Record keeping and notations

[Todd Ziegler]

I was hoping people would share some information on how you keep records for the soaps you are making. It is something that I struggle with. I tried to develop a number system for my recipes but I keep running into problems and then I change it. Then I have to go back and update previous batches with the new codes.

I really want to see examples of how others keep organized.

 

[Jersey Girl]

It might be overkill, but organization is my thing. I keep a binder and print out each recipe making sure to add any notes with any colors used, fragrances, or other additives as well as the mold I used, and Any other details I feel are important. In addition to that I label my curing rack with mini sticky notes with the batch #, the 4 and 6 week curing dates as well as fragrance. On the back I list the ingredients for quick reference. I also keep a running list of each batch in my curing area with ingredients.

 

[artemis]

Keep in mind that I am a hobbyist.

I don't keep records so much as I take notes on the back of the printed recipe. I describe and date each batch that I make with that recipe, going down the page until it's full. Except for when I'm in a hurry and just scribble everything down where it fits...

As for a code or naming system, I tried that, too. I tried making a code that described the recipe, but my brain needs more than numbers. So now, there is no system. I have one formula named after the friend who likes that soap, another named for my husband, one is "countdown" because the oil amounts descend like a countdown, one is farmer and another is mechanic. Whatever helps me remember which recipe I actually used is best for me.

 

[Misschief]

I use SoapMaker3. All of my recipes have been input into the program and each time I make a batch, it is automatically given a number; I can make notes on each batch, as desired. I don't have to go hunting for the recipe and I don't have reams of paper to keep track of. I can also add pictures.

 

[jcandleattic]

I have SM3, and I also have a spreadsheet I've created to keep track.
It's helped me, and IMO the price of SM3 is really not that expensive in the grand scheme of things. However, if you have a Mac - it doesn't work. That, IMO is the only drawback of the program...

 

[Todd Ziegler]

I use SoapMaker3. All of my recipes have been input into the program and each time I make a batch, it is automatically given a number; I can make notes on each batch, as desired. I don't have to go hunting for the recipe and I don't have reams of paper to keep track of. I can also add pictures.

Where do I get the soaomaker3?

It might be overkill, but organization is my thing. I keep a binder and print out each recipe making sure to add any notes with any colors used, fragrances, or other additives as well as the mold I used, and Any other details I feel are important. In addition to that I label my curing rack with mini sticky notes with the batch #, the 4 and 6 week curing dates as well as fragrance. On the back I list the ingredients for quick reference. I also keep a running list of each batch in my curing area with ingredients.

I have a few things in common with your system. I also printed out the recipe but what I should have done, is print the recipe and the name of the soap on the same print. I don't use sticky notes, instead I have laminated a bunch of 4"X4" note cards and glued neodymium magnets to them and then hang them with the curing soaps.

I have SM3, and I also have a spreadsheet I've created to keep track.
It's helped me, and IMO the price of SM3 is really not that expensive in the grand scheme of things. However, if you have a Mac - it doesn't work. That, IMO is the only drawback of the program...

I have a spreadsheet with all the basic information on it that a friend of mine created for me. However when I started using it, I didn't include some important information. I have corrected it now and my record keeping has gotten better. I have also eliminated all the unnecessary recipes that I was keeping but have never used. I print them out and file them. If I combine elements of what everyone has posted, I should have a much better system.

 

[Misschief]

Where do I get the soaomaker3?

https://www.soapmaker.ca

 

[TheGecko]

I was hoping people would share some information on how you keep records for the soaps you are making. It is something that I struggle with. I tried to develop a number system for my recipes but I keep running into problems and then I change it. Then I have to go back and update previous batches with the new codes. I really want to see examples of how others keep organized.

Numbers are my jam (I'm an accountant) and I had tried using a spreadsheet, along with a binder for all the soaps I had made and a notebook for recipes, but it was hard to keep it all organized, not too mention that I'm not an advanced Excel user. Another soap maker recommend SoapMaker3 and it's a bit of a PITA to get started if you've already been making soap for awhile and have a couple of shelves filled with colarants and scents, and other assorted things. The program does get you started with a few basic things and gives you a nice list of oils and butters to choose from, but you have to enter your colorants, scents, additives from scratch. But once it's in, it's in and then it's just a matter of keeping up with it.

