Published 21 Dec 2022
What is a Bar Inventory Template?
A bar inventory template is a premade checklist that can be reused multiple times to help track the stock of a bar’s inventory. This usually checks the supply of alcoholic beverages, meal ingredients, syrups, and other essentials in a bar or other commercial establishment that sells alcoholic drinks.
Bar Inventory Template Checklist
This bar inventory template can be used by bar managers and staff to check if liquor, mixers, and garnish stocks are sufficient. It can also be used to:
- Calculate how much inventory is needed to meet the demand
- Prepare a budget for future purchases based on existing inventory
- Report issues with inventory supplies
After completing this form, a professional report can be automatically generated in various formats, including PDF, weblink, Word, and more.
In this article
- Importance
- What to Include in a Bar Inventory Template
- Common Mistakes Made when Creating a Bar Inventory Template
- FAQs about Bar Inventory Templates
- Manage Your Bar Inventory with a Digital Auditing Tool
- Related Bar Inventory Checklists
Importance
When it comes to running a bar, there are a lot of things that go into ensuring its success. One of the most important yet often overlooked aspects of managing a bar is tracking its inventory of supplies. By creating and using a bar inventory template, you can make sure that you are accurately tracking the stock of everything in your bar—not just liquor but also food ingredients, glassware, and utensils. This information is vital for making sure you are ordering the right supplies as well as ensuring that you are not running out of anything important.
Additionally, by tracking inventory, you can identify areas where you may be able to save money by reducing stock or by making changes to the products you offer. It can also help you avoid running out of supplies and ensure that you are able to meet customer demand, which can also help in ensuring you are pricing your items for sale correctly.
What to Include in a Bar Inventory Template
While each bar may conduct inventory checks in different ways, a typical bar inventory template includes sections on the following:
- Name of the establishment
- Person conducting the inventory check
- Checklist on the food and drinks available, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic
- Manager in charge
In some cases, you may be required to explicitly state the number of items available in your inventory. If you have a checklist that allows you to make notes, make sure to use them to put in the number of items you see are available. You can take it a step further and add photos to your notes for proof. On the other hand, if you are the one creating the bar inventory template, you can make it so that it is required to add a note, a photo, or both.
Here is a sample report of a bar inventory template when used:
Bar Inventory Template Sample Report
Common Mistakes Made when Creating a Bar Inventory Template
Creating a bar inventory template can be tricky, as there are a number of common mistakes that can be made. One of the most common mistakes is not keeping track of what ingredients are used the most and what items are sold more than others. Knowing the most used items in any establishment is an important part of managing an inventory and replenishing it. Another mistake is not accounting for the variations in prices between products. Additionally, not accounting for the variations in quantities sold between products can lead to inaccuracies in the inventory.
Another common mistake is neglecting to account for waste and spoilage. While this does not necessarily have to be part of the bar inventory template itself and can instead be a different checklist template, such as a food waste log, it should be noted in the inventory checklist as well. Not accounting for variable costs can also lead to inaccuracies in the inventory.
Ensuring that all of these factors are considered when creating a bar inventory template is essential for an accurate inventory.
FAQs about Bar Inventory Templates
Each bar is different, but it is ideal to conduct bar inventory checks on a weekly basis and ideally on the same day every time. Frequently checking your inventory is a great way to constantly be updated on what needs to be replenished, thrown out, and used immediately. It is also a good way to prevent excess waste and help with pest control.
In a bar, the inventory is checked by inspecting the quantities and quality of items commonly used or sold at least twice. The most common items taken in inventory are drinks and food items, but others, such as utensils, can also be considered.
A checklist is often used to conduct inventory checks. Digital checklists, in particular, are preferred by bar owners as it allows them to conduct inspections from handheld devices and share reports seamlessly with one another.
Anyone who often interacts with the inventory itself can manage it. Some bars have dedicated staff to monitor and manage their inventory, while others have their bartenders and servers do the job. General bar owners and managers are also usually updated on bar inventory.
Manage Your Bar Inventory with a Digital Auditing Tool
Ensure your bar inventory is properly stocked and managed with a digital auditing app like SafetyCulture (formerly iAuditor). SafetyCulture is a mobile-ready checklist app that you can use to conduct hassle-free inspections and audits on your bar inventory. All checklists and templates in the SafetyCulture app are stored in the cloud and accessible offline, making it easy to access anytime and anywhere.
To help you get started with SafetyCulture, you can download a free responsive bar inventory, food inventory, and other related checklist templates in its Public Library for you to use and edit as you see fit. You also have the option to create your own bar inventory template from scratch or convert your existing PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint template for SafetyCulture use.
You can also use SafetyCulture to:
- Report issues with your bar inventory as you conduct your inspection
- Create and address corrective actions for your issues in-app
- Attach notes and media files to your checklists for proof of compliance, noncompliance, insufficient stocks, and more
- Share important updates regarding your bar inventory to your staff by raising a Heads Up
- Easily share and replicate your bar inventory template with shareable weblinks, customizable access controls, and multiple file export options
- Track the changes in your inventory every inspection with analytical reports
Related Bar Inventory Checklists
General Bar Checklist
Use this general bar checklist to monitor bar operations and ensure proper procedures are being followed. This checklist can also be used to track if all necessary tasks are completed according to establishment standards.
Food Inventory Template Checklist
This template can be used to conduct a rundown inspection for any establishment’s food pantry. This can help you keep track of what is in your pantry and the details of each item such as their cost, brand, and status.
Food Waste Sheet Template Checklist
Use this food waste sheet template to record generated food waste in a bar or kitchen over a certain period of time. This digital food waste tracking sheet enables kitchen staff to attach photos to every food waste entry to allow for a better visual reference of the item discarded.
SafetyCulture Content Specialist
Roselin Manawis
