Overview
This article walks you through creating a new Food and Beverage (F&B) inventory item in foreUP so it can appear on F&B tickets and report revenue to the right sales department and category.
Before You Start
Make sure the following are in place:
- You are logged into foreUP.
- You have access to the Inventory module. If you do not see Inventory, contact your facility administrator or foreUP Support at (800) 929-5737.
- Your sales departments and sales categories are set up (these control where revenue reports in the back office).
- Ideally, your F&B menu categories (and any tax rates you need) are already defined so you can assign them when you create the item.
How to Create an F&B Inventory Item
Follow the steps below to create a Food and Beverage inventory item:
- Log into your foreUP account.
- Open the top-left module dropdown and select Inventory.
-
Across the top of the Inventory page, you'll see tabs for the different inventory types (such as All, Retail, Food and Beverage, Gift Cards, Passes, Service Fees, Item Kits, and Punch Cards). Select the Food and Beverage tab.
- In the top right, below the Actions button, click New F&B Inventory. This opens the add new Food and Beverage item modal.
Complete the Details Tab
The modal opens on the Details tab. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk (*). Fill these in at minimum before you save.
| Field | Required? | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Item Name | Yes | The name of the item (for example, Cheeseburger). |
| Sales Department | Yes | Where this item's revenue should report for back-office reporting. |
| Sales Category | Yes | The sales category under that department for reporting. |
| Subcategory | No | Optional extra labeling for further categorization of inventory items. |
| Quantity (or Unlimited) | Yes | Enter a quantity on hand, or check Unlimited for a non-stock item you do not track (for example, fountain soda). |
| Unit Price | Yes | The retail price your customers pay for the item. |
| Unit Cost | Yes | What the item costs your business. Important for accurate profit reporting. |
Tax
Under the tax section on the Details tab:
- Set Taxable Status from the dropdown. You can leave this at the default if that matches how the item should be taxed.
- Give the tax rate a name (examples: state sales tax, county tax, alcohol tax).
- To add more than one tax rate to the same item, click New Tax Rate.
- Check Unit price includes tax if your listed unit price already includes tax. When this is checked, foreUP automatically backs the tax out of the listed unit price.
Complete the Food and Beverage Options Tab
Switch to the Food and Beverage Options tab. Start with the Item Menu Appearance section. This controls where the item shows up when staff start a new F&B ticket and tap menu buttons to find items.
| Field | Required? | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Menu Category | Yes | The menu button staff click first to find this item on an F&B ticket (for example, Burgers and Sandwiches). |
| Menu Subcategory | No | Optional second button level. Staff click the menu category, then the subcategory, then the item. |
| Button Color | No | The color of the item button in the F&B menu. |
Side Dish, Printing, and Meal Course
On the same Food and Beverage Options tab, you can also:
- Check Side Dish if this item is a side. For deeper setup and management of sides, see How to Create, Assign and Use Food & Beverage Sides
- Set item printing behavior (for example, do not print to the kitchen), and assign Printer Groups if you route items to different kitchen printers (such as hot vs. cold).
- Assign a Meal Course (such as appetizers, drinks, entrees, or desserts) if your facility uses meal course firing. For more detail, see How to Use Meal Course Firing.
Modifiers Tab (Optional)
Open the Modifiers tab to attach item modifiers to this inventory item. Creating and managing modifiers is covered in a separate article: How to Create, Assign and Use Food & Beverage Modifiers.
Sides Tab (Optional)
Open the Sides tab to choose which side dishes should be available for this item. Items must already be marked as side dishes before they appear here. For creating and managing sides, see How to Create, Assign and Use Food & Beverage Sides.
Save the Item
- When you've finished setting up the Details, Food and Beverage Options, and any Modifiers or Sides you need, click Save Changes.
-
The new Food and Beverage inventory item is created in your system and is ready to appear under the menu category (and subcategory, if set) you assigned. You may need to refresh your browser before the new F&B inventory item will appear in your F&B menu in the Food & Beverage module
FAQ
Tip: Click a question below to expand the answer.
When should I use Unlimited quantity?+
Use Unlimited for non-stock items you do not need to track quantity on hand (for example, fountain soda). If you do track stock, enter a specific Quantity instead.
What is the difference between Unit Price and Unit Cost?+
Unit Price is the retail price the customer pays. Unit Cost is what the item costs your business. Unit Cost feeds profit reporting, so enter it accurately if you rely on those reports.
What does "Unit price includes tax" do?+
When checked, foreUP treats the listed unit price as tax-inclusive and automatically backs the tax out of that price for you.
What is the difference between Sales Category and Menu Category?+
Sales Department and Sales Category control where revenue reports in the back office. Menu Category (and optional Menu Subcategory) control which buttons staff use on an F&B ticket to find and add the item. They serve different purposes and are set in different places on the item.
Do I have to use a menu subcategory?+
No. At minimum you must assign a Menu Category. A menu subcategory is optional and nests the item one level deeper (category → subcategory → item).
How many menu categories should I set up?+
We typically recommend about 7–10 top-level menu categories so staff are not scrolling through a long button list. Use menu subcategories for finer groupings. This is usability guidance, not a system limit.
When do I use the Modifiers or Sides tabs?+
Use the Modifiers tab to attach modifiers that apply when this item is sold. Use the Sides tab to choose which side dishes can be offered with this item (after those sides exist as side-dish inventory items). Meal course assignment lives on the Food and Beverage Options tab if you use meal course firing.
Can I add more than one tax rate to an item?+
Yes. On the Details tab, click New Tax Rate to assign multiple tax rates to the same inventory item.