# CafeTally Documentation Suite CafeTally documentation for inventory, stock checks, receipts, recipe costing, price drift, finance, integrations, automation, and team administration. # Getting started Set up a CafeTally workspace, create your first store, and choose the workflows to configure first. Source: /docs/getting-started Category: Start Updated: 2026-07-02 CafeTally works best when the store, stock forms, supplier receipts, and menu products are connected early. The first setup pass should create enough structure for the dashboard to show useful work instead of empty sections. ## Setup checklist 1. Create an account and verify the email address. 2. Open the dashboard and create your first store. 3. Add the store name, slug, contact details, and any notes managers need. 4. Build at least one stock form for the items the team counts most often. 5. Add products and recipes for the menu items where margin accuracy matters most. 6. Connect Square if you want catalog, sales, or inventory automation. 7. Connect Plaid if you want bank-backed finance reporting. 8. Invite team members after the first workflows are ready. ## Choose a starting workflow Start with stock checks if your team is missing items, over-ordering, or relying on chat messages to know what is low. Start with products and recipes if you need accurate COGS, menu prices, or margin reviews. Start with receipts if supplier prices are changing or invoices are not making it back into costing. Start with finance if you need a monthly view of cash flow, P&L, and operating categories. ## Store structure Each store has a public slug that is used by store-specific dashboard routes and stock check links. Use a slug that staff can recognize and avoid names that may conflict with reserved product routes. Multi-location teams should create one store per operating location so stock counts, Square locations, finance data, and team workflows remain separated. ## Day-one validation After setup, open the dashboard and confirm that the feature overview points to the workflows you expect to use. Open Stock to confirm the store and forms are visible. Open Products to confirm recipe setup can begin for the selected store. Open Integrations before relying on Square or Plaid data. --- # Stock checks and storefront forms Build stock forms, share QR access, collect counts, and review low-stock activity. Source: /docs/stock-checks Category: Operations Updated: 2026-07-02 Stock checks turn repeated inventory counts into a store workflow. Managers build forms in the dashboard and staff complete those forms from store-specific links or QR codes. ## Core concepts A store contains one or more stock check forms. A form contains the items the team counts together, such as milk, syrups, cups, pastries, or retail bags. Each item can have a quantity, unit, par level, low-stock threshold, and notes. Recent submissions feed the stock dashboard so owners can see what changed. ## Demo frames ![Stock dashboard overview with active forms, recent checks, and current store context.](/docs/demo-frames/inventory-store-overview.jpg) ![Daily inventory form builder with grouped stock items and editable count fields.](/docs/demo-frames/inventory-form-builder.jpg) ![Storefront count screen for staff entering item quantities from a phone-friendly flow.](/docs/demo-frames/inventory-storefront-count.jpg) ![QR code sharing screen for giving staff direct access to out-of-stock and stock check workflows.](/docs/demo-frames/qr-code-share.jpg) ![Mobile count step opened from a QR workflow with item quantity controls.](/docs/demo-frames/qr-mobile-count.jpg) ## Create a form 1. Open `Dashboard > Stock`. 2. Select the store you want to configure. 3. Create a stock form for a count routine such as opening prep, closing count, or weekly dry goods. 4. Add items in the order the team will count them. 5. Set thresholds for items that should trigger attention. 6. Save the form and test it from the storefront view. ## Share access Use the share controls or QR code generator when staff need fast access from a phone. Place QR codes where the count happens, such as the walk-in, dry storage, or register area. QR links should route staff to the right store and form without sending them through the owner dashboard. ## Review results Use the stock dashboard to see active forms, recent checks, and items below target. If a form is noisy, split it into smaller workflows by station or storage area. If staff skip items repeatedly, rename the item, add a note, or move it closer to related items in the form. ## Alerts Low-stock alerts are most useful when thresholds match ordering behavior. Set thresholds around the point where the next order decision should happen, not the point where the item is already unavailable. Use notification emails for managers who are responsible for ordering. --- # Products, recipes, and costing Build products, attach recipes, calculate COGS, and keep menu margins connected to real purchase costs. Source: /docs/products-recipes-costing Category: Costing Updated: 2026-07-02 Products and recipes connect what you sell to what you buy. CafeTally uses ingredients, units, recipes, modifiers, and selling prices to calculate product cost and margin. ## Demo frames ![Products and recipes list showing tracked products, available templates, and margin entry points.](/docs/demo-frames/products-menu-list.jpg) ![Recipe builder panel with ingredient rows, quantities, units, and save controls.](/docs/demo-frames/products-recipe-builder.jpg) ![Ingredient cost editing view for matching purchased items to product recipes.](/docs/demo-frames/products-ingredient-costs.jpg) ![Margin review view showing selling price, COGS, and margin output after recipe changes.](/docs/demo-frames/products-margin-review.jpg) ## Product workflow 1. Open `Dashboard > Products`. 