# Vellin > Vellin automates restaurant purchasing, inventory, and food cost control — from par-level reorder triggers and AI invoice processing to real-time COGS tracking and vendor catalog management across locations. Routes under `/app` require authentication and are excluded. Last updated: 2026-06-22. --- ## Home https://vellinapp.com/ **Free for your first location.** Automated Purchase Orders & Restaurant Inventory Software. Vellin auto-generates purchase orders from your inventory counts, processes invoices with AI, tracks every dollar in real time, and gives vendors a self-service portal to manage catalogs and confirm orders. ### Four essentials included on every plan 1. **Offline inventory with automatic reorder triggers** — Count from your phone, even offline. Par levels detect low stock and generate draft purchase orders automatically so you reorder before costs creep up. 2. **Vendor directory with live order tracking** — One place for vendor catalogs, lead times, delivery cutoffs, and active PO status. Replaces scattered texts, emails, and phone calls with structured order workflows. 3. **Real-time food cost intelligence** — COGS, price variance, waste, and stockout dashboards update automatically as you count and receive. See your food cost percentage formula in action — not after month-end. 4. **Role-based access with location isolation** — Chef, Manager, Owner views with granular permission overrides. Each location sees only its own data — critical for accurate per-location cost reporting. ### Mobile app Restaurant Inventory and Ordering in One App. Track inventory, create orders, monitor vendor prices, and stay ahead of stock issues. Available on iOS. ### Vendor Portal Suppliers get their own portal — not just PO notifications, but a full workspace. Vendors register, manage their catalog and pricing timelines, view and confirm orders, track dashboard metrics, and receive notifications. Self-service onboarding with admin review keeps supplier quality high without manual data entry on the restaurant side. --- ## Features Overview https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features Everything your kitchen needs to run smoothly. From counting stock to tracking costs, Vellin gives your team one platform to replace paper, spreadsheets, and scattered vendor communication. Seven feature areas: Inventory, Purchasing, Vendors, Marketplace, Analytics, AI Assistant, and Team. Each detailed below. --- ## Inventory https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features/inventory **Restaurant inventory management with automatic reorder triggers.** Count from your phone — even offline. Par levels detect low stock and generate draft purchase orders automatically. Every count feeds directly into real-time COGS and food cost reporting. When items drop below par, Vellin creates draft purchase carts automatically — no manual reorder decisions needed. Expiration monitoring and push notifications surface spoilage risk before it hits your food cost. Counts sync when you're back online and immediately update your cost picture. Track items across storage areas and locations with a searchable catalog. Full audit trail on every storage item change. Manual adjustments include reason tracking so every inventory movement has a paper trail for compliance and operational review. ### Capabilities - **Multi-location inventory** — Manage inventory across multiple locations and storage areas, each with its own item views and quantity tracking. - **Count sessions** — Run structured count sessions with active-session views, completion flows, and full count history for auditability. - **Items, categories & units** — Organize your catalog with items, categories, units, and pricing — all searchable and filterable. - **Manual adjustments** — Log manual inventory adjustments with reason tracking so every change has a paper trail. - **Waste tracking** — Record waste by storage area and date range to identify patterns and reduce food cost. - **Low-stock alerts** — Automatic notifications when items drop below par levels, plus expiration monitoring and push notifications. - **Storage item history** — Full audit trail of every storage item change for operational review and compliance. - **Par level management** — Set par levels by item and location. Automatic reorder triggers create draft carts when stock runs low. --- ## Purchasing https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features/purchasing **Purchase order software for restaurants.** Vellin auto-generates purchase orders from par-level data and past ordering patterns, processes invoices with AI, and enforces real-time budget gates — replacing scattered ordering with a structured procurement workflow. Par levels and current stock trigger deterministic reorder suggestions that convert directly into draft POs. Send by email, SMS, or WhatsApp. Track every order from draft to placed to received with full exception handling for shortages, substitutions, and credits. AI-powered invoice processing extracts line items, prices, quantities, and vendor data automatically — writing costs back into your system in seconds, not hours. Approval policies gate spend above configurable thresholds. Procurement budgets track live consumption with hard gates and price-increase warnings. Recurring order templates run on schedule with pause/resume controls. ### Capabilities - **Purchase order workflow** — Create, edit, and send POs by email, SMS, or WhatsApp. Track status from draft to placed to received. - **Cart-based buying** — Stage items in a cart, reorder from previous POs, and check out when ready. Clean, familiar workflow. - **Smart reorder suggestions** — Deterministic purchase order suggestions based on par levels and current stock, by location. - **Receiving inbox** — View pending deliveries, receive items against POs, and auto-assign received stock into storage areas. - **Approval policies** — Set per-location approval rules for POs above a threshold. Managers get a dedicated inbox to approve or reject. - **Procurement budgets** — Track live budget consumption with alert thresholds and optional hard gates. Get warnings when price increases threaten budgets. - **Recurring order templates** — Set up standing orders with pause, resume, and execute-now controls. Scheduled generation runs automatically. - **Invoice & document processing** — Upload invoices and documents — AI-powered parsing extracts line items, prices, and vendor data automatically. - **Price history & locking** — Track vendor item price history with future price windows. Lock prices on PO items to prevent surprise changes. --- ## Vendors https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features/vendors **Restaurant vendor management with a self-service supplier portal.