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As a new café owner, there are elements of the business where your skills shine. Most likely, it is in the making and serving of your coffee and treats and creating a fantastic atmosphere for your customers. The business or administration side of things is where challenges start to arise, and this is where café owners struggle. You may not have made enough profits to justify hiring specialists to handle every part of your administration. This could lead to a situation where you are losing money and are trying to figure out why – especially when you have a high number of customers. Inventory management is often the culprit. Rather than worrying about hiring an inventory manager to take you through the process, you could learn how to do it yourself. The most cost-effective and convenient way would be to make use of inventory management apps for food and beverages. Here are six that are worth looking in to. A laptop computer and a POS system on the table @mzeetech 1. BevSpot This is an application that helps you control your entire operation right from the beginning. It can be used on any device and offers useful information to people holding different positions within the café. At the core, this app can take inventory, price recipes, as well as track orders that are being made. It can be fully backed up on the cloud, meaning that anyone who needs to access it will be able to with ease. For the food and beverages, it helps to manage any expenses related to inventory, saving both time and money. Automatic tracking also ensures that there is reduced paperwork, meaning people are better able to focus on what they do best. A few of the key features that can be experienced include a food recipe cost calculator, bar inventory template, and food inventory template. This allows for the café owner to understand the full cost of what they are producing, down to the last grain of sugar. This way, profitability can be better calculated for decisions to be made that drive business growth. Check out BevSpot, here! 2. Zoho Inventory This is an inventory management software that has been specially created for small businesses and startups within the food and beverage industry. It has an extensive array of features. Some of the essential ones include: Supplier and Purchase Order ManagementInventory OptimizationOrder ProcessingOrder FulfillmentTransfer ManagementOrder Management By using this application, it becomes possible to automatically receive a notification on when your stock is low so that you can make a reorder. If you have a brick and mortar coffee shop, with this application, you will easily be able to expand your services online and also keep track of your inventory. This can be essential if you are looking to get supplies using Amazon or even Shopify, as this will be able to be done automatically. As a part of your administration, you will need to prepare invoices as well as bills. This app enables you to do those and to send them out to your customers when necessary. Check out Zoho Inventory, here! A person using a tablet @loyversepos 3. XOKO Inventory Management Should a key component of inventory management be comprehensive reports that are clear, concise, and discernible, then this is the application that should be used. Several steps need to be made to bring out the best of its features. First, a café owner would need to upload the product details. This will allow for a more effortless organization as products are divided into categories and variants, with information on the suppliers of the raw materials as well. Then, in real-time, one can manage inventory by inputting stock being received, adjusted, or returned. In cases where there are two shops using the app, transfers can still be entered as well. In the end, there are comprehensive inventory reports produced that help to manage and schedule on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. All these can be observed on an illustrative dashboard. Even better, everyone who needs access can get access through the reports being sent on email. Check out XOKO Inventory Management, here! 4. CAMS Exact Inventory Management Solutions This is another inventory management application that has been created specifically for small businesses within the food and beverage industry. It allows for these businesses to move towards growth, as it puts everything that is required in order. Focusing on the customer is what this app is all about, which is why it has options that allow for extensive customization. There is a support team on hand that will guide the client through what they require. This ensures that the app delivers excellent services, and a long term relationship is maintained. It has an extensive array of features, though some of them include: Billing SystemsSupplier ManagementInventory TrackingInventory ControlOrder ProcessingOrder Entry (OE) New business owners will appreciate this app because it is highly functional, as well as incredibly easy to operate. It can maintain records in incredible detail for the management of inventory. Also, it goes beyond basic inventory to include a host of management tasks that cut down on manual processes. Productivity and quality overall will be managed with ease. Check out CAMS Exact Inventory Management Solutions, here! Furniture arrangement in a cafe @thisislovelea 5. Oracle MICROS Inventory Management for Restaurants For full optimization of inventory, this is among the most excellent inventory management apps to make use of. It promises to help a restaurant improve inventory management with better visibility and accuracy. A café owner that is using this app will find that workflow management can improve, as will the tracking of all inventory in real-time. Having this capability will help cut down extensively on errors, especially those that may be made during orders, and shall also drive efficient operations. Some of the features that one can benefit from include: Allowing for product costing for an entire recipeEnsuring maintenance of optimal stock levels, and also give suggestions for making orders in real-timeEnabling ease of use by employees with inventory control by making management much easierAllowing for a global overview of the purchases being made from each vendor, and each item being purchaseReal-time product usage and stock levels Using an optimized system ensures that there is less waste and that everyone can benefit from increased visibility. Also, it allows for managing vendor relationships, which can help elevate credit terms and overall quality of service. This system is also cloud-based and allows for information to be displayed using an infographic. If, while using the application, you need some help, there are videos available that offer insight on how to make the most of it. Check out Oracle MICROS Inventory Management for Restaurants, here! 6. MARG ERP 9+ Inventory Management Software A key part of inventory management is the management of expenses and finances, and this application makes everything seamless. At the heart of all that it offers is inventory management operations. Here, inventories are tracked, orders between customers or companies are managed, and all aspects of distribution and delivery are managed. Another exciting feature of this software is that it helps a manager know when products are about to expire. Other features that are included are: Expense TrackingBank reconciliationPoint of SaleInvoicing and ReceivingCash Management Constant upgrades ensure that this software always has something for a new café owner to benefit from. It is popular enough that close to one million businesses from all over the world are using it to help manage inventory. The software touches on every element of the sales process, from the moment that an item is purchased to make a product, to once it is sold, including hidden costs like packaging that may not initially be factored into inventory. It is ideal for any retail business, and also for any business working with distribution. Check out MARG ERP 9+ Inventory Management Software, here! Cafe interior @ezeetechnosys Being within an industry that is continually evolving requires software or an app that is innovative and flexible. These six apps can adapt to the changing environment, especially when considering the emerging trends of the consumer. It will make it easier to plan for a successful business, as well as to monitor margins to ensure profitability. As a café owner, choosing one of these inventory management apps will give you incredible control of your business and set you on the course of success. Thanks for reading with us today! These 6 apps are the best of the best and we're excited to hear of your real-life experiences using them! Drop a comment down below on how these apps have improved your business's dimension. For more helpful Brand My Cafe guides, check out Excessive Absenteeism And 4 Steps To Deal With It, 8 Beautifully Branded Coffee Shops, and Opening a Coffee Shop Checklist! Become a part of our exclusive Facebook Group, Food Service Brand Builders— a space dedicated for cafe, restaurant, and food service business owners to share helpful tips and experiences of owning a small business. 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