Learn how to use Simulations in PocketChef
The Simulations menu opens the Sales Simulator: a screen to test monthly scenarios — quantities, prices, and the impact on profit — without changing real orders or Cash Flow.
What it is for
Use the simulator to answer questions such as:
- If I sell X units of this cake this month, is there profit left after expenses?
- What if I lower the price or raise the quantity?
- Is the total COGS of this sales mix acceptable?
- Are the profile’s fixed and variable expenses eating all the gross profit?
The app calculates Total Revenue, Production Costs (with Total COGS), Gross Profit, Fixed Expenses, Variable Expenses, and Net Profit.
Before you simulate
Results only make sense if your base data is ready:
- Set up gas, electricity, labor, markup, COGS, and expenses in the profile Costs tab.
- Register supplies and recipes with correct costs and price your products.
- Check fixed expenses (money amounts) and variable expenses (percentages of sales) in the profile — they are included automatically in the simulation.
How to open it
- Open the side menu (three-line icon).
- Under Sales, tap Simulations.
- The Sales Simulator screen opens. The help icon (?) at the top explains the panel.
1. Add products to the simulation
- Tap Add item.
- In each row, choose the Recipe (a product you already registered).
- Enter the Quantity of sales you want to simulate for the period (for example, how many units or portions in the month).
- Check the Unit price — it comes from the recipe price; you can change it to test another price without changing the saved pricing.
- Tap Add item again to build the product mix for the scenario.
- To remove an item, use the trash icon on that row.
Simulation items are stored on the device: if you leave and come back, the scenario is still there (recipes that no longer exist are ignored).
2. Read the results
Scroll to the summary. The app updates the numbers whenever you change quantity or price:
- Total Revenue — sum of (quantity × unit price) for all items.
- Production Costs — each recipe’s cost × simulated quantity. Below it you see Total COGS (production costs as a percentage of revenue).
- Gross Profit — revenue minus production costs (still without profile expenses).
- Fixed Expenses — sum of fixed expenses from the profile (rent, etc.).
- Variable Expenses — profile percentages applied to revenue (delivery apps, taxes, etc.).
- Net Profit — gross profit minus fixed and variable expenses. This is the main indicator of the simulation.
If net profit is positive, the app shows a congratulations message. If it is negative (and there are items in the simulation), it warns that you are losing money and suggests reviewing expenses, prices, and quantities.
3. How to interpret it in practice
- Good gross profit, bad net profit: fixed/variable expenses are too high for that sales volume. Raise quantity or price, or reduce expenses in the profile.
- High total COGS: too much of revenue goes into producing. Review supply costs or prices (also see the Pricing tab in Statistics).
- Price test: change only one item’s unit price and see the effect on net profit without saving anything on the recipe.
- Volume test: raise quantity until net profit turns positive — that shows the minimum monthly sales target.
What the simulation does not do
- It does not create real orders.
- It does not post movements to Cash Flow.
- It does not change the saved recipe price (only the value used in this scenario).
It is a planning tool. When the scenario looks good, use orders and cash flow to run it for real.
Summary
- Get profile, costs, and prices up to date.
- Open Simulations → Sales Simulator.
- Add items with quantity and unit price.
- Scroll to the summary and focus on Net Profit and Total COGS.
- Adjust the scenario until it is sustainable — then execute it operationally.
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Good work!