PC-FOOD II Professional Food Costing Version 8.0 User's Guide (GUIDE.TXT) CONTENTS Product Support ............................................ 1 Overview ................................................... 2 Requirements ............................................... 3 Installation (please refer to the on-disk INSTALL.TXT file) Getting Started ............................................ 4 Operation: General Commands/Navigating ...................... 5 Ingredient ....................................... 6 Recipe ........................................... 7 Menu Item ........................................ 9 Menu Mix ......................................... 11 Miscellaneous .............................................. 13 Acknowledgements ........................................... 13 Page 1 PRODUCT SUPPORT If you have questions about PC-FOOD II while evaluating the shareware version or after purchasing the registered version, please contact us using one of the following: 1) Electronic Mail (PREFERRED METHOD) INTERNET 76467.2213@compuserve.com CompuServe 76467,2213 2) U.S. Postal Service 3) Call us at 612-731-6822 (LEAST PREFERRED). We do NOT return long-distance phone calls. However, we will be happy to take your call and answer your question(s). 4) Fax your question(s) to us at 612-731-6822. Include your complete mailing address, as we will reply via mail. You may obtain the latest shareware version of PC-FOOD II from our world wide web page at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/schreck/ Page 2 PROGRAM OVERVIEW PC-FOOD II was developed as an easy to use alternative to high priced, complex systems. If you hate the learning curve of most software packages, you will love PC-FOOD II. With PC-FOOD II you will no longer manually calculate food cost each time ingredient costs change. Just compare invoice prices with the ingredient listing in PC-FOOD II, edit any prices that have changed, and PC-FOOD II will instantly update all calculations throughout! PC-FOOD II is very easy to use! In addition to calculating food cost (materials cost), PC-FOOD II will also maintain two required selling prices for each menu item. One selling price is based on a desired gross profit dollar amount, while the other is based on a desired gross profit percentage. Gross profit is selling price minus food cost. The "price changes" feature of PC-FOOD II will alert you to items which are outside of your pricing specifications. Pricing is an "art" not a science. PC-FOOD II is NOT capable of determining appropriate prices for you. Don't forget competition when pricing! Also, remember that gross profit must cover all operating costs and provide you with your desired profit. Don't confuse gross profit with net profit. PC-FOOD II consists of three data files that are intricately linked. Ingredients consist of your raw materials. You define how you buy (what unit) and use ingredients. Version 8.0 now handles physical inventory by allowing you to input your on-hand quantity and extending a value at your latest cost. Recipes use ingredients. Select from a pop-up sorted list of ingredients and input the quantity used. You define a "usage unit" for the recipe and tell PC-FOOD II how many of these units are in this recipe "batch." Input a batch yield to arrive at a net cost per usage unit. Menu items are defined similarly to recipes. However, a menu item may select input from recipes and or directly from ingredients. After providing the current selling price for the menu item, PC-FOOD II will calculate the actual gross profit dollar amount and gross profit percent to sales. Next, input a DESIRED gross profit dollar amount and or a DESIRED gross profit percentage. PC-FOOD II will calculate the REQUIRED selling prices to achieve those objectives. Another feature of PC-FOOD II is the Menu Mix function which will maintain an overall food cost, total revenue and total gross profit for one or more menu item "mixes." Page 3 REQUIREMENTS MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: IBM or compatible "286" (AT) or compatible computer with 640K RAM, one 720K or 1.44MM 3.5" floppy drive, hard drive and a printer. PROGRAM CAPACITIES: From the Main Menu, PC-FOOD II displays the minimum number of additional items which may be added. This is the SUM of ingredients, recipes, and menu items. Please note that if an item is deleted, the counter will not release the record. Adding a new item after previously deleting an item will likewise not reduce the counter. Total capacity is dependent on available conventional memory. With 517K of RAM available, approximately 2,000 items (ingredients + recipes + menu items) may be added. Please refer to your DOS/system manual for methods to increase available conventional (640K) memory. Generally, you will gain space for one additional item for each 64 bytes freed (10 items per 1K). DISK SPACE: The Main Menu displays available disk space. Do not attempt to exceed available space! Always leave a safety margin. Unpredictable results will occur if you attempt to exceed available disk space, including loss or corruption of data and program crash. Clean up