Reporting Explained: Actual Vs Theoretical By Item

Reporting Explained: Actual Vs Theoretical By Item

Business Need:  This report is helpful for users who want a report to show the actual cost for items during a time period versus the theoretical cost of those items.  This report also shows the difference between the theoretical usage and what was actually used.

How it Works:  An Actual vs Theoretical: By Item report shows the actual cost for items versus the theoretical cost.  Users will need to select a starting inventory as well as an ending inventory to generate this report.  It is important that the same items be included on the starting and ending physical selected. To get accurate data from this report, you must be performing regular physicals, keeping your purchasing up to date, and maintaining and using recipes. 

Generating the Report:


Go to the Standard Reports section in Yellow Dog:

  1. Select Standard Reports
  2. Open the folder titled ‘F&B’
  3. Select the folder ‘Actual vs Theoretical’
  4. Select the report ‘By Item’
  5. Choose a starting and an ending physical inventory
  6. Generate report

Reading the Report:


  1. Shows the filters used to produce the report’s data, including the physical inventories selected for the report.
  2. Change columns, sorting, and grouping:  This allows users to add or remove data columns to this report as well as organize and group the data.
  3. Store Name:  Shows the store name that the physical was performed in.
  4. COGS:  Shows the COGS (cost of goods sold) account that the item is assigned to in Yellow Dog.
  5. Level:  Shows the level the item is assigned to in Yellow Dog.
  6. Vendor:  Shows the vendor the item is assigned to in Yellow Dog.
  7. SKU:  Shows the Yellow Dog SKU for the item.
  8. Item:  Shows the item description or name for the item.
  9. Starting Cost:  Shows the total purchase cost of on hand inventory at the start of the period determined by the starting physical inventory selected.
  10. Purchasing Cost:  Shows the Purchasing Quantity x Vendor Price (at time of purchase)
  11. Sales Cost: Shows the Sales Quantity x Calculated Cost as of transaction date
  12. Sales Retail:  Shows the Sales Quantity x (POS Retail - POS Discounts)
  13. Theoretical Ending Cost:   Shows the Starting Cost + Purchasing Cost - Sales Cost
  14. Actual Ending Cost:  The Total purchase cost of on hand inventory at the end of the period selected by the ending physical used for the report.
  15. Usage Variance:   Shows the variance between the Actual usage and the Theoretical usage. Determined by Actual Usage - Theoretical Usage
  16. Theoretical Usage:   Shows what the theoretical usage could be for the item by taking the Starting Cost + Purchasing Cost - Theoretical Ending Cost.
  17. Actual Usage:   Shows the actual usage by taking the Starting Cost + Purchasing Cost - Actual Ending Cost.
  18. Actual Usage Quantity:   Shows the actual quantity used by taking the Starting Quantity + Purchasing Quantity - Actual Ending Quantity.
  19. Theoretical Cost Percent:  Determined by taking the Theoretical Usage divided by Sales Retail
  20. Actual Cost Percent:  Determined by taking the Actual Usage divided by Sales Retail
  21. Cost Percent Variance:   Determined by taking the Actual Cost Percent - Theoretical Cost Percent
  22. This row allows you to save, export, print, or close the current report

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