Logging Waste

The waste log records product you lost — spoilage, spills, breakage, comps, or prep mistakes — so your on-hand stays accurate and your variance report shows why usage was higher than sales alone. This article covers logging, approving, and correcting waste.

Where to find it

Inventory → Waste Log. Waste is per venue, so select a location first.

Logging a waste event

1. Click New Waste Entry.
2. Choose what was wasted:
   • An item — a raw ingredient (e.g. 2 lb of spoiled produce), or
   • A prepared recipe — a finished/prep item (e.g. a burnt batch of soup). Logging recipe waste depletes each of its ingredients.
3. Enter the quantity (in the item's stock unit) and select a reason.
4. If your location requires it, enter a manager PIN to approve (see below).
5. Click Save. The quantity is removed from on-hand.

Manager PIN approval

If Require manager PIN for waste is enabled in Settings, a valid manager PIN is required to record a waste entry. This creates accountability for write-offs. An incorrect PIN blocks the entry.

Correcting a mistake

Waste entries self-correct if you fix them:

• Edit a quantity → on-hand adjusts by the difference.
• Delete an entry → the wasted quantity is returned to on-hand.

Why logging waste matters

Without a waste log, spoilage and comps show up as unexplained variance — it looks like theft or over-portioning. Logging waste separates "we threw it away" from "we can't account for it," so your reports point you at the real problem.

Tip: Make waste logging part of the closing routine. Consistent logging is what turns your variance report into a trustworthy management tool.

Related articles

• Counting Inventory
• Reports & Dashboards
• Back to the Inventory Help Center