your hard drive to open up more storage space. The "DAT" and "MMX" files MUST BE CONSIDERED AN INSEPARABLE SET. To begin with all new data, delete all "DAT" files and any "MMX" files. When you back-up your data, ALWAYS backup and keep files with ".DAT" and ".MMX" file extensions together as a set. These files require each other to maintain data integrity. If you modify one of the files using PC-FOOD II while one or more of the other files are unavailable, unpredictable results will occur including certain data corruption. PC-FOOD II uses the computer's system clock in several functions. If you have not set the clock, please do so. STARTING PC-FOOD II (from DOS) after installation: C:\PCFOOD\PCFD STARTING PC-FOOD II (from Windows) after installation: Simply click on the "Food Cost" icon. Page 4 GETTING STARTED Please read the "OPERATION" section before starting PC-FOOD II. The most efficient method to begin the definition process is with ingredients, then recipes and finally menu items. Recipes use ingredients and menu items may use ingredients and or recipes. As you work with the program, you will see that it minimizes the need to constantly go back to define new ingredients if they are defined first. If you installed the DEMO data files, take a few minutes to work with and review that data. When you are ready to begin with your own data, you may simply add to or delete the demo data from PC-FOOD II (item by item) or see the REQUIREMENTS section for instructions on which files to delete from the disk. All data may be quickly edited as you setup PC-FOOD II. You may find it necessary to input partial information for an item then return to complete the item later. This can be quickly accomplished within PC-FOOD II. Recipes are not generally served as a single unit but are instead used in menu items. Pizza, bread dough, sauces, cookies, hot dish, etc., could all be defined as recipes. Menu items are the final products sold (or served) as a single unit. A single bowl of soup, an individual cookie, a sandwich, pizza, beverage, steak dinner, etc., are all menu item examples. To cost out an entire banquet, just define a menu mix file containing your selected menu items in any quantity. Page 5 GENERAL COMMANDS/NAVIGATING General On-line help is available whenever the F1=Help button is displayed. Data input fields and most "buttons" contain context sensitive help. Just press F1 while the cursor is located in the field or on the button. Press tab, back-tab, a directional arrow key or click, to place the cursor in the desired field or button. Mouse Tips: * The right mouse button acts as Escape, taking you back one step/screen. * One click of the left mouse button selects a button choice or locates the cursor to an input field. * Double click the left mouse button on a list choice to select/display it. * Scrollable lists (ingredients, recipes, etc.) may be navigated in many ways: - Click the up or down scroll bar pointer to move up or down in the list. - Hold down the left button and drag the scroll bar "diamond" up or down. - Click on the horizontal border immediately above or below the data in a scrollable window to move up or down. Keyboard movement keys are all fully supported and include PgUp, PgDn, Home, End, Tab, Back-Tab (shift-Tab) and the directional arrows. * Press to select a scrollable list choice. * Escape will always take you back one step/screen. * To quickly search for an item by DESCRIPTION in a scrollable listing, just press the key representing the first character of the description. You will step through the listing stopping on each item that begins with the search character. Page 6 INGREDIENT From the Ingredient Listing, you have several options: F2=Sort: The selected sort is automatically saved. Subsequent inserting of ingredients in recipes or menu items will use this sort. F3=New: Define a new ingredient. If you use the same ingredient in more than one "usage unit," you may want to define the same item more than once (i.e. piece & ounce, etc.) for the same description/dept/vendor. F4=Delete: You will not be able to delete an item that is used in a recipe or menu item. Do not override by changing the description from "sugar" to "peas" because every recipe or menu item that used sugar will now use peas! F5=Used: List all recipes and menu items that use the highlighted ingredient. F8=Export: Saves the selected fields for all ingredients to a comma delimited file. Import this data to a spreadsheet or other program for additional report generation, etc. F9=Value: Ingredients are selected in the same manner as in printing (see F10=Print). Your latest input quantity and cost is used for the calculation. F10=Print: Report choices are determined by the location of the highlight bar in the ingredient listing. To print an individual ingredient, place the highlight bar on the specific item. To print all records where department = "produce," place the highlight bar on ANY "produce" item. Likewise, to print all items where the department = "produce" AND the vendor = "GFG," place the highlight bar on ANY ingredient that is both "produce" and from "GFG." Select Item