> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ofatoura.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Inventory dashboard and items
> Understand your stock health at a glance and manage the inventory items that power your kitchen — from setting low-stock thresholds to assigning preferred suppliers.
The Inventory Dashboard gives you a real-time snapshot of your stock position — what is running low, what is about to expire, and which items move the fastest. The Inventory Items list is where you define every raw material or good your kitchen uses, including the threshold at which oFatoura should warn you before you run out.
Both sections are accessed from the **Inventory** menu in the web admin.
You need the **Show Inventory Stock** permission to view the dashboard, and the **Show Inventory Item** permission to view and manage inventory items. If either section is missing from your menu, ask your administrator to check your role's permissions.
***
## Inventory dashboard
Go to **Inventory > Dashboard** to see your current stock health overview.
### What you see
The dashboard is organised into several panels:
| Panel | What it shows |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Stock levels by category | Total stock grouped by category, with a count of low-stock and out-of-stock items per category |
| Top 5 moving items | The five items with the highest usage and waste over the selected period |
| Low stock alerts | Items whose current quantity has fallen at or below their threshold |
| Expiring items | Items with an expiration date within the next 7 days |
| System health score | An overall health check based on stock coverage, low-stock counts, and other metrics |
### Filtering the dashboard
* **Category filter** — use the category selector at the top to focus on a single category (for example, Dairy or Dry Goods) or keep it on **All** for the full picture.
* **Period selector** — switch between **Daily**, **Weekly**, and **Monthly** to adjust the movement analytics (top movers, usage, waste) to the time window that matters to you.
Check the dashboard at the start of each day on the Daily view to catch anything that ran low overnight, then switch to Weekly before placing supplier orders.
Expiring items are flagged when their expiration date is within 7 days of today. Act on these quickly — items past their expiry date will not be flagged as newly expiring once they have already passed.
***
## Inventory items
Go to **Inventory > Inventory Items** to see, add, and edit the raw materials and goods you stock.
Each item you add here becomes available to link to recipes, purchase orders, and stock entries elsewhere in the Inventory module.
### Adding a new inventory item
In **Inventory > Inventory Items**, click **Add item** (or the equivalent add button at the top of the list).
Enter a clear **item name** (for example, "Mozzarella Cheese" or "Cooking Oil 1L"). Select the **category** and **unit** — both are required. The unit should match how you measure and purchase this item (kilograms, litres, pieces, etc.).
Enter a **threshold quantity**. When the item's stock level falls to or below this number, it appears in the low-stock alerts on the dashboard and can trigger notification emails if you have those configured. Set it to a quantity that gives you enough time to reorder before you run out.
Optionally enter:
* **Preferred supplier** — the supplier you usually order this item from. This pre-fills supplier selection when creating purchase orders.
* **Reorder quantity** — the amount you typically order in one go.
* **Unit purchase price** — the cost per unit. This is used for stock valuation and cost-of-goods calculations.
Upload a photo of the item if it helps your team identify it quickly on-screen.
Click **Save**. The item is now available across the Inventory module for stock entries, recipes, and purchase orders.
### Item fields reference
| Field | Required | Notes |
| ------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Item name | Yes | Should be clear and specific enough to avoid confusion with similar items |
| Category | Yes | Groups items on the dashboard and in reports; set up categories in Inventory Settings |
| Unit | Yes | The stocking unit (e.g. kg, litre, piece); must exist in your units list |
| Threshold quantity | No | Below or at this quantity, the item shows as low stock |
| Preferred supplier | No | Pre-fills supplier on purchase orders for this item |
| Reorder quantity | No | Suggested order quantity when restocking |
| Unit purchase price | No | Cost per unit; used for COGS and valuation |
| Description | No | Internal notes about the item |
| Photo | No | Optional image to help staff identify the item |
### Editing and searching items
* Use the **search bar** at the top of the list to find items by name.
* Click any item's edit button to update its details. Changing the threshold takes effect immediately on the dashboard.
Keep item names consistent with how your team refers to ingredients verbally. Ambiguous names (like "Oil" when you stock three different oils) make recipes and stock entries harder to manage.
***
## Related
* [Stock levels, movements, and waste](/inventory/stock-and-movements) — record stock arrivals, log waste, and transfer between branches
* [Recipes and ingredient costing](/inventory/recipes) — link inventory items to menu items so stock deducts automatically on orders
* [Purchase orders and suppliers](/inventory/purchase-orders-suppliers) — create and send orders to your preferred suppliers
* [Inventory reports and settings](/inventory/reports-and-settings) — configure low-stock notification emails and view usage analytics