Shortcuts aren’t always a bad thing. When it comes to running a restaurant, you need to find ways to get tasks done quickly without sacrificing quality. Learning to use a sample inventory sheet can aid in achieving restaurant success.
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The Cheat Sheet You Won’t Get in Trouble for Using

Cheat sheets in school would get you sent to the principal’s office in a heartbeat, but you’re not in school anymore, and there is no reason why you can’t use templates and sample sheets to help you work more efficiently and save your business money. One of the best times to utilize a sample inventory sheet is before the count day arrives.

Inventory duties have long been considered the worst part business, particularly for restaurants or other retail stores. It’s a tough job with long hours, lots of mental math, and not much action to keep staff engaged. It’s the perfect recipe for disaster, and it’s one of the biggest places costly mistakes can happen.

Many times, the mistakes aren’t because of miscounts or tired employees. You may be surprised to learn that the real issue can often be traced back to whoever drew up the inventory sheets and delegated the counting tasks in the first place. If that’s your job, you might suddenly be worried, but don’t be. There’s a very simple way around the mistakes and boredom of inventory count.

Avoid the Woes of Inventory with a Sample Restaurant Inventory Sheet

The first step in flawless inventory sheet creation is to use a sample sheet as a template. This might feel a bit like cheating, but it’s not. Any food service business will have a food list, a cleaning and maintenance list, and a front-end list, at the very least. Since these are all very common lists, you can almost certainly find one that is similar to your needs online with a quick search. It’s okay to use a sample inventory sheet for restaurant efficiency—try it, and you’ll see why. You will need to make adjustments, of course, but a sample inventory sheet can help knock a lot of time off your prep work, and it can help avoid some common mistakes, too.

What You Will Find on a Sample Restaurant Inventory Sheet

As mentioned above, most food service businesses have some of the same basic needs and inventory lists. This makes your job much easier when it comes time to do your inventory tasks because someone has likely already made a basic inventory sheet that closely matches your needs. Some things to look for while searching for a sample inventory sheet are,

1. The Food List

This list should include staples that you’ll find in almost all kitchens of your cuisine type. You’ll want to find a list of the basics in regards to spices, meats, and grains. You should add your special ingredients to your sample sheet after you’re sure it’s a good match. It’s okay to delete anything on the sample list that doesn’t belong in your establishment.

2. The Allergen List

You might be surprised to learn that a lot of restaurants forget to give this important list its own inventory sheet. When lives are on the line—as with severe food allergies—you can’t be too careful in keeping track of common allergens. Knowing what you have on hand that could potentially injure or kill a patron will help you keep things in order and avoid disaster.

3. The Kitchen Utensils and Tools List

Here’s another list some restaurants forget to make. Even though you don’t plan to break a lot of spatulas or damage your pans beyond use, you should still have a list of every tool used to prepare and serve food. A good sample inventory sheet for restaurant efficiency should include the basics found in most kitchens. Since this list is often forgotten, this is one way a sample list can help while you revamp or build your new inventory system. Don’t forget to add any specialized tools you’ll need to complete your type of cuisine.

4. The Maintenance and Cleaning List

This is sometimes separated into two lists, but depending on the size and complexity of your food service business, you may be able to combine it into one. This list should include the basic cleaning supplies used for the backend and kitchen, plus the common cleaning supplies used for the front end. Once you’re sure the list works for your restaurant, you’ll want to consider any special requirements for your local area and add those, too.

5. The Emergency Fund List

This list isn’t always used, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be. Everything in your restaurant costs money, including your chairs and tables, your fixtures and decorations, and even the promotional materials you place on each table. If any of these items are damaged or destroyed, they’ll need replacing. Without a sample inventory sheet for restaurant accessories, you may not put aside enough money in an emergency fund to cover any repairs or replacements. Don’t make that mistake, take the time to fill in your sample inventory list with the specifics for your restaurant.

6. Plenty of Blank Space

As you’ve seen above, don’t simply use any sample sheet without adding your establishment’s items since an incomplete inventory list is just as bad as one with mistakes. Any sample inventory sheet for restaurant and food service businesses should include plenty of blank space for you to add your unique items.

Keep All Inventory Sheets Together

Perhaps it seems excessive to have so many types of lists for your restaurant, but a little inputting now will save you a lot of money in the future. Count everything, keep track of how much you have and how much it costs to get more, and then be sure to store all your spreadsheets where they are easily accessible. The most efficient and cost-effective way of storing your inventory sheets is to use online inventory systems designed particularly with restaurants in mind. The abilities to count, track, log, and compile reports from anywhere, at any time, and saves even more time and money. If you’re looking for more inventory checklists to guide your business efficiency, check out Hubworks’ product, Zip Inventory.