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Batch Production

The Batch Production module is designed for fast-paced restaurants (for example, Fast Food, Bakeries, Buffet) that prepare food in bulk before customers order.

Overview​

Batch Production lets you record and manage pre-cooked stock. Unlike standard sales where ingredients are deducted when a sale occurs, Batch Production deducts the raw materials the moment you create/activate a production batch.

Example flow:

  1. Preparation: You cook 50 pieces of Fried Chicken. The system immediately deducts raw chicken, flour, and oil from inventory.
  2. Sales: When a customer orders 1 piece of Fried Chicken, the system deducts 1 from the Batch Count, but does not deduct raw ingredients again.

Benefits​

  • Speed: Handles rush hour efficiently by serving pre-cooked stock.
  • Accuracy: Prevents double-counting inventory usage.
  • Safety: Tracks Expiry Dates and wastage for quality control.

Key Concepts​

  • Active Batch: Food that is currently cooked and ready to be served.
  • Wasted: Food that passed its expiry time or was spoiled and had to be thrown away.
  • Depleted: A batch where all items have been sold.
  • First-In-First-Out (FIFO): The system automatically allocates sales from the oldest active batch first.

How-to Guides​

How to Create a New Production Batch​

Objective: Record that the kitchen has prepared a bulk quantity of an item (for example, 50 Burgers).

  1. Navigate: Go to Batch Production in Front of House.
  2. Add Batch: Click the blue (+) ADD BATCH button.
  3. Select Product:
    • Product: Choose the item from the dropdown (for example, Chicken Burger).
    • Variation: If the item has sizes (for example, Large vs Small), select the specific variation you are cooking.
  4. Enter Quantity: Input the total number of pieces produced (for example, 50).
  5. Set Dates:
    • Production Date: Defaults to today.
    • Expiry Date: Crucial. Set the date/time when this food is no longer safe to sell.
  6. Save: Click SAVE.
    • System Action: The batch is created. If "Auto-Activate" is on, raw ingredients are deducted immediately. If not, you must click Activate on the dashboard.

Activating a Batch (Inventory Deduction)​

Objective: Confirm the batch is done and deduct raw materials.

  1. Locate Batch: Find the new batch in the list (Status might show "Preparing").
  2. Click Activate: Click the green Activate button on the right side.
  3. Result:
    • The status changes to Active (Green).
    • Raw materials (buns, patties, sauce) are removed from the selected inventory (for example, "Main Warehouse" or Kitchen inventory).
    • The system now shows 50 pcs available for sale.

Managing Batch Status (Wastage & Expiry)​

Objective: Update the status if food expires or is thrown away.

  1. Click Update Status: Click the Edit/Update icon next to an active batch.
  2. Select New Status:
    • Depleted: Use this if you sold everything (the system may mark this automatically when remaining count hits zero).
    • Expired: If the time limit has passed.
    • Discarded: If the food was dropped or spoiled.
  3. Add Notes: Enter a reason (for example, "Burnt during reheating").
  4. Confirm: Click UPDATE. This stops the system from selling items from this batch and records waste/loss.

Viewing Batch Consumption History​

Objective: See exactly where the items from a specific batch went.

  1. View Details: Click the Eye Icon (View Details) on a specific batch row.
  2. Consumption History: A popup shows a log such as:
    • Order #101 - Sold 2 pcs
    • Order #105 - Sold 5 pcs
  3. Analysis: Use this to identify fast-selling batches or unexpected wastage.

Scenario Example: Rush Hour Workflow​

  1. 10:00 AM (Prep Time):

    • Kitchen Manager creates a batch for 100 Fried Chicken Pieces and activates it.
    • Inventory: 100 raw chickens are deducted immediately.

  2. 12:30 PM (Rush Hour):

    • Cashier records an order for 5 pieces of Fried Chicken.
    • System: Reduces Remaining Quantity from 100 to 95. No raw material deduction occurs.

  3. 2:00 PM (Post-Rush):

    • 10 pieces remain but have expired.
    • Manager updates status to Discarded; the system records 10 pieces as Waste and closes the batch.

Best Practices​

  • Always set accurate expiry times for perishable pre-cooked items.
  • Use clear notes when discarding to support reconciliation and root-cause analysis.
  • Monitor batch consumption reports to plan production quantities and reduce wastage.

If you'd like, I can also add screenshots for the Add Batch and Activate actions, or create a short CSV import guide for scheduled batch templates.