Startersguide: how to manage your ingredients in Apicbase

New to Apicbase? Then let's start with the basics: the ingredients. They're the base of your recipes, menus, ordering etc. In this article, we give you all the insights, tips and tricks on how to use the ingredient module as successful as possible.

STEP 1: Uploading your ingredients

First things first: you start with importing the ingredients you use in your kitchen into Apicbase. Our software allows you to add all the necessary information concerning general information, allergens & substances and nutrition data.

There are two ways to upload your ingredients:

Our system automatically makes a unique Apic ID for your ingredients. 

💡Tip: if you want to import only the basic information of your ingredients, using the package file might be enough (see step 2). This file doesn't include the allergen en nutritional information. If you fill in this file, you have enough information to start creating your recipes and our system will create an Apic ID for these ingredients. Click here to get to know everything about this easy upload.

STEP 2: Adding packages, suppliers, and prices to your ingredients

Once you uploaded the ingredients, it's time to add packages, suppliers, and prices. Every ingredient can have multiple packages (and suppliers). This step is quite essential if you bought the ordering module, because without packages- and supplier information, it won't be possible to make an order through Apicbase.

There are two ways to upload your packages, suppliers, and prices:

💡Tip: maybe one of your suppliers is integrated with Apicbase. Please take a look at this article about how to link your supplier to Apicbase.

💡Tip: in case you only want to work with a selection of your ingredients, you can select these ingredients and import them as an Excel file. You can read here how to. 

STEP 3: Adding an ingredient to an outlet

In case your different outlets use different ingredients, it might be handy to assign your ingredients to a specific outlet. Read in this article how.

STEP 4: Categorizing your ingredients

When your ingredient list is getting bigger, you might want to use it as smart as possible. Therefore, you can create as many custom fields and (sub)categories as you need.

For example, you want to organize your ingredients by category: diary, vegetable, fruit, oil, nuts, fish, meat, etc. It can be interesting to add subcategories such as fresh, can, packed, frozen, etc.

In this article, you can read how to make custom fields and (sub)categories.

STEP 5: Searching in your ingredients

Once you have followed all the previous steps, it will be very easy for you to use, search and filter your ingredients. In the filter bar on the left side of the ingredient module, all filters are visible. Our software allows you to filter by supplier, outlets, allergens, (sub)categories and your custom fields.

Want to start filtering smart in Apicbase? Then read this article about searching and filtering on ingredient level.

STEP 6: Deleting, replacing and making changes in your ingredients, packages, and pricing

  • Making changes in an ingredient can simply be done by clicking on the 'Edit' symbol of the ingredient. Here, you can change every detail about this ingredient.

💡Tip: want to make changes in multiple ingredients? Do it the faster way by importing the Excel-file (or exporting a selection). Make the necessary changes in Excel and import the file again. After uploading, your changes will be visible in Apicbase.

  • Do you want to swap an old ingredient for a new one, in all your recipes at once? Read this article on how to do that.

  • If you want to learn how to delete an ingredient, we redirect you to this article. Please watch out: when an ingredient is deleted, it will be unlinked from your recipe, packages, and suppliers. Apicbase will give you a warning about this.

Do you have more questions? Don't hesitate to reach out!