocktail?¶
A dish deducts its ingredients – but only if the ingredients themselves have Track stock switched on and the recipe is complete. Check:
- Do the ingredients have Track stock on, with a matching unit?
- Is Track stock switched on for the dish itself? Then the recipe is not resolved; only the dish's own finished stock is used up. That is correct for a sauce made in advance, but not for a freshly mixed cocktail.
- Is the recipe broken (ingredient deleted, unit does not match)? Then the sale is held, not deducted – the overview shows the recipe under Check recipes. After the correction, catch up the deduction with Book now. The sale itself is never affected.
→ What happens at a sale · Check recipes
What happens to stock when a sale is cancelled?¶
That depends on the cancellation reason (Admin → Settings → Cancellation reasons, column Goods):
- back into stock: The goods are intact and can be sold again (for example a booking error).
- Loss (shrinkage): The goods are gone (for example breakage). They are booked back and immediately written off with a reason – net, the stock level does not change, but the loss appears in the report.
What was sold is always what is booked back – even if the recipe has changed in the meantime. If the article tracks batches, the goods go back into the batch they came from. → Cancellation and stock
How do I see what was actually booked?¶
The Bookings tab contains the booking journal with every movement, its reason and its quantity. In the stock report (Admin → Reports → Stock) you see value, usage and losses for a period. → The booking journal
How do I book breakage, shrinkage or own consumption?¶
At the register under Stock → Breakage / loss: choose the article, set the quantity, tap the reason (Breakage, Best-before date expired, Own consumption, Staff consumption, Other), Book. It is better to book every loss than to leave it out: breakage that is not booked later shows up as unexplained shrinkage. → Stock at the register
Counting¶
How do I count only part of the stock?¶
Under Admin → Stock → Stocktakes, start a partial stocktake: tick Count selected articles only (partial stocktake) and narrow it down – by class A, B or C (A are the most valuable articles), by Due only (not counted within the rhythm of the class) or by article group. All other articles remain unchanged at closing; they never count as "0 counted". It is convenient from the stock report: the count suggestion has the link Start partial stocktake for each class. → Counting only part of the stock
When was an article last counted?¶
After every stocktake closing, DiKAS remembers the date for every counted article. You see it in the count list (column Last counted, "never" for new articles), in the stock list below the article name and in the count suggestion of the stock report (column Due). → Last counted
When I close the stocktake, an error message about changed stock appears.¶
Since the start there has been a movement in the stock – even a single sale, goods receipt or transfer is enough. DiKAS then does not book a correction, so that nothing wrong is created. Cancel the stocktake and count again in a quiet phase, for example before opening or after closing time. → Closing the stocktake
Do I have to count every article?¶
No. An empty field means "not counted", and this article remains unchanged at closing. A 0, on the other hand, means "nothing left" and is booked. For uncounted items DiKAS explicitly asks before it closes. → Counting
Ordering and planning¶
Where do I set the minimum stock for many articles at once?¶
Open Admin → Articles, filter by article group (or search), and choose Bulk edit. Fill in only what should change: stock location, minimum stock, target stock or default supplier. With Check preview you first see what would happen – only Change … articles now saves. The change applies to all articles of the filter, not only the visible rows. Alternatively, the article import works with the columns minimum stock and target stock. → Bulk edit · Min/target values via list
The minimum stock has no effect – why?¶
The minimum stock on the article only applies in the main stock. In every other stock (counter, kitchen), only the rule that you enter for this stock under Admin → Stock → Stock locations counts. Even in the main stock, a separate rule entered there takes precedence. → Min/target stock per stock location
How does an order come from the stock level?¶
Under Admin → Stock → Purchase orders → Order proposal, DiKAS shows all articles of the main stock below minimum stock, topped up to the target stock, in whole pack sizes and sorted by supplier. Quantities already ordered but not yet delivered are deducted. Check the proposal before you order. Without a supplier and pack size on the article, it ends up under Without supplier. → Creating an order proposal
Has my order already been sent to the supplier?¶
DiKAS never sends by itself. An order only goes out when you open it and choose Send to the supplier by email – or, for a telephone order, Mark as ordered. Until then it stays a draft, and the overview shows "Order drafts waiting for release". If Outcome unclear is shown when sending, the chapter on the dispatch status helps: it explains how to make sure without sending twice. → Sending an order and dispatch status
Are there quantity discounts and freight when ordering?¶
Yes, if you enter them: a quantity tier on the article ("from 4 cartons €7.00") and, with the Merchandise Management module, freight and free-delivery threshold on the supplier. The order proposal calculates with them and points to the next tier. DiKAS never increases the quantity by itself. → Tiered prices and freight
Will the goods arrive in time for the event?¶
Create the event with its date and the planned dishes (Admin → Stock → Purchase orders → Event demand) and choose Calculate demand. If the Lead time (days) is maintained for the supplier (Admin → Suppliers → Terms), DiKAS names the latest order day for every ingredient with a shortfall. If the lead time is no longer sufficient, a red message appears. Calculation is in calendar days; weekends and public holidays are not taken into account – plan a buffer. Nothing is ordered or reserved. → Will the goods arrive in time?
