Yellow Dog Software F&B INVENTORY MANAGEMENT Inventory Item Type Reference Guide
Standards for item creation, naming conventions, and inventory setup for Food & Beverage customers. This guide provides standardized instructions for creating inventory items correctly and consistently. Following these standards ensures accurate valuation, reliable costing, and consistent reporting. |
Purpose & Before You Begin
This guide provides standardized instructions for creating inventory items in Yellow Dog Software for Food & Beverage (F&B) customers. Following these standards ensures accurate inventory valuation, correct purchasing and counting behavior, reliable recipe costing, consistent reporting across locations, and easier item lookup and maintenance.
QUESTION TO ASK FIRST | WHY IT MATTERS |
How is the item purchased? | Determines purchasing size and item type |
How is the item counted? | Determines count unit and family setup |
Will it be used in recipes? | May require base unit or yielded item |
Is the item weighed? | May require catchweight setup |
Are there multiple pack sizes? | May require item family |
Is it produced in-house? | May require recipe/kit item |
Does prep create yield loss? | May require yielded item |
Golden Rule When unsure, determine how the item is purchased, how it is counted, and how it is used in recipes. Select the simplest structure that supports all operational needs. Accuracy and consistency are more important than speed. |
Quick Decision Guide
Use this table to select the correct item type before setup begins.
IF THE ITEM… | USE THIS ITEM TYPE |
Is purchased and counted only by the case | Standard Case |
Is purchased individually (not by the case) | Standard Each |
Is sold or purchased by weight (variable weight) | Catchweight |
Needs multiple purchasing or counting sizes | Item Family |
Needs recipe units smaller than the purchase unit, with reporting in the base unit | Item Family – Base Unit |
Needs reporting in bottles/cans rather than cases | Reverse Item Family |
Is produced in-house from ingredients | Recipe (Kit) Item |
Loses weight during trimming or preparation | Yielded Item |
Item Type Standards
1 Standard Case SUPPLIES / NON-FOOD |
DEFINITION
A single inventory item purchased and counted by the case. No smaller units are built out. Best for low-value or non-food supply items.
USE WHEN
• Ordered by case
• Counted by case
• No recipe usage needed
• Non-food / supplies
EXAMPLES
NAPKINS, DINNER · GLOVES, NITRILE LG · STRAWS, BLACK WRAPPED · PAPER TOWELS
SETUP RULES
|
DO NOT USE IF
• Item needs recipe usage tracking
• Item is counted individually
• Item has sleeves, bags, or eaches counted separately
2 Standard Each INDIVIDUAL ITEMS |
DEFINITION
A single inventory item purchased individually with no additional sizes. May be used directly in recipes. Best for items where case purchasing or sub-unit counting is not required.
USE WHEN
• Purchased individually
• Counted individually
• No additional pack sizes
• Recipe usage allowed
EXAMPLES
LETTUCE, ICEBERG HEAD · MAYONNAISE, TUB · ALUMINUM FOIL, ROLL · COCONUT, WHOLE · CHEF KNIFE, 8 INCH
Items that also come in cases typically require an Item Family setup instead. |
SETUP RULES
|
DO NOT USE IF
• Cases must also be purchased
• Multiple count sizes are required
• Item is sold or counted by weight
3 Catchweight VARIABLE-WEIGHT PRODUCTS |
DEFINITION
Items that physically arrive in cases but are invoiced and counted by weight. Case weights vary. Requires physical weighing at receiving and inventory count.
USE WHEN
• Supplier charges by LB/KG
• Case weights vary
• Meat / seafood / cheese
EXAMPLES
BEEF, RIBEYE CHOICE · SALMON, ATLANTIC FILLET · CHEESE, PARMESAN WHEEL · TUNA, AHI LOIN
SETUP RULES
|
DO NOT USE IF
• Product weight is always fixed
• Product is purchased by exact case count
A case size may be added to generate POs for vendors, but should be swapped for the weighted item on the invoice. Never estimate weights. |
4 Item Family – Base Unit Setup MOST COMMON — RECIPE-DRIVEN FOOD |
DEFINITION
A multi-size item where a base unit serves as the reporting unit and the foundation for all conversions. The base unit does not have to be the absolute smallest unit — it should be the unit you want in reporting, and must be evenly divisible into all purchasing sizes.
USE WHEN
• Purchased in larger units
• Consumed in smaller units
• Recipe costing required
• Reporting in base unit needed
ADVANTAGES
• Best recipe accuracy
• Flexible counting
• Handles vendor substitutions
EXAMPLES
ITEM | BASE | CHILD | PURCHASE |
Flour | LB | BAG | CASE |
Fry Oil | OZ | JUG | CASE |
Deli Meat | OZ | LB | CASE |
DO NOT USE IF
• Product only has one size
• Smaller recipe/count units are unnecessary
• Reporting in base unit is not desired — use Non-Base Unit setup
5 Item Family – Non-Base Unit Setup SIMPLER MULTI-SIZE ITEMS |
DEFINITION
The parent item is the purchasing unit. Smaller recipe or count sizes are added beneath it. Reporting is based on the parent (purchasing) unit. Best when staff thinks primarily in cases rather than ounces or eaches.