2. Select the store you want to manage. 3. Add or import the menu products that need costing. 4. Add a selling price for each product. 5. Build the recipe from inventory items or supplier line items. 6. Review COGS, margin, and products that need attention. ## Ingredients and units An ingredient should represent a real purchased item whenever possible. Use purchase units for how the item is bought, such as case, bag, pound, gallon, or each. Use recipe units for how the item is consumed in a recipe, such as ounce, gram, milliliter, shot, scoop, or unit. Add conversions when the purchase unit and recipe unit are different. ## Recipes A recipe is a list of ingredients and quantities for a product. Use templates for repeatable product families, such as latte sizes or modifier patterns. Use nested recipes when a prep item becomes an ingredient in other products. Review recipe output after applying templates because store-specific ingredient names may need alias matching. ## Modifiers Modifiers capture product changes that affect cost, price, or both. Examples include milk alternatives, extra espresso, syrups, toppings, and size changes. Attach modifier groups when a product has predictable options. Use templates when the same modifier structure applies across many products. ## Margin review Margin review is only as accurate as the underlying selling price, ingredient cost, and unit conversion. When a product looks wrong, check those three areas before changing the recipe. Use receipts and expense matching to keep ingredient base costs current. --- # Receipts and price drift Upload supplier receipts, review line-item matches, update costs, and catch price changes before margins slip. Source: /docs/receipts-price-drift Category: Costing Updated: 2026-07-02 Receipts feed the costing system with current supplier prices. Price drift turns those supplier changes into alerts and margin review work. ## Receipt upload 1. Open the store dashboard and go to Receipts or Expenses. 2. Upload an invoice or receipt image. 3. Review extracted vendor, date, totals, and line items. 4. Match receipt lines to existing inventory items when suggestions are correct. 5. Create or update inventory items when a receipt line introduces a new purchased item. 6. Save the receipt so matched costs can update costing history. ## Review queue Receipt matching should be reviewed before it changes important costs. Use the review screen to confirm item names, units, quantities, and prices. Resolve aliases when a vendor uses a different name for an ingredient that already exists. Check pack sizes carefully because a unit mismatch can make product COGS look wrong. ## Price drift Price drift compares newer supplier prices against prior purchase history. It is designed to answer which ingredients changed, how large the change is, and where the margin impact may land. Use the price drift page to prioritize high-impact changes before changing menu prices or recipes. ## Common fixes If an item appears as a duplicate, merge or alias the supplier line to the existing ingredient. If the price looks too high or too low, check quantity and unit normalization first. If the receipt total is correct but item costs are wrong, review pack size and tax handling. If drift alerts are missing, confirm receipts are matched to inventory items rather than saved as unmatched expenses. --- # Finance and Plaid Connect bank data, sync transactions, review cash flow, manage categories, and protect finance pages with MFA. Source: /docs/finance-plaid Category: Finance Updated: 2026-07-02 Finance combines bank transactions, categorization rules, cash flow, P&L, monthly reporting, and Square deposit tracking. Plaid powers bank connectivity when finance tracking is enabled for a store. ## Demo frames ![Finance overview showing monthly business performance and store-level financial context.](/docs/demo-frames/finance-overview.jpg) ![Cash flow table showing inflows, operating costs, and net income by month.](/docs/demo-frames/finance-cashflow.jpg) ![P&L view showing categorized revenue, COGS, labor, expenses, and operating profit.](/docs/demo-frames/finance-pnl.jpg) ![Monthly report view summarizing cash flow, profit pressure, and report sections.](/docs/demo-frames/finance-monthly-report.jpg) ## Connect bank data 1. Open `Dashboard > Finance` for the store. 2. Start the Plaid connection flow. 3. Select the business bank account or accounts that should feed reporting. 4. Confirm the connection status after Plaid returns to CafeTally. 