** Vendors manage their own catalogs, pricing timelines, and order confirmations through a dedicated portal — eliminating manual back-and-forth and keeping your item data accurate automatically. Every vendor's catalog, lead times, delivery cutoffs, contact info, ratings, and active POs live in one searchable directory. RFQ workflows let you request quotes and the negotiated prices write back into vendor item pricing automatically. Price sheet ingestion imports vendor price lists and propagates updates across all connected locations. The vendor portal gives suppliers their own workspace: registration, catalog management with bulk item creation, PO views, pricing timeline management, dashboard metrics, and a notification center. Self-service onboarding includes submit-for-review, admin approval queues, and status tracking — so new supplier relationships don't require manual data entry on your side. ### Capabilities - **Vendor directory** — Full vendor CRUD with item mapping, connected-location visibility, contact invites, and supplier logos. - **Vendor ratings & performance** — Rate vendors from the restaurant side. Supplier-level aggregates and performance data visible in both buyer and portal views. - **RFQ workflow** — Request quotes from vendors with a structured workflow — create, review, accept, reject, or cancel. Negotiated prices write back into vendor item pricing. - **Vendor portal** — Suppliers get their own portal with registration, catalog management, PO views, dashboard metrics, and notification center. - **Portal catalog management** — Vendors manage their own items, pricing, price timelines, and bulk item creation directly from the portal. - **Supplier onboarding** — Self-service onboarding flow with submit-for-review, withdrawal, and admin review queue with approve/reject/suspend actions. - **Vendor webhooks** — Connect vendor systems with create, update, delete, list, and test webhook flows for real-time event notifications. - **Price sheet ingestion** — Upload vendor price sheets for automatic import. Global vendor item propagation keeps shared items updated across locations. --- ## Marketplace https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features/marketplace **Food supplier marketplace with automatic catalog sync.** Discover suppliers, compare pricing and ratings, subscribe to vendor catalogs, and order — all without leaving the app. Subscribed catalog prices auto-sync into your vendor items so you always see the latest costs. Browse suppliers with search, category views, and rating filters. Subscribe to a supplier's catalog and Vellin creates an org-local vendor connection with fuzzy item matching that projects catalog items into your existing inventory. Add marketplace items directly to your purchase cart across multiple suppliers. Demand signals aggregate what restaurants are searching for and show suppliers what to stock. Catalog gap reporting highlights unmatched order items with a quick-add flow for vendors to fill them. The marketplace is a two-sided system — not just browsing, but active supplier-buyer matching. ### Capabilities - **Supplier discovery** — Browse and search across suppliers publicly. View catalogs, ratings, and pricing before committing. - **Catalog subscription** — Subscribe to a supplier's catalog to create an org-local vendor connection. Fuzzy item matching projects catalog items into your inventory. - **Marketplace search** — Search across all suppliers with sorting by price or supplier rating. Category views with counts help you find what you need. - **Add to cart** — Add marketplace items directly to your purchase cart for a seamless buying experience across multiple suppliers. - **Catalog price sync** — Supplier catalog prices automatically sync into your vendor item prices, so you always see the latest costs. - **Demand signals** — Search logs and demand signal aggregation show suppliers what restaurants are looking for — helping them stock the right products. - **Catalog gap reporting** — Unmatched order-item reports highlight gaps in vendor catalogs, with a quick-add flow for vendors to fill them. - **Catalog suggestions** — Vendor portal suggestion queue lets suppliers review and approve/reject catalog additions based on buyer demand. --- ## Analytics https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features/analytics **Real-time food cost analytics and reporting.** Food cost percentage, COGS, price variance, waste, and actual vs theoretical reports — all updating live as you count, receive, and process invoices. No waiting for month-end. Your food cost percentage formula runs continuously: revenue, COGS, and the resulting cost percent update automatically as inventory counts and invoice data flow in. Variance between actual and theoretical food cost surfaces immediately so you can investigate before margins erode. Drill into COGS by category and location, monitor vendor price changes over time, track stockout frequency against ordering patterns, and quantify waste by item. AI-powered context builders assemble data across inventory, invoices, waste, pricing, and vendor performance for intelligent analysis. Exportable reports and scheduled exports keep numbers ready for review at any cadence. ### Capabilities - **COGS reporting** — Track cost of goods sold across categories, locations, and time periods to understand your true food cost. - **Price variance** — Monitor vendor price changes over time. See which items are costing more and which vendors offer the best value. - **PO cycle time** — Measure how long purchase orders take from creation to receiving. Identify bottlenecks in your procurement process. - **Stockout tracking** — See which items run out and how often. Correlate stockouts with ordering patterns to prevent future gaps. - **Waste reporting** — Quantify waste by item, category, and location. Track trends to identify operational improvements. - **Vendor performance** — Vendor portal orders and revenue reporting give you visibility into supplier reliability and spend distribution. - **AI-powered insights** — AI-ready report context builders assemble data across inventory, invoices, waste, price, vendor, and COGS for intelligent analysis. - **Plan-gated access** — Core reports available on all plans. Advanced analytics, longer history, and custom exports unlock on higher tiers. --- ## AI Assistant https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features/ai-assistant **AI assistant that analyzes your data and takes action.** Not a chatbot — an operational assistant that pulls from your live inventory counts, invoices, purchase orders, vendor pricing, and waste data to surface problems, generate action plans, and execute changes directly. Ask "what is my food cost percentage this week?" and get an instant breakdown from your actual data. Ask "which vendors raised prices this month?" and see the specific items, amounts, and impact. Ask "where am I losing the most to waste?" and get a prioritized action plan. The assistant goes beyond analysis: it generates validated action plans with specific recommendations (adjust par levels, flag a vendor price spike, restructure an order) and can execute those changes directly in the system. Streaming responses keep it fast. Full chat history with session management keeps context across conversations. Menu suggestions use your actual inventory, pricing, and seasonal availability — not generic recommendations. ### Capabilities - **Natural language chat** — Ask questions in plain English. The AI understands your restaurant's inventory, vendors, invoices, and operations. - **Real-time insights** — Get instant insights about low stock, open POs, price variance, invoices, stockouts, and waste from your live data. - **Action plans** — AI generates action plans with validation and execution. Review proposed changes before they happen. - **Menu suggestions** — AI-assisted menu suggestions based on your inventory, pricing, and seasonal availability. - **Streaming responses** — Real-time SSE streaming keeps responses fast and interactive. No waiting for long processing jobs. - **Context-aware** — Scope-aware context assembly pulls the right data from inventory, vendors, invoices, waste, and reports for every conversation. - **Chat history** — Full conversation history with session management. Pick up where you left off or start fresh. - **Feedback loop** — Rate AI responses to improve accuracy over time. Usage telemetry and caching keep costs predictable. --- ## Team https://vellinapp.com/restaurant/features/team **Team roles and permissions with granular access control.