Master "M" or Inventory "I" report. The inventory report is very useful as an input form. Pencil your latest quantity and cost below each existing value on the report. Then input the data to PC-FOOD II using the same sort. Page 7 RECIPE From the Recipe Listing you have several options: F2=Sort: Double click or press on your choice. Your sort selection is automatically saved for use each time the recipe listing is displayed. Inserting recipes in menu items will also use this recipe listing sort. F3=New: Define a new recipe. Begin the definition of a new recipe by entering the description, department, usage unit, quantity of usage units per batch and batch yield. Then press F6 to save. Continue with the definition by inserting ingredients (F3). Edit any field in the lower box by pressing F7. Recipes may contain up to 30 ingredients in the scrollable list. The scroll bar will display when the number of ingredients exceeds the size of the recipe "window." Press F7 (or click F7=Edit) to move from the scrollable window to the input fields (description, dept, usage unit, gross qty, yield, notes). While in the scrollable window, press or double click to edit the usage quantity of the highlighted ingredient. Commands available at the detailed Recipe level: ----------------------------------------------------------- F3=Insert Ingredient: Select an ingredient from the scrollable listing. You may change the ingredient sort order within the ingredient listing section of PC-FOOD II. After selecting an ingredient, you will be prompted to input a usage quantity for the ingredient. Press F6 (or click F6=Save) to save the recipe with the new ingredient. The recipe will re-display with the inserted ingredient located at the highlighted bar location in the scrollable window. F4=Delete: Delete the ingredient that is highlighted in the scrollable window. The recipe will then re-display without the ingredient. F7=Edit: Allows access to the description, dept, usage unit, gross quantity, yield and note fields for editing. Press F1 in any field for additional help. F8=Previous: Steps backward through the recipe listing at the detail level. F10=Next: Steps forward through the recipe listing at the detail level. ----------------------------------------------------------- Page 8 RECIPE (continued) Continued: Recipe Listing command options: F4=Delete: You will not be able to delete an item that is used in a menu item. Do not override by changing the description from "chicken soup" to "chocolate cake" because every menu item that used chicken soup will now use chocolate cake! F5=Show Uses: List all menu items that use the recipe. F10=Print: Report choices are determined by the location of the highlight bar in the recipe listing. To print an individual recipe, place the highlight bar on the specific item. To print all records where department = "soup" place the highlight bar on ANY "soup" item. After placing the highlight bar, press F10=Print. From the printing screen, click or press in the report selection field and choose the desired report. The current recipe sort order is used for printing all reports. Page 9 MENU ITEM From the Menu Item Listing, you have several options: F2=Sort: Double click or press on your choice. Your sort selection is automatically saved for use each time the menu item listing is displayed. Inserting menu items in a menu mix file will also use this sort order. F3=New: Define a new menu item. Begin the definition of a menu item by entering the description, department, etc. Then press F6 to save and begin inserting ingredients and or recipes. Menu items may contain up to 30 ingredients and or recipes. The source (SRC) column will display an "R" if the item is a recipe or an "I" for ingredient. Press F7 (or click F7=Edit) to move from the scrollable window to the input fields (description, dept, selling price, desired gross profit $, desired gross profit %, notes). While in the scrollable window, press or double click to edit the usage quantity of the highlighted ingredient/recipe. Commands available at the detailed Menu Item level: ----------------------------------------------------------- F3=Insert Ingr: Select an ingredient from the scrollable listing. You will next be prompted to input a usage quantity for the ingredient. Press F6 (or click F6=Save) to save the menu item with the new ingredient. The menu item will re-display with the inserted ingredient located at the highlighted bar location in the scrollable window. The current sort order is used to display the scrollable list of ingredients. F4=Delete I/R: Delete the ingredient/recipe that is highlighted in the window. The menu item will then redisplay without the ingredient/recipe. F7=Edit: Access the description, dept, selling price, desired gross profit $, desired gross profit % and note fields. Press F1 in any field for additional help. F8=Previous: Steps backward through the menu item listing at the detail level. F9=Insert Recipe: Same as inserting an ingredient (see above). The current recipe sort order is used to display the scrollable list of recipes. You may change the sort within the recipe section of