Scope: Current October 2026 preview. The earlier Beta editions may have different buttons, saved data locations or included features. Always back up data before testing an updated Windows installer.
1. Begin with the guided walkthrough
Open Inventory Center and select First Inventory? Walk Me Through It. The 29-step guide follows the real controls without creating, editing or posting stock for you. Use Show This Screen to navigate when the guide names a different tab. Choose Next Step only after completing the described work. End / Save My Place retains your tour position, not unsaved inventory forms.
2. What success looks like
The roadmap is Profile → Locations → Items → Starting Stock → Daily Changes → Count & Verify → Reorder → Review & Backup. The goal is not a full screen of numbers. The goal is a correct, explainable match between physical shelves, transaction history and current backups.
3. Install and preserve your inventory
Download the official Windows x64 preview installer or ZIP. It is unsigned, so Windows may display a warning. The current preview stores data in its own Windows application profile. It does not automatically migrate inventory from an older Windows Beta or web browser. Export a restorable JSON backup from the old version before experimenting; use a sample location first.
4. Step 1 — Restaurant Profile
Choose Restaurant Profile at the top of Inventory Center. Enter the real restaurant name and optional store/city/state identifier, then Save. This prevents records from being confused across multiple stores. Confirm the heading no longer reads Restaurant not set.
5. Step 2 — Locations in count-route order
Open Locations, enter a physical place such as Walk-in Cooler, Dry Storage, Freezer, Bar Cage or Line Cooler. Specify a unique Route order if needed, optional Area/department and Notes, then Save Location. Repeat for every area you must walk during a count. Do not mistake an item category for a physical storage area.
6. Step 3 — Item Master and units
Open Item Master, choose Add Item and fill in Name, Category, optional Vendor and SKU, Count unit, Case pack reference, current Unit cost, Par, Reorder Point and Primary location. Use the actual count unit: a “case” record and an “each” record are not interchangeable. Set unit cost per COUNT unit, not delivery case. Save the item and check it appears in the filtered item list.
7. Step 4 — Barcode and local suppliers
Barcode is optional. Scan/type an existing product barcode or select Create Inventory Barcode inside Add Item, then Save Item. Use the item’s Barcode action to print a label and scan one test label. If buying the same tomatoes from a regular supplier and Walmart, keep one item record and write the actual store/invoice on each receiving entry; do not create duplicate products by vendor.
8. Step 5 — Establish opening on-hand
On a new item, enter Opening On Hand from a real physical count of the primary location. Use the item's count unit and avoid estimates. The initial balance is the baseline for future movements. If stock already exists in the system, correct it through a controlled count or documented adjustment—not a duplicate opening entry.
9. Optional: bulk CSV item import
Open Import Items, download the CSV Template, and fill in the item, unit, location, unit cost, opening stock and optional barcode/SKU/par. Select Choose CSV File. Review invalid rows, duplicate matches and proposed missing locations. Import Previewed Items only after resolving exceptions. Record the import date and verify selected rows in Item Master. Keep a backup before replacing matching items.
10. Step 6 — Post receiving
Choose Receiving, then the exact item and location. Enter delivered quantity, Unit cost, Vendor/invoice reference and Date. Post Receiving once, then confirm the changed balance and History. Receiving adds stock; the current cost can change and will be recorded. Local grocery-store purchases are entered in precisely the same workflow with the actual store and receipt number.
11. Step 7 — Transfers and waste
In Transfers / Waste choose Transfer to move inventory between two physical locations. Verify total on-hand stays unchanged. Choose Waste, Spill, Comp, Spoilage, Damage or the appropriate Adjustment only when that event really happened. Enter item, location, positive quantity, date and a meaningful reason; do not delete or rewrite old History to conceal a mistake.
12. Step 8 — Build a physical count
Open Counts. For a Cycle count, choose a location/selected products. For Full inventory, choose All locations and count every required line. Enter count date and Counted by; Build Count Sheet. Fill Actual quantity in the item's controlled unit. Enter 0 if empty; blank means not counted. Recheck large differences instead of rushing to post.
13. Step 9 — Verify and Post Count
Review expected stock versus counted stock. Select Post Count only when you are ready to update balances. A Full count refuses blank required lines; a Cycle count may remain partial. After posting, open Count Register and History to confirm counted items, variances and the manager/date. Unposted count-sheet entries do not form part of the full JSON backup.
14. Step 10 — Set Par and Reorder Point
In Item Master → Edit set Par (stock target) and Reorder Point (level that triggers review) based on actual sales, usage and lead time. Open Par & Reorder. An active item appears if on-hand is at or below reorder point AND below par. Suggested order quantity returns to par in count units; it is not automatically rounded to delivery cases or transmitted to a supplier.
15. Step 11 — Review History and optional sales
History shows receiving, movement, count corrections, cost changes and opening stock. Search or filter to explain every important change; Export History includes all rows even if filters hide some. Sales Summary optionally records date and net sales as a reference; it is not a replacement for Toast or accounting.
16. Step 12 — Print, export, and back up
Print Current View prints the selected worksheet. Export Items and Export History are CSV review files, not restorable full backups. Select Create Backup for a dated JSON copy and store it somewhere secure beyond the current Windows computer. Practice identifying the saved file without relying on memory. Keep multiple dated copies.
17. Step 13 — Restore with care
Restore Backup can REPLACE the inventory now on the computer. Before using it, create a fresh backup of the current state, confirm the source restaurant and backup date, and test restore with sample data on a separate profile or safe test device. Never use Restore Backup as a substitute for CSV item import.
18. Daily, weekly, and monthly operating cadence
Daily: post deliveries, transfers, waste and authorized adjustments as they happen; verify real references and dates. Weekly: cycle count high-value/high-risk items, investigate variance and review reorder needs. Monthly: complete full inventory according to your operation's schedule, reconcile inventory and history, verify costs, and test that a recent backup can be opened.
19. A complete practice scenario
Sample: create Demo Restaurant, add Walk-in Cooler (route 1) and Dry Storage (route 2). Add an item Tomatoes counted in pounds at $1.25/lb, par 30 lb, reorder point 10 lb, opening 12 lb. Receive 8 lb with a local-store receipt: expected on-hand 20 lb. Transfer 5 lb to a second valid storage location: total stays 20 lb. Record 2 lb spoilage: total is 18 lb. Physically count and post a cycle count, check History, and create a backup. These are test examples; do not post them in live inventory.
20. What to do when numbers do not match
First verify the item and count unit, then review the correct location, latest receipts, transfers, waste and History. Inspect count dates and duplicate imports. If you find a genuine error, post a labeled adjustment or new count explaining the correction. Do not erase the original transaction. If saving fails, stop using the program and preserve the most recent valid backup.
21. In-program Help and Glossary
Use Help for barcodes, local purchases, movement corrections, backup/restore, count sheets and printing. Glossary defines count unit, par, reorder point, yield, receiving, cost and other terms. The First Inventory walkthrough is available any time from the main program; it does not send your restaurant data to a tutorial provider.
22. Glossary
On hand = stock currently recorded. Count unit = unit used for every inventory quantity. Unit cost = value per count unit. Par = desired target amount. Reorder point = level that triggers a purchasing review. Location = physical place. Cycle count = selected location/items. Full count = all required inventory lines. Transaction = recorded event changing the inventory record.