** Not just roles — granular permission overrides at the role and user level with effective-permission introspection that shows exactly what each team member can access. Chef, Manager, and Owner views with module-level and component-level access control. Sensitive data like food cost percentages, cost breakdowns, and vendor pricing are visible only to roles that need them. Multi-location isolation ensures each site sees only its own data — critical for accurate per-location cost reporting. Modern authentication stack: Google and Apple sign-in, email MFA challenges, TOTP enrollment, backup codes, and WebAuthn/passkey support. SSO/SAML on Enterprise. Device-oriented session security with session management and user self-delete for compliance. Self-service onboarding walks new tenants from organization creation to first-location readiness with resumable steps. ### Capabilities - **Role-based access** — Assign roles with default permissions, then override at the role or user level for fine-grained control. - **Module & component access** — Control which modules and UI components each role can see. Effective-permission introspection shows exactly what each user can do. - **Team invitations** — Invite team members and organization owners with a simple flow. Location-based user views keep teams organized. - **Multi-factor authentication** — Email challenges, TOTP enrollment, backup codes, and WebAuthn/passkey support for security-conscious teams. - **Social sign-in** — Google and Apple sign-in for fast, secure access. Refresh-token support and CSRF protection built in. - **Session security** — Device-oriented security flows, session management, and user self-delete support for compliance. - **Quick onboarding** — Tenant self-onboarding from organization creation to first-location readiness with resumable steps. - **Branding & logos** — Upload organization and location logos with pre-signed URLs. Brand your team's experience from day one. --- ## Pricing https://vellinapp.com/pricing Every plan includes inventory tracking, purchase orders, invoice scanning, and vendor management. See exactly what each tier unlocks. ### Plans **Free — $0 forever** Inventory counting, purchase orders, invoice processing, vendor management, and COGS reporting — no credit card required. - 1 location, up to 200 items, 5 storage areas - 10 POs + 10 invoices per month, 3 vendors, 1 team seat - Par-level low-stock alerts with automatic reorder triggers - COGS + waste reports (current month) - Self-service onboarding **Starter — $99/month** Full operational workflow: counting, ordering, receiving, invoicing, and reporting with AI. - 1 location, up to 1,000 items, 15 storage areas - 50 POs + 50 invoices per month, 15 vendors, 3 team seats - AI assistant (75 requests/month) for data analysis, action plans, and execution - AI document processing (20 ingests/month) for invoice extraction - Reports with 180-day history - Email support **Growth — $149/month** (most popular) Multi-location operations with advanced analytics, budget controls, and vendor automation. - Up to 5 locations, 5,000 items, 50 storage areas - 250 POs + 250 invoices per month, 50 vendors, 12 team seats - 600 AI requests/month, 150 document ingests/month, 25 menu scans/month - Full reporting suite: inventory usage, price variance, PO cycle time, vendor performance, stockout tracking — 1-year history - Global vendor item propagation, vendor price sheet ingestion - Real-time procurement budgets with hard gates and price-increase warnings - MFA authentication, 6-month audit logs - Priority email + chat support **Enterprise — $249/month** Unlimited scale with governance, custom workflows, and API access. - Unlimited locations, items, vendors, storage areas, team seats - Unlimited POs, invoices, AI requests, document ingests, menu scans - Custom exports + scheduled reports, 3-year report history - SSO/SAML + unlimited audit logs - Vendor catalog suggestions, vendor webhooks, vendor demand signals - Dedicated CSM + SLA support, custom onboarding - Open API access for system integration --- ## FAQ https://vellinapp.com/faq Quick answers for chefs, managers, and owners evaluating Vellin. **What is Vellin?** Vellin is a restaurant operations platform for inventory, purchasing, receiving, vendor collaboration, documents, and reporting. **Does Vellin work across multiple locations?** Yes. You can manage multi-unit operations with shared catalogs, location-level permissions, and consolidated reporting. **What can I import to get started?** You can import operational data like vendors, items, and pars with guided CSV flows, then add documents such as invoices to continue setup. **How do purchase orders and receiving work?** Create purchase orders from cart and order views, send them to vendors, track status changes, then use the receiving inbox to assign delivered quantities into storage. **What problems does Vellin solve day-to-day?** Vellin auto-detects low stock and generates reorder suggestions, monitors vendor price changes and delivery cutoff windows, flags invoice discrepancies against POs, and surfaces COGS and waste trends in real time — so managers act on data instead of guesswork. **Does Vellin include a vendor portal?** Yes. Vendors can manage assigned orders, update statuses, review suggestions, and work from a dedicated portal experience. **What reports are available?** COGS by category and location, food cost percentage with auto-updating formula, price variance across vendors over time, PO cycle time analysis, stockout frequency and patterns, waste by item/category/location, and vendor performance scoring. Reports update in real time as data flows in. Growth and Enterprise plans unlock longer history (up to 3 years), custom exports, and scheduled report delivery. **How do alerts work?** Automatic low-stock alerts fire when items drop below par levels — and can trigger draft purchase orders. Vendor cutoff time monitoring warns before ordering windows close. Price change detection flags vendor price increases with budget impact warnings. Push notifications and in-app alerts route to the right role based on permissions. **Can I share purchase-order summaries as PDFs?** Yes. Completed purchase orders can be compiled and shared as PDF-style reconciliation summaries from the purchase order workflows. **Can my team use Vellin on phones and tablets?** Yes. The web app is responsive, so managers and teams can work across desktop and mobile browsers. **How does AI help operators?