PC-FOOD II. F10=Next: Steps forward through the menu item listing at the detail level. ----------------------------------------------------------- Page 10 MENU ITEM (continued) Continued: Menu Item Listing command options: F4=Delete: Deleting a menu item also deletes it from any and all menu mix files. PC-FOOD II does NOT warn you if a menu mix file is using the item. F9=Price changes: Display or print required price changes. PC-FOOD II does NOT recommend prices or profits. YOU must determine appropriate pricing. F10=Print: Report choices are determined by the location of the highlight bar in the menu item listing. To print an individual item, place the highlight bar on the specific item. To print all records where department = "beverage" place the highlight bar on ANY "beverage" item. After placing the highlight bar, press F10=Print. From the printing screen, click or press in the report selection field and choose the desired report. The current menu item sort order is used for printing all reports. Page 11 MENU MIX Menu mix files provide the total revenue, total food cost, and total gross profit (revenue - food cost) for a "mix" of menu items. This is extremely useful for doing "what if's" with a time period of sales or estimating for banquets, school lunch programs, etc. DON'T FORGET that gross profit must cover all other operating expenses and provide you with your desired operating profit. As you edit data throughout PC-FOOD II, all related data is updated. Changing an ingredient cost will update recipes using the ingredient, update menu items using that recipe, and update menu mix files using that menu item! Press or double click a file to select: The file will be loaded and you may edit it as desired. From the main Menu Mix screen you have two options (plus help): F3=New File: Input a file name. If the file name is valid, you will be taken directly to the edit/define menu mix screen. Commands available at the detailed Menu Mix level: ----------------------------------------------------------- Press or double click to edit the usage quantity of the highlighted menu item. F3=Insert Item: Select a menu item from the scrollable listing. You will next be prompted to input a usage quantity for the menu item. Press F6 (or click F6=Save) to save the mix file with the new menu item. The mix file will redisplay with the inserted menu item located at the highlighted bar location in the scrollable window. The current sort order is used to display the scrollable list of menu items. Change the sort within the menu item section of PC-FOOD II. F4=Delete Item: Delete the menu item that is highlighted in the scrollable window. The mix file will then redisplay without the menu item. F10=Print: Print the currently displayed menu mix file. ----------------------------------------------------------- F4=Delete File: Delete the highlighted file from the disk. Page 12 MENU MIX (continued) NOTE: The message "****** CONFIRM THIS ITEM": Each menu mix file saves the menu item description and record number of each item used. A menu item deleted from PC-FOOD II will no longer exist in a mix file. However, because menu item record numbers are "recycled," the mix file may now contain an undesired item. Press to view, then F6 to save if the item is desired. If the item is not desired, press Esc then "F4=Delete Item" to remove it. This message also appears if ANY change has been made to the menu item description. Page 13 MISCELLANEOUS DON'T MISS THESE IMPORTANT POINTS: 1) Be sure to try finding an ingredient, recipe or menu item by just pressing the key representing the first character of the description. Continue to press the key to step through the listing. 2) When using a mouse, double click to select a list choice. Single click to select a button choice or to answer a (Y / N) question. 3) The location of the highlight bar determines the selections available for printed reports in ingredients, recipes and menu items. 4) When printing, the "lines per page" may be set for fewer lines than are available per page to add additional blank lines after a page number. Do not set the "lines per page" to exceed your printer's normal lines per page (normally 66 for a dot matrix and 60 for a laser). 5) IF YOU INTEND TO EXPORT INGREDIENTS BY USING F8=EXPORT, DO NOT USE DOUBLE QUOTATIONS (") IN ANY INGREDIENT TEXT FIELD. THE DOUBLE QUOTE CHARACTER SIGNALS THE END OF A TEXT FIELD FOR MANY PROGRAMS. IMPORTING THE INGREDIENTS THAT CONTAIN DOUBLE QUOTES WITHIN A DESCRIPTION OR NOTE WILL MOST LIKELY CAUSE THE RECORD TO IMPORT INCORRECTLY TO YOUR SPREADSHEET PROGRAM. 6) A numeric field that displays a preceeding "%" sign contains a value that has overflowed the display. The value may also be negative in adddition to being too large for the display. Examine the item containing the overflow for reasonableness. PC-FOOD II was designed for food costing, not for space shuttle development. The fields should allow for display if the values are reasonable. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IBM, IBM-AT, IBM 286 are trademarks of the International Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.