EXAMPLES
ITEM | PARENT | CHILD |
Chips | CASE | BAG |
Coffee Cups | CASE | SLEEVE / EACH |
DO NOT USE IF
• Precise recipe depletion is critical
• Complex conversion hierarchy exists
• Reporting in a sub-unit (oz, lb) is required — use Base Unit setup
6 Reverse Item Family ALCOHOL / BEVERAGE INVENTORY |
DEFINITION
The parent item is the individual unit (bottle, can), not the case. Allows inventory to report by bottle or can rather than cases. Preferred for all alcohol and single-serve beverage items.
Different bottle sizes (e.g., 750ml, 1L, 375ml) must be created as separate items if individual size-level reporting is required. |
USE WHEN
• Alcohol / RTD tracking
• Ordered by case, consumed by bottle
• Report by bottle/can
SETUP RULES
|
EXAMPLES
BEER, BUD LIGHT 12OZ CAN · WINE, CABERNET HOUSE · LIQUOR, TITO'S VODKA 1L · SELTZER, WHITE CLAW BLACK CHERRY
7 Recipe (Kit) Items IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION |
DEFINITION
Items produced internally using recipes. Cost and usage are derived from ingredients. Recipe behavior (batch vs. production) must be configured to match the client's workflow.
USE WHEN
• Made in-house
• Ingredient depletion needed
• Batch production counted
• Finished product transferred/sold
EXAMPLES
SAUCE, MARINARA HOUSE · DRESSING, RANCH HOUSE · SOUP, TOMATO BASIL · DOUGH, PIZZA HOUSE
KEY BEHAVIORS
|
DO NOT USE IF
• Item is purchased fully prepared
• No ingredient depletion is required
• In-progress food tracking is not needed for reporting
8 Yielded Items TRIM / COOK LOSS |
DEFINITION
A recipe-based item that accounts for loss during trimming or preparation. The system calculates that the usable quantity is less than purchased. Yield accuracy directly impacts food cost.
Example: 10 LB brisket purchased → 70% yield → 7 LB usable. The system accounts for the 3 LB loss automatically. |
USE WHEN
• Trim loss occurs
• Cooking loss occurs
• Peel / shrinkage occurs
• Weight changes during prep
EXAMPLES
CHICKEN BREAST, TRIMMED · BRISKET, COOKED · POTATO, PEELED · LETTUCE, CHOPPED ROMAINE · ONION, DICED
SETUP RULES
|
NEVER IGNORE YIELD LOSS FOR
• Meat trimming
• Produce prep
• Cook shrinkage
• Seafood cleaning
Naming Conventions
Consistency in naming is required. Use the format: CATEGORY, ITEM DESCRIPTION, SPECIFICATION — in ALL CAPS.
CORRECT EXAMPLES
✓ BEEF, GROUND, 80/20
✓ PRODUCE, TOMATO, ROMA
✓ DAIRY, MILK WHOLE GALLON
✓ CHEESE, CHEDDAR SHRED
✓ PAPER, TOGO BOX 9X9
INCORRECT EXAMPLES & WHY
✗ Roma Tomato — missing category
✗ 80/20 Ground Beef — wrong structure
✗ Whole Milk — missing category & spec
✗ Togo Box — too vague
Always search for duplicates before creating a new item. Check alternate spellings, abbreviations, and similar pack sizes. Only one standard item should exist per product. |
Item Creation Checklist
☐ Correct item type selected
☐ Correct purchasing unit selected
☐ Correct count unit selected
☐ Correct recipe unit selected
☐ Conversions verified
☐ Naming convention followed (ALL CAPS, CATEGORY, DESC, SPEC)
☐ Duplicate item search completed
☐ Yield setup added if required
☐ Recipe setup added if required
☐ Weight handling verified (catchweight if variable)
Common Mistakes
MISTAKE | WHY IT'S WRONG |
Standard Case for recipe items | Recipes cannot deplete accurately |
Ignoring yield loss | Food cost becomes inaccurate |
Creating duplicate items | Reporting becomes inconsistent |
Inconsistent naming | Items become hard to find |
Building unnecessary sizes | Adds confusion and maintenance |
Each instead of Catchweight | Weight costs become inaccurate |
Incorrect unit conversions | Inventory depletion breaks |
Reference Summary
# | ITEM TYPE | BEST FOR | KEY REQUIREMENT | EXAMPLE |
1 | Standard Case | Supplies / Non-food | No recipe or sub-unit needed | Napkins |
2 | Standard Each | Individually purchased items | No case purchasing required | Chef Knife |
3 | Catchweight | Variable-weight proteins | Must be physically weighed | Ribeye, Salmon |
4 | Item Family – Base Unit | Recipe-driven food | Reporting in base unit; conversions required | Flour, Fry Oil |
5 | Item Family – Non-Base | Simpler multi-size items | Reporting in purchasing unit acceptable | Chips, Coffee Cups |
6 | Reverse Item Family | Alcohol / Beverages | Report by bottle/can, not case | Beer, Liquor, Wine |
7 | Recipe (Kit) Item | In-house production | Recipe required; batch or production mode | Marinara, Ranch |
8 | Yielded Item | Trim / cook loss | Yield % and recipe link required | Trimmed Chicken |
Revision History
VERSION | DATE | AUTHOR | SUMMARY OF CHANGES |
1.0 | May 2026 | Yellow Dog Software | Initial release |
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