** The AI assistant analyzes your live inventory, invoices, POs, vendor pricing, and waste data to surface cost leaks, price spikes, and operational gaps. It generates action plans with specific recommendations and can execute changes directly — like adjusting par levels, flagging vendor price increases, or identifying waste patterns. **How fast can we get started?** Most teams are operational within days. Import vendors, items, and pars via guided CSV flows, send your first PO, upload an invoice, and the system starts building your food cost picture immediately. Self-service onboarding walks you from organization creation to first-location readiness. **What integrations are available?** Vendor webhooks for real-time event notifications (create, update, delete with test flows), guided CSV import/export for vendors, items, and pars, Open API access on Enterprise plans, and a self-service vendor portal that lets suppliers integrate their catalog and order workflows directly. --- ## Getting Started with Restaurant Inventory Software https://vellinapp.com/kb/getting-started A practical onboarding guide for operators launching restaurant inventory management software across one or more locations. ### When to use this guide - Your team is starting Vellin for the first time and needs a clean launch plan. - You are setting up your first location and want a reliable day-one workflow. - You are moving from spreadsheets and want clear ownership from the start. ### Before you start Confirm who owns setup decisions before entering data. - **Account owner:** confirms company details, billing owner, and standards. - **Operations manager:** sets locations, storages, and ordering routines. - **Shift leads:** follow the launch checklist and report setup gaps. ### Step-by-step workflow 1. Add organization details, timezone, and primary contacts. 2. Create your first location and define receiving instructions. 3. Build core storages and item categories used in daily operations. 4. Invite managers and staff with role-appropriate access. 5. Send one low-risk purchase order and complete receiving. 6. Upload one invoice and verify costs appear in reporting. ### What good looks like - Team members can sign in and see only the workflows they own. - Inventory counts, order status, and invoice costs are visible in one place. - Managers can review alerts and make same-day purchasing decisions. ### Common mistakes - **No clear setup owner** — Assign one operations owner for launch week. - **Inconsistent units and pack sizes** — Standardize top items before live orders. - **Skipping the first invoice review** — Verify parsed costs before period close. --- ## Restaurant Vendor Management and Catalog Setup https://vellinapp.com/kb/vendor-management Build reliable vendor catalogs and item data so restaurant ordering, receiving, and food cost control stay consistent. ### When to use this guide - Supplier data is inconsistent or orders require too many corrections. - You are onboarding new vendors and want clean profiles from day one. - Your catalog has duplicates, stale pricing, or unclear pack sizes. ### Before you start - **Purchasing lead:** owns vendor contacts, order windows, and escalation paths. - **Operations manager:** enforces item naming and category standards. - **Receiving team:** reports substitutions and pricing mismatches quickly. ### Step-by-step workflow 1. Complete each vendor profile with primary and backup contacts. 2. Record delivery cutoffs, minimum orders, and receiving constraints. 3. Normalize item names, units, and pack sizes across categories. 4. Link preferred vendors and define acceptable substitutes. 5. Review top-moving item prices weekly and log approved updates. ### What good looks like - Teams can build purchase orders quickly with accurate item details. - Vendors receive clear requests with fewer follow-up calls. - Price changes are visible early and margin decisions are proactive. ### Common mistakes - **Duplicate catalog items** — Run monthly deduplication and archive stale entries. - **Outdated vendor contacts** — Verify contacts in each monthly review. - **Unmanaged price changes** — Assign weekly price monitoring ownership. --- ## Restaurant Purchase Order Management https://vellinapp.com/kb/purchase-orders A guide to creating, sending, receiving, and reconciling restaurant purchase orders to keep food costs as a percentage of sales on target. ### When to use this guide - You want consistent order quality across shifts and locations. - You need better visibility into delays, substitutions, and credits. - You are reducing manual corrections and last-minute buying. ### Before you start - **Buyer or manager:** drafts and reviews order quantities. - **Approver:** confirms spend and final order readiness. - **Receiving lead:** records delivered quantities, shortages, and credits. ### Step-by-step workflow 1. Build the draft with required quantities, units, and delivery date. 2. Add notes for substitutions, receiving access, or prep constraints. 3. Review totals and approve the order before sending. 4. Monitor vendor acknowledgements and update delays immediately. 5. Receive the order and record actuals, shortages, and substitutions. 6. Reconcile pricing differences and close the order with clear notes. ### What good looks like - Teams can see what was ordered, what arrived, and what changed. - Credits and shortages are documented with owner accountability. - Managers can review order exceptions in weekly operating reviews. ### Common mistakes - **Sending drafts without final checks** — Require pre-send validation. - **Late delay updates** — Log delivery changes as soon as vendors confirm. - **Incomplete receiving records** — Capture substitutions and credits at dock time. --- ## Restaurant Inventory Counting and Stock Management https://vellinapp.com/kb/inventory-management Best practices for restaurant inventory management — storages, counts, low-stock control, and replenishment planning to reduce food cost. ### When to use this guide - Stockouts, waste, or count variance are hurting service quality. - You want more predictable counts across shifts. - You are improving replenishment decisions with less guesswork. ### Before you start - **Inventory owner:** defines count cadence and threshold policy. - **Shift leads:** complete counts at agreed checkpoints. - **Managers:** review variance trends and approve threshold updates. ### Step-by-step workflow 1. Align storage names to real kitchen flow and team responsibilities. 2. Assign items to their physical storage and clean up unassigned items. 3. Set count cadence by product volatility and business criticality. 4. Run counts at consistent operating times for reliable comparison. 5. Review low-stock alerts and replenishment suggestions daily. 