In the Item Editor General Information section, we find the item name, an abbreviation and reference code, its Report Group assignment and several options that designate how the item is used. Additionally, there are fields which allow a user to enter a description of the item, whether the item is inactive and should be printed on reports and forms, multimedia file attachments as well as some fields reserved for special system purposes.
The Item Options tell the Item Editor if the item is purchased, contains ingredients, neither of the two, Inventoried, Sold or is a Wine item.
Item Options tell FOOD-TRAK more about the item and how it is used. Checking the right options here is crucial to the way FOOD-TRAK handles incoming information about that item.
There are two sets of options from which to choose: the first set of options using round (radio) buttons presents one of three possible designations for the item—purchase, ingredients, or neither.
Check this option if the item is purchased as opposed to making it on premises. For example, one would purchase table salt, sugar packets, milk and rum; but would not purchase: Hollandaise sauce, a garden salad, BLT or a Whiskey Sour if staff makes them from purchased ingredients.
Check this option if the item is produced on premises and contains ingredients even though the ingredients of the item may themselves be purchased. FOOD-TRAK allows recipes (and parts of recipes, called Subrecipes) to be counted as items in the database.
Check this option if the item must be included in a recipe, yet should not be counted in inventories, listed on reports or included as purchases. Such an item would be the tap water used to cook pasta.
The second set of options, using the check boxes, allows one to indicate whether an item is put into inventory, sold or both as well as designate an item as a wine item (if the Wine module is licensed in your system). The choices made will create/enable new sections on the Item Editor which will make it possible to further define an item.
Check this box if the operation stores the item, buys it in quantity or reserves the item in any way regardless of whether the item is sold or not. Some items will be kept in inventory and later sold, while others will be inventoried only. For example, one could inventory and later sell a carton of milk; however, one could inventory yet not sell a can of Allspice.
If the item is sold, regardless of whether it is kept in inventory, check this box. This does not apply to items that are kept in inventory and used as a part of a recipe, which are then sold as a separate item. For example, one could inventory Cinnamon Sticks, but not sell them as a separate item, although they may be used in making Baklava or end up served in a cup of hot buttered rum.
Check this box if the item is a bottled wine to be tracked using the wine module (separately licensed).
Placing a checkmark in the Wine option will cause the Wine Information section to appear and become enabled allowing the selection of several different attributes for each wine item. Unless the "Wine” box is checked in the item editor, the system will not include the item in wine reports, nor will it allow entry of wine attributes for that item.
The Wine Module will allow users to create and assign the following attributes to a wine item:
Brand
Country
Origin
Region
Sub-region
Vineyard
Varietal (primary grape)
Vintage
Type
Notes
In the Name field, enter the item full name up to 60 characters long. FOOD-TRAK lists items in alphabetical order; therefore, it is recommended to list the item by its general name before adding any type or brand name. For example, if the operation uses several types of lettuce, it will be easier to find all lettuce items if they are listed as:
Lettuce, Boston
Lettuce, Green Leaf
Lettuce, Iceberg
Lettuce, Romaine
Instead of:
Green Leaf Lettuce
Iceberg Lettuce
Boston Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
If, in the future, one wanted to look at all lettuce items, they would need only enter "lettuce” into the search function and all the items listed as ”Lettuce” would appear. If the database was arranged as in the second example, one would have to remember all the different kinds of lettuce used in the operation, then search for them separately.
This field provides for a shorter form of the item name. The Abbreviation should be a unique, shortened version of the full name and can contain up to 10 characters (numbers or letters). This is the name that will uniquely identify the item if it resides in multiple sites, so it should also be recognizable. It should also reflect the form used in the full name to make it easier to locate similar items. Removing vowels, double consonants and any unnecessary consonants might be a good place to start for an abbreviation naming convention. Using the example of lettuce, it would be easier to find similar items when searching by Abbreviation listed as:
LtceBos
LtceGrnLf
LtceIcb
LtceRom
Than it would searching for:
BosLtce
GrnLfLtce
IcbLtce
RomLtce
Using the first form of abbreviation, a search would take the user to the area of the database that lists all the different kinds of lettuce, whereas the second would locate only the one type of lettuce.
