How do I Build a Menu Cycle?

A guide on how to build Menu Cycles, including examples.

To begin constructing a Menu Cycle, let's divide the screen into different sections. This will help you understand the purpose of each section and enable you to assess your needs more effectively while building the cycle.

1. Header Section: The upper section of the screen (see screenshot below) displays all the information you entered when creating the menu cycle. You have the option to edit this information if necessary.

2. Calendar Section: In this section (see screenshot below), you find a display of the days of the week. You can navigate to the following or the previous week as needed.

      2.1. Events: Within each day, you have the ability to add events. An event can include one or multiple products, each contributing to a specific total cost, and it also has a designated headcount. Events usually represent different meal types (e.g., breakfast, lunch, dinner). They help organize and structure your Cycles accordingly.
       2.2. Item Groups: Item groups are subsets of Events. They provide a way to further categorize meal types.

3. The Summary Section: This section (see screenshot below) provides an overview of the financial information related to the Menu Cycle. Here, you can access the following details:

      3.1 Target Weekly Budget: This displays the desired budget for the entire week. It helps you set a financial goal and monitor your expenses accordingly.

      3.2 Remaining Budget: This shows the remaining budget you have available for the Menu Cycle. It allows you to track your spending and adjust as needed to stay within the budget.

      3.3 Plate Cost: The Plate Cost refers to the average cost per serving of a particular dish or event item. This information helps you evaluate the cost-effectiveness of your menu choices and manage your expenses.

Additionally, the Summary section also provides information on compliance with constraints. Constraints refer to specific limitations or guidelines that need to be followed when creating the Menu Cycle. These constraints may include dietary restrictions, ingredient availability, or nutritional requirements.

The Summary section allows you to check if your menu cycle aligns with these constraints, ensuring that you meet the necessary guidelines and restrictions.

Now that we've completed this overview, we can provide a quick guide on how to build your Menu Cycle.

Step 1: Create Events

If you prefer a more structured Menu Cycle, begin by creating the Events and Item Groups that are relevant to your menu. This step allows you to categorize and organize your meal types and products effectively.

1. Click the "+" on the left side of the calendar.
2. The Events will already be created.
3. You can rename as you wish by clicking the field.

Step 2: Create Item Groups

1. Click on the three dots on the right of the Events.
2. Select Add Item Group the item group will already be created, you can rename as you want by simply clicking on the field.
3. You can rename as you wish by clicking the field.

Step 3: Add Items

Once you have set up the Events and Items Groups, you can start adding specific items to each event.

1. To begin, click on the "+" to search for a item within the desired event.
2. In the item selection window, you have multiple options to find the desired item:
   1. Search by specific name: Use the search bar to enter the name of the item you are looking for. The system will display relevant results based on your search query.
   2. Filter by category value: If you want to narrow down your search, you can apply filters based on category values. This allows you to find items that fit your specific planning criteria.
3. Once you have located the desired item, simply click on it to add it to your event.

By following these steps, you can gradually build your Menu Cycle by creating the necessary event and items groups, and then populating them with the desired items.

Step 4: Actions menu bar

When you select an event or event item, a menu bar with all the contextual actions available for that item appears at the top of the page (see screenshot below).

Step 5: Drag and Drop items

By selecting an item and holding it, you can drag it into the desired event item group or reorder it.

Step 6: Copy and Paste items

By selecting an item and clicking "Copy" on the menu bar, the item will be copied. You can copy multiple items at once by clicking the items. You can paste item(s) into a specific event item group by clicking on the desired event item group.