6. Convert approved suggestions into purchase orders without delay. ### What good looks like - Count completion rates are consistent across shifts and locations. - Low-stock incidents are identified early and resolved with planned ordering. - Managers can trace major variance to specific operational causes. ### Common mistakes - **Counting at random times** — Run counts at the same workflow checkpoint. - **Stale threshold settings** — Review thresholds after menu or demand changes. - **Ignoring unassigned items** — Clean assignment gaps each week. --- ## Food Cost Reporting and Restaurant Analytics https://vellinapp.com/kb/reporting-analytics How restaurant operators can calculate food cost percentage, track COGS, run actual vs theoretical reports, and use analytics to control food cost. ### When to use this guide - Leadership needs clearer operating decisions from reporting. - You want to reduce food cost with better purchasing visibility. - You are aligning multi-location teams around the same metrics. ### Before you start - **Operations lead:** owns KPI definitions and review agendas. - **Location managers:** review local exceptions and follow-up actions. - **Finance or ownership:** validates trend direction and margin impact. ### Step-by-step workflow 1. Start with COGS trend, waste signals, and stockout risk indicators. 2. Apply consistent date ranges and location filters for comparison. 3. Identify top price movers and recurring order exceptions. 4. Convert insights into assigned actions with owners and deadlines. 5. Recheck actions in the next review to confirm business impact. ### What good looks like - Teams can explain why key metrics moved and what changed. - Corrective actions are tracked and revisited on schedule. - Leadership decisions are based on comparable, reliable reporting scopes. ### Common mistakes - **Changing filters each review** — Standardize recurring comparison views. - **No action owners** — Assign each insight to a named owner. - **Skipping follow-up** — Reserve time each review for prior action outcomes. --- ## Restaurant Software Security and Authentication https://vellinapp.com/kb/security-authentication Security guidance for restaurant account protection, safe access practices, and session reliability across your team. ### When to use this guide - You are onboarding team members to secure access habits. - You are seeing repeated sign-in failures or forced sign-outs. - You need routine security checks without slowing daily work. ### Before you start - **Account admins:** enforce access standards and review unusual activity. - **Managers:** coach team behavior on shared-device and session safety. - **Staff:** follow sign-in rules and escalate recurring access issues quickly. ### Step-by-step workflow 1. Require strong unique passwords for all users. 2. Enable additional sign-in protection for sensitive roles. 3. Sign out of shared devices at shift handoff. 4. Review inactive users and role changes every month. 5. Escalate recurring lockouts or session failures to support with context. ### What good looks like - Teams can access workflows safely without frequent lockouts. - Access changes are reflected quickly after staffing updates. - Unusual sign-in behavior is identified and reviewed promptly. ### Common mistakes - **Shared credentials** — Enforce individual accounts for every user. - **Ignoring inactive users** — Run monthly access cleanup. - **Ad hoc incident response** — Maintain clear escalation contacts and steps. --- ## How to Calculate and Control Restaurant Food Cost Percentage https://vellinapp.com/blog/restaurant-food-cost-percentage Food cost formulas, benchmarks by restaurant type, and strategies for reducing food cost percentage. ### What is food cost percentage? Food Cost % = (Beginning Inventory + Purchases - Ending Inventory) / Total Food Sales x 100 ### Benchmarks by restaurant type | Type | Target Range | |------|-------------| | Quick-Service | 28-32% | | Fast Casual | 28-32% | | Casual Dining | 30-34% | | Fine Dining | 32-38% | ### Step-by-step calculation 1. Record beginning inventory value at the start of the period. 2. Add all food purchases during the period. 3. Subtract ending inventory value. 4. Divide by total food sales. 5. Multiply by 100 for the percentage. ### Why food cost creeps up - Over-portioning without portion standards. - Waste and spoilage from poor rotation or over-ordering. - Invoice errors going undetected. - Theft or unrecorded usage. ### Strategies to reduce food cost - Run weekly inventory counts to catch drift early. - Enforce portion standards with prep guides and scales. - Compare vendor pricing regularly and negotiate better terms. - Use menu engineering to promote high-margin items. - Track actual vs theoretical food cost to identify leaks. --- ## Restaurant Inventory Management: The Complete Guide https://vellinapp.com/blog/restaurant-inventory-management-guide Inventory foundations, counting methods, valuation, and the case for software vs manual tracking. ### Why inventory management matters Effective inventory management can improve restaurant profitability by 2-10%. It reduces waste, prevents stockouts, and provides the data needed for accurate food cost calculations. ### Core concepts - **FIFO (First In, First Out)** — Rotate stock so oldest items are used first to minimize spoilage. - **PAR levels** — Minimum quantity needed to meet demand until the next delivery. - **Inventory valuation** — Track the dollar value of on-hand stock using consistent costing methods. ### How to conduct an inventory count 1. Prepare count sheets organized by storage area. 2. Count at a consistent time (before opening or after closing). 3. Record quantities in standard units. 4. Value inventory using the most recent purchase prices. 5. Compare to previous counts and investigate significant variances. ### Common inventory mistakes - Monthly-only counts (too infrequent to catch problems early). - Ignoring low-cost items (small items add up). - Inconsistent units across locations. - Single-person dependency for counts. ### Manual vs software-driven inventory | Metric | Manual | Software | |--------|--------|----------| | Time savings | Baseline | 80% reduction | | Error rate | ~4% | Less than 1% | | Real-time visibility | No | Yes | | Multi-location support | Difficult | Built in | --- ## How AI Invoice Scanning Is Transforming Restaurant Back-of-House Operations https://vellinapp.com/blog/ai-invoice-scanning-restaurants OCR/AI invoice automation, accuracy benchmarks, cost savings, and what to look for in a scanning system. ### What is AI invoice scanning? AI invoice scanning uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) combined with machine learning to automatically extract line items, prices, and vendor data from restaurant invoices. ### Why it matters | Metric | Manual Processing | AI Processing | |--------|------------------|---------------| | Time per invoice | 10-30 minutes | 1-2 seconds | | Error rate | ~4% | 1-2% (98-99% accuracy) | | Cost per invoice | $12-30 | $2-5 | ### How the technology works 1. **Capture** — Photo, scan, or email upload of the invoice. 