5. Run an initial sync if the page does not show recent transactions. ## Security Finance pages can require a valid MFA session. If MFA is requested, complete the challenge before viewing sensitive financial data. Disconnect Plaid from the integration settings if a store should no longer sync bank data. ## Reports Cash flow shows movement across selected periods. P&L groups income, COGS, labor, operating expenses, transfers, and other categories into a monthly view. Monthly reports help operators review whether the business is improving, flat, or drifting in the wrong direction. ## Categories and rules Rules help classify repeated vendors and transaction patterns. Use manual category overrides when a transaction is correct for this month but should not create a broad rule. Audit views are useful when finance numbers look surprising because they show how a transaction was classified. ## Sync expectations Plaid data can lag depending on institution behavior and account freshness. Square deposits may need matching logic because payment processor deposits often combine multiple sales days, fees, and adjustments. If numbers look off, compare the date range, account coverage, category rules, and transfer detection before assuming revenue or expense data is missing. --- # Square integrations Connect Square, use catalog and location data, and support inventory workflows that depend on POS activity. Source: /docs/square-integrations Category: Operations Updated: 2026-07-02 Square is the primary POS integration for CafeTally. It can support catalog-aware workflows, sales-informed reporting, location mapping, and scheduled inventory automation. ## Demo frames ![Square-connected rulebook list showing scheduled inventory reset automation.](/docs/demo-frames/rulebooks-list.jpg) ![Rulebook product selection with Square products loaded into the automation builder.](/docs/demo-frames/rulebooks-product-selection.jpg) ![Out-of-stock QR code view for Square-connected stock recovery workflows.](/docs/demo-frames/qr-stock-dashboard.jpg) ## Connect Square 1. Open `Dashboard > Integrations`. 2. Start the Square connection flow. 3. Authorize the Square account that owns the cafe locations. 4. Confirm location access after returning to CafeTally. 5. Review any catalog or inventory workflows that depend on Square data. ## Locations Square location mapping matters for multi-location teams. Confirm each CafeTally store maps to the intended Square location before relying on sales, catalog, or inventory updates. If location data looks wrong, disconnecting and reconnecting is less useful than verifying the selected Square location IDs. ## Catalog usage Square catalog data can help align products, modifiers, and sales activity. CafeTally still needs ingredient costs, unit conversions, and recipes to calculate accurate COGS. Use Square as the source of what is sold, then use CafeTally as the source of how those products are costed. ## Inventory automation Rulebooks can use Square connectivity for scheduled inventory resets across selected products. Do not enable automation until the selected products, locations, and schedule have been reviewed. Use a narrow rulebook first, confirm the result, then expand automation once the pattern is trusted. ## Troubleshooting If Square appears disconnected, check the integration status in the dashboard. If products are missing, confirm the Square account and location are correct. If an automation does not run, check the rulebook schedule, Square connection, and selected products. --- # Rulebooks and automation Create scheduled operational rulebooks for repeated Square inventory updates and recurring stock routines. Source: /docs/automations-rulebooks Category: Automation Updated: 2026-07-02 Rulebooks are scheduled automation plans for repeated operational work. The current rulebook workflow focuses on bulk-managing Square inventory resets across many products. ## Demo frames ![Rulebooks list with active automation and a new rulebook entry point.](/docs/demo-frames/rulebooks-list.jpg) ![Rulebook builder with schedule controls and loading product selection.](/docs/demo-frames/rulebooks-product-selection.jpg) ![Rulebook review screen with active toggle, schedule, selected products, and run controls.](/docs/demo-frames/rulebooks-schedule-review.jpg) ## When to use rulebooks Use a rulebook when the same action happens on a predictable schedule. Examples include resetting displayed inventory before a sales window, preparing limited-run product counts, or clearing stock for items that are remade daily. Do not use a rulebook for one-off corrections because manual review is safer for unusual changes. ## Create a rulebook 1. Open the store dashboard and go to `Rulebooks`. 2. Confirm Square is connected for the store. 3. Create a new rulebook. 4. Select the products the rulebook should manage. 5. Configure the schedule. 6. Review the affected products before saving. ## Scheduling Schedules should match the operational moment when the update is needed. Use clear names that describe the job, the affected products, and the timing. Keep the first schedule conservative until the team confirms the automation behaves as expected. ## Review and maintenance Review rulebooks after menu changes, seasonal product launches, or Square catalog cleanup. Remove products from a rulebook when they are no longer sold or should no longer be reset automatically. Pause or delete a rulebook before changing many catalog items at once. ## Failure checks If a rulebook is not updating products, confirm Square is connected and the store has the correct location. Check that selected products still exist in Square. Confirm the schedule is active and the expected run time has passed. --- # Team, access, and security Manage team members, account security, MFA, data retention, and admin workflows. Source: /docs/team-security Category: