Recipe Items - Batch Size Changes - FAQs
Overview:
If you select to change the Batch Size or Count Unit description for a Recipe Item, COGS-Well will prompt you for a "Conversion Factor". When not ignored, a conversion factor will update historical transaction quantities to reflect the new Batch Size or Count Unit description. An example of a Batch Conversion Factor Request is below:
Why is a Conversion Factor Needed:
COGS-Well will always use the current Batch Size and Count Unit description for the recipe items included in a report. So if you run a report for a date range where a recipe item had a different Batch Size or Count Unit description, the conversion factor will update the historical transaction quantities to reflect the new batch size or count units.
If you are making Batch Size or Count Unit changes to recipe items (or considering making them), and this article does not answer all of your questions, or if you still have any uncertainties, please contact COGS-Well support (support@cogs-well.com) for assistance.
When to Enter or Ignore a Conversion Factor Request:
Any time a change is made to a batch size or count unit description, a conversion factor will be requested. It is important to understand when to enter a conversion factor and when you can ignore the request.
Conversion factors update historical transaction quantities to reflect the new batch or count unit description. Therefore, the decision to either ignore or enter a conversion factor should always be made based on your transaction history for an item.
Ignore the Conversion Factor Request: If you are correcting the batch size for an item, and the historical transactions were recorded using the same incorrect pack size, then you can correct the batch size and ignore the batch conversion factor request.
Enter a Conversion Factor: If you are changing the batch size for an item because you desire to use a new one going forward, and the historical transactions were recorded using the correct prior batch size, then you should enter a batch conversion factor.
The historical Batch Size for a recipe item is correct if the Batch Size reflects the correct Batch Cost for historical transactions such as counts, waste, or transfers.
Audit Historical Transactions:
As mentioned above, historical transactions will guide you on whether to ignore or enter a conversion factor. The easy way to audit historical transactions is to use the Item Activity Listing.
Below, we have navigated to Inventory>Listings>Item Activity. We then selected a 12 prior month's date range and selected the recipe item for Salsa Prep. Tabs on the listing will show transaction types that have transaction history such as counts, transfers, and waste:
Conversion Factors for Batch Size Changes:
We will start by discussing requests for Batch conversion factors for recipe items. A batch conversion factor request will appear every time you change a batch size and select to save the change. We will first review when you can ignore the request and then we will review when you need to enter a batch conversion factor.
When to Ignore a Batch Conversion Factor Request:
Let's assume that we have discovered that the 2 Gallon batch size we have been using for the Salsa Prep recipe item in the example above is incorrect. The batch size should be 1 Gallon because the ingredient quantities and batch cost for this item are for one gallon.
Important: If you are correcting a Batch Size and the historical transactions for the item have used the same incorrect Batch Size, then you can ignore the conversion factor request.
Before we change the batch size, we need to verify whether the historical transactions for Salsa have been recorded using the correct or incorrect batch size. Using the Item Activity example above, we can determine that the historical transactions also have the incorrect 2 Gallon batch size.
We will now delete and type in the new "Gallon" batch size description. Please note that we will also need to update the count unit and recipe unit configurations to reflect one gallon (they will not automatically update as they do for Pack Size changes). If we next select to save the change, we will be asked for a batch conversion factor as shown below:
The Activity Listing in the example above verifies that all transactions have been recorded using the 2 Gallon incorrect pack size. The batch cost and transaction quantities are accurate and only the batch size is incorrect.
We can, therefore, change the batch size to 1 Gallon and select the button to ignore the conversion request. As an FYI, selecting to ignore a conversion factor is the same as selecting 1 as the factor and then selecting to continue. A selection to ignore will save the item and we are now done.
When to Enter a Batch Conversion Factor:
Let's stay with the Salsa Prep recipe item and assume that we want to change the batch size from 2 Gallons to 1 Gallon for future batches. Let's also assume that the batch size is correct for the transactions for Salsa Prep on the Item Activity Listing example above (the batch cost of $5.37 does reflect a 2 Gallon pack size).
Important: If you are changing a Batch Size and the historical transactions for the item have been recorded using the correct Batch Size, then you should enter a conversion factor. A historical transaction is correct if the batch size reflects the batch cost.
