Tracking supplies, inventory etc.

[BabyPickles106]

I have a question for those more experienced than I. I am fairly new to soaping and have been asked to start selling the soaps I make among other items like my knitted soap scrubbies, dish rags and soap socks. My question is what does everyone use to determine profit, loss, break even or basically business related management. The only software I've seen mentioned is soap maker but not sure if there are others or if those that use soap maker usually use the pro or lite version?

Although I'm a hobbiest now I would still like to be able to determine what I'm spending to make a bar of soap.

 

[Relle]

You might like to read this before embarking on selling -
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=16002

 

[BabyPickles106]

I guess I should clarify I really have no intention of selling until after I retire which is at least half dozen years away. But I do want to learn what software people use to track supplies, vendors, soaps, recipes, inventory or other products. I have done a little playing on web site set up because to me that's fun to me. I am reading everything I can about soap making and other natural products. I have way to much to learn to start selling anytime soon. But perhaps by the time I retire I can support my new found love of soaping even if I don't make any money doing it.

I have the legal, safety and many other items I'm still learning so for now I'm just being the questioning soap sponge. Other than gifting to family and friends my soaps and scrubbies I just plan to practice and explore possibilities because I already have a full time + job and know that I could not give even a part time business appropriate attention currently.

 

[pamielynn]

Get soapmaker. It's great for tracking your supplies. You can assign batch numbers, it will pull out of inventory when you make a batch. You can track the sale of each item, and it gives your margin when you do "sell" something from inventory. I love it.

ETA: I bought it when I started making soap. WAY before I had any intention to sell anything. I didn't use it for inventory, really, back then. Just for tracking recipes. But now I use all of it's features.

 

[LisaNY]

Agreeing with pamielynn - Soapmaker has been a HUGE help in keeping track of my inventory, and letting me know exactly what my costs are.

It's a lot of work getting it set up, but SO worth it!

 

[Lindy]

I agree with Soapmaker....

 

[BabyPickles106]

Do those of you that use soap maker have the full version or the lite version?

 

[Lindy]

I have the full version and I would recommend it because you can keep track of so much more information.

 

[BabyPickles106]

Thanks all. Now to convince the DH that I need it.

 

[LunaSkye]

Is there a way to back-up the information on "soapmaker" in the case that one's computer crashes? This is a hypothetical question as I was interested in getting the lite software but also like having a paper trail for when I'm away from the cpu.

 

[BabyPickles106]

I use a software backup that backs up ou computer and all programs if desired. It's called Carbonite.

 

[Lindy]

I have my database residing on Dropbox so I can access it on any one of my computers.