Administration Updated: 2026-07-02 CafeTally separates owner dashboard work from storefront workflows. Owners and managers should have dashboard access only when they need to manage configuration, integrations, finance, products, or team settings. ## Team access Use `Dashboard > Team` to manage staff who need authenticated access. Invite people with the minimum access they need for their work. For simple stock counts, prefer shared storefront form access or QR links when a staff account is not necessary. ## Account security Use email verification before relying on an account for store operations. Use MFA for sensitive areas such as finance when available. Review active team membership when employees leave or roles change. ## Store access Store-level access protects dashboard routes for products, finance, expenses, rulebooks, and chat. If a user cannot open a store page, confirm their team membership and store access before changing the store slug. Superadmin views are for internal administration and should not be used as a replacement for customer team permissions. ## Data retention CafeTally includes public data retention and disposal information at `/data-retention-disposal`. Use that page when a customer asks how retained data is handled. Account deletion workflows should remove or anonymize user-owned data according to the product policy. ## Operational review Review team access after adding new locations, connecting finance data, or enabling automation. Security work should be part of operational setup, not a cleanup task after sensitive workflows are already live. --- # AI chat and agent workflows Use CafeTally chat to inspect store context, create products, audit COGS, and work with receipts. Source: /docs/ai-chat Category: Automation Updated: 2026-07-02 CafeTally includes AI-assisted workflows for store operations. The chat workspace can use store context and product tools to help operators inspect, create, and update operational data. ## What AI can help with AI can search products, inspect recipes, calculate product COGS, create inventory items, create products, create recipes, manage modifiers, list expenses, upload receipts, and match receipt items. The best prompts name the store, product, ingredient, vendor, or receipt being discussed. Use AI for repetitive setup and analysis, then review important changes before relying on them. ## Product and recipe work Ask for a product audit when a margin looks wrong. Ask for a recipe suggestion when a new product needs an initial costing draft. Ask the chat to find matching ingredients before creating duplicates. Review generated recipes for quantity, unit, and modifier accuracy. ## Receipt work Use receipt tools when a supplier invoice needs extraction or matching. AI can help map receipt lines to inventory items, but pack sizes and units still need operator review. Save matched receipt items only after the names, quantities, and unit costs make sense. ## Practical prompts ```text Audit the COGS for our 12 oz latte and tell me which ingredient is driving the margin. ``` ```text Create a draft recipe for a large oat latte using the existing espresso, oat milk, and cup ingredients. ``` ```text Review the latest receipt and match any obvious supplier lines to existing inventory items. ``` ## Guardrails AI output should not override owner judgment on pricing, vendor disputes, payroll, tax, or bank reconciliation. Use the dashboard review screens for final confirmation when changes affect costs, recipes, receipts, or finance reports. --- # Troubleshooting Diagnose common setup, inventory, costing, receipt, finance, and integration issues. Source: /docs/troubleshooting Category: Reference Updated: 2026-07-02 Most CafeTally issues come from missing setup, mismatched units, duplicate items, disconnected integrations, or an unexpected date range. Use this guide to narrow the problem before changing data. ## Stock forms If staff cannot open a form, confirm the store slug, form link, and QR code destination. If a count is missing, confirm the submission was completed and saved. If low-stock alerts are noisy, adjust thresholds to the point where ordering action should happen. ## Product costs If COGS is too high or too low, check ingredient cost, recipe quantity, and unit conversion. If a product appears twice, check whether it came from Square catalog data, manual creation, or a template. If a modifier is missing from cost, confirm the modifier group is attached to the product and has cost-bearing ingredients where needed. ## Receipts If receipt matching creates duplicates, add aliases or match lines to existing ingredients. If a receipt line has the wrong cost, review quantity, pack size, and unit. If price drift is missing, confirm the receipt line is matched to an inventory item. ## Finance If finance data is missing, confirm Plaid is connected for the store and the account is included. If a report looks wrong, check date range, transaction category, transfer detection, and Square deposit matching. If a page asks for MFA, complete the challenge before troubleshooting report data. ## Integrations If Square data looks wrong, confirm the account and location mapping. If automation fails, confirm Square is connected, the selected products still exist, and the rulebook schedule is active. If reconnecting does not fix the issue, review location IDs and permissions before changing product data.