To coordinate this process with others who may be entering items into the Site, jot down an abbreviation of each ”general” item so that it is used over and over again. All that is left to do is add the variety or brand name and this is the makings of a good Site naming convention system. Here are a few:
Lettuce: Ltce
Cabbage: Cab
Potato Pto
Beef Bf
Pork Pk
To these abbreviations simply add a suffix for the type: PtoRst for Russet Potatoes, BfGnd for Ground Beef, etc.
Press TAB to enter this field from Abbreviation, it will fill in automatically with the same abbreviation entered. FOOD-TRAK enters a unique index name for every item you create in the database. If the operation does not use an internal reference / stock number system, leave this field as it is. The Internal Reference must be unique in the site.
If the operation uses its own set of internal reference numbers, index numbers or accounting references, insert these by overwriting the default (automatic) internal reference number. If you have converted to FOOD-TRAK for Windows® from a DOS version, you will see internal references that were left over from the legacy FOOD-TRAK system. This reference can be left in place.
Grouping is a feature of the FOOD-TRAK System which results in organized, effective reports and forms. It makes little sense to produce an item usage report where items are listed randomly, by index number or even alphabetically. Reports and forms make more sense and are easier to use when the items are grouped into meaningful categories. Additionally, GL account numbers can be associated to an item via Report Group assignment. Click the drop down list to select the appropriate Report Group for the item. Also, one may click the folder button to the right of the Report Group list of values to open the Report Group editor to add or edit the list of groups to choose from. If any report groups are added using the Report Group editor with Item Editor, save the changes in the Item Editor in order to have the list of values re-populate the new groups created.
This field should contain a detailed description of the item. For example, if a special kind of bacon is used solely for BLT sandwiches, this field might contain the description ”Extra-spicy bacon, extra-thick cut. Use this one for BLT”.
This field is reserved for special functions and is not used at this time.
This field is used as a way to provide special instructions to the system. Normally, we recommend that you leave this field set to 0.
Occasionally there may be items in the Site that should be ignored. One example of this type of item might be seasonal items. Inactive items are ignored in processing applications such as the Perpetual Inventory Engine. Making an item inactive does not delete the item from the Site. Inactive items can be re-activated by un-checking this box.
To make an item inactive, place a check this box.
If data for an item should be included on FOOD-TRAK reports, select Show Always from the drop-down list. If data for the item should not be printed on certain reports, select Don’t Print. The default setting is Show Always.
If the exclusion of an item would cause the integrity of a report to be compromised (such as when it involves the ingredients of a recipe or adds to a Totals column in a report), the Item Print setting will be ignored.
Some of the practical things for which multimedia attachments could be used:
Record recipe instructions in another language for those members of your staff that do not speak English.
Add a picture to a recipe to show just how you expect the finished product to look and how you want it presented to the customer.
Record a short video to help your staff understand procedures that may not be otherwise clearly understood when read, like wrapping grape leaves or folding an egg roll.
--Take note that multimedia attachments require a lot of system storage space. Unless you have enough disk space, you should forego having a great number of attachments.
A sound file is a digital recording. There is a file size limit of 2 MB on audio file attachments.
Click Browse to the right of the Audio Attachment option.
Locate the desired .wav, .mp3 or .mp4 file
Select the desired sound file and click Open.
Click Upload.
Click Save button.
Image files may be in Windows bitmap (*.BMP) format, Jpeg (*.JPG) format, Zsoft (*.PCX) format, .PNG or Targa (*.TGA) format.
Size limitation: There is a 250 KB size limit for graphic files attached to an item or recipe.
Click Browse to the right of the Picture Attachment option.
Locate the desired graphic file.
Select the desired picture file and click Open.
Click Upload.
Click Save button.
Video files may be in Windows .WMA or .WMV, .AVI, Apple Quicktime .MOV or Mpeg .MPG format.
There is a file size limit of 5 MB for video files.
Click Browse to the right of the Video Attachment option.
Locate the desired video file.
Select the desired video file and click Open.
Click Upload.
Click Save button.