2. **Extraction** — AI identifies and extracts line items, quantities, prices, and vendor info. 3. **Matching & Validation** — Extracted data is matched against vendor catalogs and POs. 4. **Integration** — Validated data flows into inventory, COGS, and reporting. ### What to look for in a system - Format flexibility (photos, PDFs, emailed invoices). - Accuracy with a human review workflow for exceptions. - Vendor catalog building from extracted data. - Integration depth with inventory and purchasing. - Processing speed for high-volume operations. ### Impact on food cost visibility - Real-time price tracking as invoices are processed. - Automatic vendor price comparison across deliveries. - Invoice error detection before costs hit the books. --- ## PAR Level Inventory: How to Set and Maintain Optimal Stock Levels https://vellinapp.com/blog/par-level-inventory-guide PAR level formula, examples by item type, automation benefits, and common mistakes. ### What are PAR levels? PAR (Periodic Automatic Replenishment) levels are the minimum quantity of an item needed to meet demand until the next delivery. ### How to calculate PAR levels **Formula:** (Average Usage + Safety Stock) / Deliveries Per Period ### PAR level examples | Item | Average Weekly Usage | Safety Stock | Deliveries/Week | PAR Level | |------|---------------------|-------------|-----------------|-----------| | Chicken | 60 lbs | 12 lbs | 1 | 72 lbs | | Ground Beef | 40 lbs | 8 lbs | 1 | 48 lbs | | Lettuce | 12 heads | 4 heads | 1 | 16 heads | ### When to adjust PAR levels - Seasonal demand changes (holidays, weather). - Menu additions or removals. - Vendor or delivery schedule changes. - After reviewing historical usage data. ### Automating PAR level management Digital PAR management reduces working capital by 20-30% and cuts waste by up to 35%. Automated systems trigger reorder suggestions when stock drops below PAR, converting directly into draft purchase orders. ### Common PAR level mistakes - Setting static PARs that never get reviewed. - Not accounting for demand variability. - Ignoring vendor lead time in calculations. - Misaligning PAR reviews with delivery schedules. ### Connection to food cost - **Under-ordering** leads to stockouts, emergency purchases at premium prices, and menu substitutions. - **Over-ordering** leads to waste, spoilage, and tied-up cash. --- ## Actual vs. Theoretical Food Cost: Variance Analysis for Restaurants https://vellinapp.com/blog/actual-vs-theoretical-food-cost Variance analysis — definitions, acceptable ranges by restaurant format, investigation steps, and improvement strategies. ### What is theoretical food cost? What food should cost with perfect portions, zero waste, no theft, and exact recipe compliance. Calculated from recipe costs multiplied by items sold. ### What is actual food cost? What you actually spent: Beginning Inventory + Purchases - Ending Inventory, divided by Total Food Sales. ### Understanding the variance Common sources of variance between actual and theoretical: - Over-portioning beyond recipe specs. - Waste and spoilage from poor rotation. - Theft or unrecorded usage. - Invoice errors or price discrepancies. - Recipe non-compliance during service. ### Acceptable variance ranges | Restaurant Type | Acceptable Variance | |----------------|-------------------| | Quick-Service | 1.5-3% | | Fast Casual | 2-4% | | Full Service | 3-5% | | Fine Dining | 3-5% | | Multi-Concept | 2-6% | ### How to calculate and track variance 1. Calculate theoretical food cost from recipe costs and POS sales data. 2. Calculate actual food cost from inventory counts and purchase records. 3. Calculate the gap: Actual - Theoretical = Variance. 4. Investigate any variance above your acceptable threshold. ### Using variance to drive improvement - Target specific issues by variance type (portioning, waste, pricing). - Hold weekly team meetings to review variance trends. - Set reduction targets and connect to operational accountability. - Track whether corrective actions actually moved the number. --- ## Vellin vs MarketMan https://vellinapp.com/compare/vellin-vs-marketman Workflow-first purchasing versus an established platform with broader integrations. ### When to choose Vellin Choose Vellin for tight purchasing workflow (PO to receiving to reconciliation) and replenishment habits, especially for small teams. Starts at $99/month. ### When to choose MarketMan Choose MarketMan for an established platform with multi-location controls, POS/accounting integrations, and recipe costing at higher cost. ### Key differences - **Purchasing workflow:** Vellin structures PO creation, approval, receiving, and exception tracking as a connected workflow. MarketMan offers similar capabilities with broader integration hooks. - **Vendor catalog management:** Vellin emphasizes catalog cleanliness, item normalization, and vendor portal self-service. MarketMan focuses on integration breadth. - **Invoice processing:** Both offer AI-powered invoice scanning. Vellin includes it in plans; MarketMan has explicit invoice limits by plan. - **Reporting:** Both offer COGS and food cost reporting. MarketMan offers deeper recipe costing out of the box. - **Pricing:** Vellin starts at $99/month. MarketMan pricing is typically higher and based on location count. - **Integration breadth:** MarketMan has a larger integration directory (POS, accounting, HR). Vellin focuses on core operational workflows. --- ## Vellin vs MarginEdge https://vellinapp.com/compare/vellin-vs-marginedge Operational purchasing workflow versus an invoice and accounting-driven system. ### When to choose Vellin Choose Vellin for operational clarity — vendor catalogs, POs, receiving discipline, daily replenishment — at $99/month. ### When to choose MarginEdge Choose MarginEdge for visibility starting with invoices and accounting: line-item capture, daily imports, bill pay, and vendor reconciliation. Starts at $330/location/month. ### Key differences - **Starting point:** Vellin starts from purchasing workflow (PO to receiving). MarginEdge starts from invoice data flowing into accounting. - **Invoice processing:** MarginEdge has a published 24-48 hour processing window with accounting-grade extraction. Vellin processes invoices with AI parsing inline. - **Bill pay:** MarginEdge includes bill pay and vendor statement reconciliation. Vellin does not. - **Vendor management:** Vellin emphasizes vendor portal self-service and catalog standards. MarginEdge focuses on vendor reconciliation through invoice data. - **Pricing:** Vellin at $99/month vs MarginEdge at $330/location/month. --- ## Vellin vs Restaurant365 https://vellinapp.com/compare/vellin-vs-restaurant365 Focused execution tools versus a full operating system. ### When to choose Vellin Choose Vellin for focused execution — vendor catalogs, repeatable POs, disciplined receiving, low-stock cycles, weekly analytics — at $99/month. ### When to choose Restaurant365 Choose Restaurant365 for a broad operating system covering accounting, AP, inventory/purchasing, workforce management, and payroll. ### Key differences - **Scope:** Restaurant365 is a comprehensive operating system (accounting, AP, inventory, purchasing, workforce, payroll). Vellin focuses on inventory, purchasing, and vendor workflows. - **Target operator:** Vellin fits independent operators and small groups. Restaurant365 targets multi-unit operations with accounting needs. - **POS integration:** Restaurant365 has deeper POS integration documentation. Vellin focuses on operational data flow. - **Pricing:** Vellin at $99/month vs Restaurant365 at enterprise pricing. --- ## Vellin vs xtraCHEF https://vellinapp.com/compare/vellin-vs-xtrachef Purchasing workflow structure versus invoice automation and AP workflows. ### When to choose Vellin Choose Vellin for stronger purchasing workflow structure — vendor discipline, POs with exceptions, low-stock planning, and operational review cadence — at $99/month. ### When to choose xtraCHEF Choose xtraCHEF