I started with the Lite version because I wasn't planning on doing only sales for a while yet, but recently upgraded to Professional because I really need to have a reliable inventory. Especially since I just discovered that I have three bottles of Lemon Verbena and bunch of other duplicates and triplicates. So I'll enter my recent purchases and then print out my inventory sheets and do inventory and update.

I'll also sit down with my binder which has a sheet for every batch of soap I have made, but I will only be entering the ones that turned out well. It's more about making notes on scents, colorants and what not. Actual soap and lotion bar inventory will be limited to what I have made in the past month since I took a few months off.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Numbers are my jam (I'm an accountant) and I had tried using a spreadsheet, along with a binder for all the soaps I had made and a notebook for recipes, but it was hard to keep it all organized, not too mention that I'm not an advanced Excel user. Another soap maker recommend SoapMaker3 and it's a bit of a PITA to get started if you've already been making soap for awhile and have a couple of shelves filled with colarants and scents, and other assorted things. The program does get you started with a few basic things and gives you a nice list of oils and butters to choose from, but you have to enter your colorants, scents, additives from scratch. But once it's in, it's in and then it's just a matter of keeping up with it.

I started with the Lite version because I wasn't planning on doing only sales for a while yet, but recently upgraded to Professional because I really need to have a reliable inventory. Especially since I just discovered that I have three bottles of Lemon Verbena and bunch of other duplicates and triplicates. So I'll enter my recent purchases and then print out my inventory sheets and do inventory and update.

I'll also sit down with my binder which has a sheet for every batch of soap I have made, but I will only be entering the ones that turned out well. It's more about making notes on scents, colorants and what not. Actual soap and lotion bar inventory will be limited to what I have made in the past month since I took a few months off.

I checked out the software and I would love to have it but I don't have a PC or laptop. My sister has one that I might be able to use but it would be awesome if they had an android version.

I am not an accountant but I love filling in blanks lol! I have an inventory app that I use for keeping track of my seed collection. It might work for the soaps because it allows you to add different files and attach different files to the individual files.

Thanks, I now have something to work toward now with this new information.
I have to do

 

[TheGecko]

I checked out the software and I would love to have it but I don't have a PC or laptop.

I have a PC and I have a laptop but it's a pain to drag them into the kitchen when I go to make soap so I picked up a 10" Dell Inspiron Netbook from eBay for $75.00. I had one when I had gone back to school a decade ago and it is really handy. While I do most of my data entry on the PC since I have a big monitor, it's small size makes it handy for updating while on the sofa and since one of my goals is to wholesale to salons, I can take it on the go and have updated access since you can easily transfer the database from PC to Netbook.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I use SoapMaker3. All of my recipes have been input into the program and each time I make a batch, it is automatically given a number; I can make notes on each batch, as desired. I don't have to go hunting for the recipe and I don't have reams of paper to keep track of. I can also add pictures.

soaping goals! Sounds awesome!

 

[Ladka]

It might be overkill, but organization is my thing. I keep a binder and print out each recipe making sure to add any notes with any colors used, fragrances, or other additives as well as the mold I used, and Any other details I feel are important. In addition to that I label my curing rack with mini sticky notes with the batch #, the 4 and 6 week curing dates as well as fragrance. On the back I list the ingredients for quick reference. I also keep a running list of each batch in my curing area with ingredients.

Your system seems ideal for me!

 

[atiz]

I just keep a digital "binder" with all my soap recipes and any notes I happen to have about them, with pictures of the soaps. (I use a program called Scrivener for it, but only because I use it for many other tings too so it required no extra investment and I'm quite familiar with how it works.)
I'm also just a hobbyist so do not keep very detailed notes, but like to at least mention how the soap turned out after unmolding, and if anything strange/curious happened during the soaping process itself. If I happen to think about it, I make notes of older soaps that I am using right now, especially about how the scent holds and how much lather the soap has.
This system has been working quite well for me, but I would imagine it may not be ideal if one has hundreds of batches.

