Stock Level Management

How to Check Your Current Stock Levels

Checking stock levels is like looking at your refrigerator's contents - you want to know exactly what you have and what you might need soon. Instead of guessing, you can see precise amounts for each ingredient.

Simple ways to check stock:

• Physical counts - Walk through your storage and count items
• Digital inventory - View numbers in your system
• Weekly summaries - Get a report of everything at once
• Low stock alerts - Get warnings when items are getting low

What to look for when checking:

• High stock items - Plenty available, no rush to order
• Medium stock items - Okay now, should watch closely
• Low stock items - Consider reordering soon
• Critical items - Need to order immediately

What Low Stock Alerts Look Like

Low stock alerts are like traffic lights - they tell you how urgently you need to act.

Green (Normal) items:

• Plenty of stock
• No immediate action needed
• Can wait until next check

Yellow (Warning) items:

• Getting low
• Should order soon
• Plan for next week

Red (Urgent) items:

• Running low
• Need to order immediately
• Consider emergency purchase

Purple (Critical) items:

• Almost out
• Urgent order required
• May affect today's business

How to Know When to Reorder

Time-based ordering:

• Weekly items - Order every Monday if needed
• Daily items - Check every morning
• Seasonal items - Order during growing season

Stock-based ordering:

• 50% rule - Order when stock is 50% of normal
• 25% rule - Order when stock is 25% of normal
• 10% rule - Order when stock is 10% of normal

Need-based ordering:

• Menu planning - Check what you're going to serve
• Weather forecast - Prepare for busy periods
• Special events - Order for holidays or promotions

Simple Methods for Tracking Inventory

The 3-bin method:

• Bin A (Full) - Items with plenty available
• Bin B (Medium) - Items that need watching
• Bin C (Empty) - Items that need ordering

The color code method:

• Green items - Plenty of stock
• Yellow items - Running low
• Red items - Need to order now

The daily check method:

• Morning check - See what you have now
• Afternoon check - See what's being used
• Evening check - See what's left for tomorrow

Example of tracking with the 3-bin method:

Monday morning check:

• Bin A (Full): Chicken, Rice, Flour
• Bin B (Medium): Onions, Garlic, Tomatoes
• Bin C (Empty): Basil, Fresh Salmon

Thursday afternoon check:

• Bin A (Full): Chicken, Flour
• Bin B (Medium): Onions, Garlic
• Bin C (Empty): Basil, Fresh Salmon

Thursday evening action:

1. Bin C (Empty) - Basil: Order 1 bunch for the weekend
2. Bin C (Empty) - Fresh Salmon: Order 5 pounds for next week
3. Bin B (Medium) - Tomatoes: Order enough for the weekend

Example with the color code method:

Wednesday check:

• Green (Plenty): Chicken, Rice, Flour
• Yellow (Low): Onions, Garlic, Tomatoes
• Red (Urgent): Basil

Wednesday action:

1. Green items: No action needed
2. Yellow items: Order more when we run low
3. Red items: Order basil immediately

Remember: Start simple and build from there. Don't try to track everything perfectly at once. Focus on what matters most to your restaurant's operation.