In the example below, we have changed the batch size for Salsa Prep from 2 Gallons to 1 Gallon and then selected to save the item. The batch conversion factor request window is displayed because a change to the batch size description always invokes the request for a batch conversion factor:
A conversion factor request asks how many new batches are in the old batch. The formula for a batch conversion factor is to divide the old batch size by the new batch size and the prompt for this formula can also be reversed (divide the new pack size by the old pack size).
In the above example, the batch size was changed from 2 Gallon to 1 Gallon. To update the historical transaction quantities to report using the new 1 Gallon batch size description, you will need to enter a conversion factor. 2 is the conversion factor because 2 Gallons divided by 1 Gallon = 2.
Reverse the Conversion Factor: To make the math easier for some conversions, you can reverse the Pack Conversion Factor prompt by clicking the double arrow button next to the conversion factor. An example is shown below:
After the correct batch conversion factor is entered, we can select to save the item. A confirmation window showing the change or changes that will be saved will display and provide an option to say yes or no. An example is below:
Conversion Factors for Count Unit Changes:
A count unit conversion factor request will appear every time you change a count unit description and do not change the batch size. We will first review when you can ignore the request and then review when you need to enter a count unit conversion factor.
When to Ignore the Count Unit Conversion Factor:
Important: You can select to Ignore the conversion factor request if the only change is the name (such as changing Each to Buns) and the number of count units per pack does not change. An example is below:
Using the above example, we want to change the count unit description for Brioche Hamburger Buns from Each to Bun so the count unit name is more specific. We can use the drop-down to select Bun as the new count unit as shown in the example below:
In the example above, we have changed the Count Unit name without changing the Batch Size. If we save the change, we were prompted for a count unit conversion factor as shown below:
We are not changing the number of Count Units per batch so we can select to Ignore the conversion factor. Ignoring the factor is the same as entering 1 and selecting to continue. A selection to ignore will save the item and we are now done.
When to Enter a Count Unit Conversion Factor:
Important: A count unit conversion factor only needs to be entered for a recipe item when you add or change the number of count units per batch.
In the example below, we are looking at that Salsa Prep recipe item again. Salsa Prep has a batch size of 2 Gallons. Gallon is the count unit description, and we have 2 gallons in a batch:
For this example, let’s say we want to change the count unit description from Gallon to Quart so we can count or transfer Salsa in Quarts in addition to a full batch. In the below example, we have changed the count unit to “Quart” and we have updated the count units per pack to 8 (2 Gallons divided by 1 quart = 8):
Note: A good habit to develop is to always make sure the number of count units per batch is correct after you change a count unit description. There is no automatic configuration for the number of count units per batch.
In the above example, we have not changed the batch size and we have changed the count unit description from Gallon to Quart. Therefore, when we select to save this change, a count unit conversion factor will be requested as shown below:
The conversion factor in the above example is requesting quarts per gallon. In plain English, it wants to know how many quarts are in a gallon. Or how many of the new count units are in the old count unit?
The math for this calculation is one gallon divided by 1 quart. This equates to 128 fluid ounces divided by 32 fluid ounces = 4. In this example, the conversion factor is 4.
We will, therefore, update the conversion factor to 4 and select to continue. A confirmation window like the one below will then appear after we select continue:
The confirmation window in the example above restates the count unit description change and the selected conversion factor and provides the opportunity to select yes to continue or no to go back to the item. If yes is selected we will be returned to the inventory item grid and we are done.
New Count Unit Description: If you enter a count description and the number of units per pack for an item for the first time, you will be asked for a conversion factor. The factor should always equal the number of the new count units that are in a pack.
Summary:
Conversion Factors are important for reporting accuracy and they can be confusing so please never hesitate to contact us at support@cogs-well.com if you think you need to change a Batch Size or Count Unit and you have questions. We are happy to coach you through the process.
Save, Delete, and Exit
At the bottom of the screen are the Save, Delete, and Exit buttons.
Save - Saves the entry or entries without exiting.
Delete - Deletes the Group. You will be asked, "Are you sure"?
Exit - Exits without saving any new entries or edits.