for invoice automation and AP workflows — line-item extraction, GL coding, approval workflows, and vendor reconciliation by tier. ### Key differences - **Invoice focus:** xtraCHEF leads with invoice-to-data automation and AP workflows. Vellin includes invoice scanning within a broader purchasing workflow. - **Purchasing structure:** Vellin provides more structured PO execution with approval policies and exception tracking. xtraCHEF focuses on capturing cost data from invoices. - **Target user:** Vellin targets operators and managers. xtraCHEF aligns well with controllers and accountants. - **Pricing:** Vellin at straightforward $99/month. xtraCHEF uses tiered feature pricing. --- ## Vellin vs Orca Inventory https://vellinapp.com/compare/vellin-vs-orca-inventory Workflow-first at an accessible price versus a feature-heavy suite with add-on pricing. ### When to choose Vellin Choose Vellin for workflow-first approach — vendor catalog discipline, PO execution, receiving exceptions, low-stock habits, weekly reviews — at $99/month. ### When to choose Orca Inventory Choose Orca Inventory for a broader suite ($199/month/store) with offline counting emphasis, integration breadth (80+ companies), EDI vendor list, and invoice capture as a paid add-on. ### Key differences - **Workflow vs features:** Vellin documents and structures the operator workflow. Orca Inventory offers a wider feature set with add-on pricing. - **Offline counting:** Orca Inventory emphasizes offline counting as a core differentiator. Vellin supports offline counting within its mobile workflow. - **Integrations:** Orca Inventory positions 80+ integration partners and an EDI vendor list. Vellin focuses on webhook-based integration. - **Invoice processing:** Orca Inventory offers invoice capture as a paid add-on. Vellin includes AI invoice scanning in plans. - **Pricing:** Vellin at $99/month flat vs Orca at $199/month/store plus add-ons. --- ## Blog Index https://vellinapp.com/blog All published blog articles on restaurant food cost, inventory management, purchasing, vendor management, and operational best practices. --- ## Compare Index https://vellinapp.com/compare Side-by-side comparisons of Vellin against other restaurant management platforms — MarketMan, MarginEdge, Restaurant365, xtraCHEF, and Orca Inventory. --- ## Knowledge Base Index https://vellinapp.com/kb Guides and how-to articles for restaurant operators — getting started, vendor management, purchase orders, inventory counting, reporting, security, and more. --- ## Additional Knowledge Base Articles - [Multi-Location Restaurant Management Setup](https://vellinapp.com/kb/multi-location-management): Configure and manage multiple restaurant locations with shared catalogs and location-level controls. - [Restaurant Team Roles and Permissions](https://vellinapp.com/kb/team-roles-permissions): Set up team access, roles, and permission levels for chefs, managers, and owners. - [Restaurant Invoice Scanning and Document Processing](https://vellinapp.com/kb/documents-invoices): AI-powered invoice scanning, document upload, and cost extraction workflows. - [Billing, Plan Limits, and Account Recovery](https://vellinapp.com/kb/billing-limits-recovery): Plan management, usage limits, upgrade paths, and account recovery steps. - [Vendor Portal for Restaurant Suppliers](https://vellinapp.com/kb/vendor-portal): Supplier-side portal for PO collaboration, catalog updates, and performance tracking. - [Troubleshooting Common Restaurant Operations Issues](https://vellinapp.com/kb/troubleshooting): Incident triage and escalation guidance for counts, orders, receiving, and access. - [Mobile Inventory App and Offline Counting](https://vellinapp.com/kb/mobile-app): Mobile counting, offline mode, and data sync workflows. - [AI Assistant for Restaurant Operations](https://vellinapp.com/kb/ai-assistant): AI-powered operational insights, natural language queries, and action plan generation. - [Food Supplier Marketplace and Vendor Discovery](https://vellinapp.com/kb/supplier-marketplace): Discover and connect with food suppliers through the marketplace. - [Restaurant Team Chat and Shift Messaging](https://vellinapp.com/kb/team-chat): In-app team messaging and shift communication tools. - [Recipe Costing and Food Cost Percentage Tracking](https://vellinapp.com/kb/recipe-costing): Recipe cost calculation and menu profitability analysis. - [Restaurant Food Waste Tracking and Reduction](https://vellinapp.com/kb/waste-tracking): Waste logging, analysis, and reduction strategies. - [Low-Stock Alerts and Restaurant Notifications](https://vellinapp.com/kb/notifications-alerts): Configurable alerts for inventory, vendor cutoffs, and price changes. - [Restaurant Data Export and Scheduled Reports](https://vellinapp.com/kb/data-export): Export data and schedule automated reports for operational review. - [Restaurant Software Integrations and Webhooks](https://vellinapp.com/kb/integrations-webhooks): Third-party integrations and webhook configuration. - [Par Level Management and Reorder Points](https://vellinapp.com/kb/par-levels): Par-level strategy, automatic reorder triggers, and threshold management. - [Food Cost Variance and Price History Analysis](https://vellinapp.com/kb/price-variance): Price tracking, variance detection, and cost trend analysis. ## Additional Blog Posts - [Typical Seafood Restaurant Food Cost Percentage](https://vellinapp.com/blog/seafood-food-cost-percentage): Managing the most volatile ingredient costs in the restaurant industry - [Average Steakhouse Food Cost Percentage Benchmarks](https://vellinapp.com/blog/steakhouse-food-cost-percentage): Why steakhouses run the highest food cost in the industry and how they stay profitable - [What Is a Good Food Cost Percentage for Pizza Restaurants?](https://vellinapp.com/blog/pizza-food-cost-percentage): Why pizza has some of the best margins in the industry and how to keep them that way - [Free Restaurant Food Cost Percentage Calculator](https://vellinapp.com/blog/food-cost-percentage-calculator): Use these simple calculators and tables to find your restaurant's food cost percentage, per-dish cost, and ideal menu price in... - [Average Restaurant Food Cost Percentage by Cuisine Type](https://vellinapp.com/blog/food-cost-percentage-by-cuisine-type): A comprehensive comparison of food cost percentages across every major cuisine type — from Italian and Mexican to Asian, seafoo... - [How to Calculate Food Cost Per Serving (Free Calculator)](https://vellinapp.com/blog/food-cost-per-serving-calculator): How to calculate the cost per serving for any recipe — from simple dishes to complex batch recipes with multiple sub-components. - [Best Food Cost Control Methods for Restaurants](https://vellinapp.com/blog/food-cost-control-methods): The most effective food cost control methods for independent restaurants — from daily practices to monthly systems that keep co... - [The Ultimate Food Cost Control Checklist for Restaurant Managers](https://vellinapp.com/blog/food-cost-control-checklist): A daily, weekly, and monthly checklist for controlling food cost — the habits and checks that keep your numbers on track. - [What Is the FIFO Method in Restaurant Inventory Management?](https://vellinapp.com/blog/fifo-method-restaurant): How the First In, First Out (FIFO) method