Frequently Asked Questions

How do I import an order?

Orders can be imported into DigiChef in one of three different ways: Electronic Invoice Integration with your supplier (EDI), PDF import, and manually entered.

The most convenient way to receive your invoices is electronically through your supplier. Currently, DigiChef supports automatic invoicing for Sysco and GFS. For suppliers that do not suport electronic invoicing, PDF import is the preferred method. Alternatively, invoices can be entered or edited manually through the Orders page.

How can I use this ingredient by volume? (Eg I want to use 1 tbsp of black pepper, not 0.25 oz)

When you'd like to use an ingredient in a different class than its purchased, you can create a Conversion. Conversions allow you to specify how much of a particular product is in one Unit of Measurement when used in another.

E.g.: 1 Kilogram of Flour is 1.89 Litres.

Once a conversion is created between classes, DigiChef will automatically calculate the appropriate values when consuming product in another unit of the same class.

E.g.: If you've created the conversion for 1KG of Flour to 1.89L, you can use 1 Cup or 1 Oz of flour in any of your recipes and DigiChef will do the math for you!

How can I build my first recipe?

Follow our convenient getting started guide to create a plating recipe.

Whats the difference between a prep recipe and a plating recipe?

Within DigiChef, there are two types of Recipes: Plating, and Prep.

• A Plating recipe is an item that shows up on your menu. They're sold as a single unit, and have an associated menu price which allows DigiChef to calculate your food cost, e.g.: Your Beef Tacos, or Spaghetti Bolognese.
• A Prep recipe is something that is consumed by another recipe. They're typically made in batches, and potentially used by multiple Plating recipes, e.g.: Beef taco mix, bolognese sauce, or burger patties.

What are menus used for?

Menus can be used in many different ways; the most common uses are:

• Grouping recipes by meal period, so you can track the overall profitability of a particular service, e.g.: Lunch, Breakfast, Feature.
• Grouping recipes that meet a particular dietary requirement, e.g.: Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free.

How do I add another location to my account?

If you operate multiple locations, you can add a new store from Settings > Stores > Create Store. Enter the store name and save. Once created, you can import invoices and run inventory counts against the new location independently.

Why is my food cost percentage different from what I expected?

A few common causes:

1. Invoice costs haven't been updated recently. If you haven't imported a recent invoice from a supplier, DigiChef may be using older prices. Import your latest invoices to refresh product costs.
2. A supplier raised their prices. Check the Product Price Variances table on your Dashboard to see which products have changed price recently.
3. Recipe portion sizes need reviewing. If you've changed portion sizes in the kitchen without updating the recipe in DigiChef, your theoretical cost won't match your actual cost.
4. A conversion ratio is inaccurate. If an ingredient is using a cross-unit conversion, double-check the ratio is correct for your actual product.

Can I invite other team members to my DigiChef account?

Yes. Navigate to Settings > Users > Invite User. Enter the team member's email address and click Send Invite. They'll receive an email to set up their own login and join your company account.

Invited users don't need their own subscription — they join your existing account.

How does DigiChef handle ingredient price changes?

Every time a new invoice is imported (whether via EDI, PDF, or manually), DigiChef:

1. Updates the cost of any product that appears on the invoice
2. Automatically recalculates the cost of every recipe using that product
3. Updates your dashboard food cost stats and charts

You don't need to do anything — cost changes propagate through your entire recipe library automatically.

What happens if my supplier isn't on the EDI list?

For suppliers that don't support electronic integration, the best alternative is to upload a PDF invoice. DigiChef uses AI to extract the products, quantities, and prices from your PDF automatically. See Importing an invoice for instructions.

If you'd like to see your supplier added to our EDI integration list, please get in touch — we're actively expanding our network of supported suppliers.

Can I use DigiChef on my phone?

DigiChef is a web application optimised for desktop browsers. It works on mobile browsers, but for the best experience — particularly when building recipes or reviewing reports — we recommend using a desktop or tablet.

How do I track the profitability of a specific menu?

Create a Menu in DigiChef and assign your plating recipes to it. DigiChef will calculate the average food cost percentage across all recipes in that menu, giving you a clear view of how profitable that menu is overall.

This is especially useful for seasonal or rotating menus — you can see at a glance whether a new menu launch is hitting your food cost targets.

What's the difference between a product and an ingredient?

In DigiChef, products are the items you purchase from suppliers — the physical items on your invoices. An ingredient is a product (or prep recipe) as it appears inside a recipe, with a specific quantity and unit of measurement.

The same product can be an ingredient in many different recipes, each using a different quantity or unit. When the product's cost changes, all recipes using it as an ingredient are updated automatically.