 

[amd]

I've had Soapmaker3 since the beginning of 2017. My current method is to create recipe and print the day I make it (that way the date is on the printout), markup any changes while making it, mark it made in SM3 with those changes. SM3 assigns it a batch number, and tracks the cure time for me. The recipe gets saved in SM3, and the printout gets put in a binder. I should note that I keep all printouts of custom and wholesale orders, but only keep printouts of my product lineup for two years if I'm no longer making that soap. I don't use SM3 for tracking sales. I use a combination of Square Register and a spreadsheet that I designed. I didn't care for SM3 sales tracking, so I only use it for calculating costs, tracking raw material inventory, recipe keeping and creating, and tracking cure.

Before SM3, I created a spreadsheet that calculated costs, and kept a running log with batch numbers, cost, sales (part of this I still use), and all of my recipes were recorded in notebooks.

 

[MelissaG]

I so wish I could afford sm3. It would make my life easier. Right now I'm using soapinventory.com

 

[IrishLass]

I'm old school. I do a SoapCalc printout of each batch on which I list the date and the scent used at the very top, and list all the additives used in the notes section of the printout. These I keep in a 3-ring binder organized by date (newest batch is always placed at the front). Then in a Black and Red notebook I keep corresponding handwritten notes of a blow by blow description of each batch. It's an old-fashioned system, but it works for me. So far, nothing has ever gotten lost, and everything is easy for me to look up or reference. After all these years, I have several of the Black and Red notebooks completely filled in.


IrishLass

 

[KiwiMoose]

I have a folder on my laptop entitled 'Soap'. In there I have tons of more folders labelled with the name of the soap, with the date made. It each of those folders I have a PDF of the soap recipe from soapcalc/soapmakers friend and a word doc with quantities of additives, fragrance, colour, method and any other notes. I also have separate folders with favourite recipes, trial recipes etc that I often make copies of for new soaps. I have an excel spreadsheet in there too that I have set up with all my ingredients so it calculates costs for me. Once I get through a half year I create a new folder - eg - 'Early 2019' and bung all the soaps from that period into that folder ( if I have sold/used them all) so that I still have them for reference, but they are not cluttering up my main 'working' folder.

 

[Adobehead]

y'all keep upping my game for me. who knew you could keep track of what you are doing? the notebook method is as far as I can go, spreadsheets make me itch. The tip of saving the soapcalc with notes as PDF is something I had not thought of. There is more space on my hard drive than in my soap room, I can guarantee you that.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I'm old school. I do a SoapCalc printout of each batch on which I list the date and the scent used at the very top, and list all the additives used in the notes section of the printout. These I keep in a 3-ring binder organized by date (newest batch is always placed at the front). Then in a Black and Red notebook I keep corresponding handwritten notes of a blow by blow description of each batch. It's an old-fashioned system, but it works for me. So far, nothing has ever gotten lost, and everything is easy for me to look up or reference. After all these years, I have several of the Black and Red notebooks completely filled in.


IrishLass

I actually like “Old School”. As a Dental Hygienist who stopped working before things got too “computery“ I’ve always hand written notes/charts. I actually never learned to use spreadsheets or much computer wise and prefer it. I also hate reading books digitally. I need to hold it and see it and smell it. Lol. That said, I imagine for a business it would be a good thing to know. Not there yet though.

 

[Carly B]

I use OneNote (I don't sell, so my notes aren't as detailed as they would be if I did). I have tabs like "Soap Recipes to Try," "Useful info," "Soaps Made" etc. I can make up recipes in Soapcalc and print them to OneNote, then once I make the soap, I move that page to Soaps Made and name it using the date first, then something notable about the soap. Then I add my notes--how I fragranced and colored it, how it behaved, what cure was like, etc. Then after I use the soap, I make notes on that page about how it performed.

It works great for me at this stage. If I ever progress to selling, I'll need something more structured, though.