How does the order proposal include events?¶
In the Order proposal, switch on Include events (default: off) and set the time window (default 14 days). The demand of open events of this stock then reduces the available stock, and each line shows which event the demand comes from. → Including them in the order proposal
What has been sitting in stock too long?¶
In the stock report (Admin → Reports → Stock, period at least 28, better 90 days), the cards Slow movers (nothing went out) and Overstock (stock lasts longer than 90 days) show it. The days of cover tell you how many days the stock lasts at the consumption so far. → Days of cover, slow movers and count suggestion
Recipes and costing¶
Which dishes earn too little?¶
In the Recipes tab (Admin → Stock) you find all dishes with a recipe, with selling price, cost of goods and margin. The card Below target shows the dishes below your target margin. A warning never changes a price; you change that yourself in the article. → Checking recipes
An ingredient is getting more expensive. Which dishes are affected?¶
In the block Check ingredient (Recipes tab), choose the ingredient. The list shows all dishes that use it. With a new purchase price you additionally see the new margin per dish. The assumed price is not saved anywhere. → Check ingredient
I cook sauce in advance. How do I store it?¶
Create the sauce as an article with Track stock and a recipe, and book every batch in the Produce tab: the ingredients are withdrawn, the actual yield (for example 4.8 kg instead of 5 kg) is put into stock. At a later sale, only the sauce is deducted, not the tomatoes again. → Producing your own products
Setup, settings and permissions¶
Where do I start?¶
With the steps in the order shown on the overview page: switch on the module, supplier, articles with stock, minimum/target stock, opening stock, trial sale. The overview (first tab) shows you your progress. → Setup in the right order · Setting up stock
How do I enter my opening stock?¶
Either you book the existing goods once as a goods receipt, count them via a stocktake, or you import many opening stocks at once (Admin → Articles → Import → Stock relations → Opening stock). The import checks first and saves nothing if there are errors. It never overwrites a running stock level. → Supplier articles, recipes and opening stock from tables
A tab or a tile is missing. Why?¶
Almost always because of a permission or a module that is not switched on. Check: Is Stock management switched on and licensed? Does the employee have the matching stock permission (Admin → Staff → Permissions → section Stock)? The Batches tab only appears once an article tracks batches. → Assigning permissions · The tabs in the admin area
I no longer see purchase prices.¶
Then Show purchase prices to authorised staff only is switched on in the stock settings. Quantities remain visible; only authorised staff see prices. → Stock settings
Where do I find the stock settings?¶
Under Admin → Settings → Operations → Stock, in Expert mode, and only as administrator. All switches are preset to the way stock has worked so far – nothing changes until you change something. → Stock settings
Not found?¶
The overview page has the table "I want to … – continue here" at the top and the basic terms at the bottom. Every chapter ends with the section When something does not work, which lists messages and their remedy.