works in restaurants — why it matters, how to implement it, and how it prevents spoil... - [Restaurant Costing Guide: How to Calculate Food Cost](https://vellinapp.com/blog/costing-for-restaurant): Everything you need to know about restaurant costing — from recipe costing to menu pricing, COGS tracking, and the systems that... - [Typical Catering Food Cost Percentage Benchmarks](https://vellinapp.com/blog/catering-food-cost-percentage): Food cost benchmarks for catering operations — how batch cooking, minimum orders, and event pricing affect your margins. - [What Is the Average Bar Food Cost Percentage?](https://vellinapp.com/blog/bar-food-cost-percentage): Food cost benchmarks for bars and pubs — how to manage food margins when beverages are the primary profit driver. - [What Is a Good Bakery and Café Food Cost Percentage?](https://vellinapp.com/blog/bakery-food-cost-percentage): Food cost benchmarks for bakeries and cafés — why flour-based operations have excellent margins and where the profit pitfalls are. - [What Is the Average Restaurant Food Cost Percentage?](https://vellinapp.com/blog/average-restaurant-food-cost-percentage): What's the average food cost percentage for restaurants? Get industry benchmarks by restaurant type, cuisine, and size — with d... - [AI Automated Invoice Processing for Restaurants](https://vellinapp.com/blog/ai-automated-invoice-processing-for-restaurants): How AI-powered invoice processing works for restaurants, what it saves in time and money, and how to implement it without a big... - [Actual vs Theoretical Food Cost](https://vellinapp.com/blog/how-to-calculate-actual-vs-theoretical-food-cost): Understand the difference between actual and theoretical food cost, how to calculate both, and what the gap between them reveal... - [6 Ways to Keep Food Costs Steady All Year Long](https://vellinapp.com/blog/keep-food-costs-steady-year-round): How restaurants can handle seasonal swings, pricing pressure, and operational drift - [6 Practical Ways to Get More Value From Your Inventory Software](https://vellinapp.com/blog/get-more-from-inventory-software): How to turn a tool into a real operating advantage instead of a digital filing cabinet - [5 Ways to Protect Your Restaurant When Vendors Miss, Delay, or Raise Prices](https://vellinapp.com/blog/protecting-restaurants-from-vendor-problems): A practical supplier-management guide for restaurant owners and chefs - [5 Ways to Keep Restaurant Performance Strong When Business Gets Unpredictable](https://vellinapp.com/blog/performance-during-uncertain-times): How owners can protect cash, service, and team confidence during volatile periods - [5 Scheduling Moves That Help You Stay Fully Staffed Without Overspending](https://vellinapp.com/blog/scheduling-to-avoid-short-staffing): How better scheduling protects service, morale, and labor cost at the same time - [5 Reasons Growing Restaurants Need One System for Inventory, Ordering, and Cost Control](https://vellinapp.com/blog/why-restaurants-need-a-management-system): Why disconnected tools create hidden labor, weak visibility, and avoidable margin loss - [4 Menu Changes That Improve Profit Without Upsetting Regulars](https://vellinapp.com/blog/menu-changes-that-improve-profit): How to strengthen contribution margin while protecting guest trust - [How Food Holidays Can Fill Seats and Raise Average Checks](https://vellinapp.com/blog/food-holiday-marketing-for-restaurants): Seasonal promotion ideas that feel useful for operators, not gimmicky - [10 Restaurant Numbers Owners Should Review Every Week](https://vellinapp.com/blog/restaurant-metrics-every-owner-should-track): A simple scorecard for margin, labor, menu, and operating discipline - [10 Inventory Habits That Lower Food Cost and Keep Kitchens Running Smoothly](https://vellinapp.com/blog/inventory-habits-lower-food-cost): Practical guidance for chefs, managers, and restaurant owners - [Actual vs. Theoretical Food Cost: Understanding Variance Analysis for Restaurants](https://vellinapp.com/blog/actual-vs-theoretical-food-cost): Most restaurant operators know their food cost percentage. Fewer understand why that number is what it is. Actual food cost tel... - [Restaurant Vendor Management: Building a Reliable Supply Chain](https://vellinapp.com/blog/restaurant-vendor-management): Independent restaurants typically work with three to seven vendors, ranging from broadline distributors to specialty suppliers... - [How to Reduce Food Waste in Your Restaurant: A Data-Driven Guide](https://vellinapp.com/blog/reduce-restaurant-food-waste): The U.S. restaurant industry spends approximately $162 billion per year on food that ends up wasted. Full-service restaurants g... - [Manual vs. Automated Restaurant Procurement: A Complete Comparison](https://vellinapp.com/blog/manual-vs-automated-procurement): Every restaurant must purchase ingredients, but the method of procurement varies enormously. Some operators still place orders... - [How to Negotiate Better Prices with Restaurant Food Suppliers](https://vellinapp.com/blog/negotiate-food-supplier-prices): Ingredient costs are the largest controllable expense for most restaurants, typically consuming 28% to 35% of revenue. Even sma... - [PAR Level Inventory: How to Set and Maintain Optimal Stock Levels](https://vellinapp.com/blog/par-level-inventory-guide): Running out of a key ingredient during Saturday dinner service is every chef’s nightmare. Over-ordering that same ingredient an... - [How AI Invoice Scanning Is Transforming Restaurant Back-of-House Operations](https://vellinapp.com/blog/ai-invoice-scanning-restaurants): The average independent restaurant processes hundreds of invoices per month across multiple vendors. Each invoice contains line... - [Restaurant Inventory Management: The Complete Guide for 2026](https://vellinapp.com/blog/restaurant-inventory-management-guide): Inventory is one of the largest expenses a restaurant carries, typically accounting for 28% to 35% of revenue. Yet many operato... - [How to Calculate and Control Restaurant Food Cost Percentage](https://vellinapp.com/blog/restaurant-food-cost-percentage): Food cost percentage is the single most important financial metric for restaurant profitability. It measures how much of every... ## Optional - [Security Audit](https://vellinapp.com/security-audit): Security posture information. - [Security MFA](https://vellinapp.com/security-mfa): Multi-factor authentication guidance. - [Security Retention](https://vellinapp.com/security-retention): Data retention and deletion policy overview. - [Privacy Policy](https://vellinapp.com/privacy): Privacy policy. - [Terms](https://vellinapp.com/terms): Legal terms of service. - [Cookie Policy](https://vellinapp.com/cookies): Cookie usage and controls. - [Data Request](https://vellinapp.com/data-request): Privacy and data request workflow. - [Open-source Licenses](https://vellinapp.com/licenses): OSS license disclosures. - [Order Tracking Entry](https://vellinapp.com/order-tracking): Public order lookup entry point. - [Download](https://vellinapp.com/download): Mobile app download. - [Contact](https://vellinapp.com/contact): Contact form and phone. - [Feedback](https://vellinapp.com/feedback): Public feedback submission. - [Status](https://vellinapp.com/status): Platform uptime status.