What to Upload First: A 3-Document Margin Diagnostic
You do not need a perfect data room to find the first margin leak. Three real documents are usually enough to see what is confirmed, what is weak, and what to review next.
Most owners delay margin work because they think everything has to be organized first. In practice, the fastest useful read usually comes from three documents you already have: a recent supplier invoice, a menu or price list, and one recipe sheet or base prep.
Start with one recent supplier invoice
The invoice tells you which ingredient prices are invoice-confirmed today, not last quarter. That is the anchor for every cost conversation.
In Karu, invoice lines become reviewable drafts. Nothing updates official costing until you approve the extraction.
Add a menu or product list
A menu shows what you actually sell and at what price. Without it, cost work stays theoretical.
Matching menu products to recipes and supplier inputs is where margin truth starts to appear.
Include one recipe or base prep if you have it
You do not need every recipe on day one. One core product or prep batch is enough to test whether yields, packaging, and sub-recipes are represented honestly.
If the recipe sheet is missing, the diagnostic should say that clearly instead of pretending precision.
Operator checklist
Upload one or two recent supplier invoices.
Add a menu, product list, or price table.
Include one recipe sheet or base prep if available.
Separate confirmed invoice data from estimates before changing prices.
Sources
Related guides
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Food Cost Percentage: The Number Every Menu Needs
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