--- title: "Actual vs Theoretical Analysis" slug: "actual-vs-theoretical-analysis" description: "Compare actual and theoretical inventory usage between two count events at one location with item-level drill-down." updated: 2025-08-26T17:00:04Z published: 2025-08-26T17:00:04Z canonical: "docs.restaurant365.com/actual-vs-theoretical-analysis" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.restaurant365.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Actual vs Theoretical Analysis The Actual vs Theoretical Analysis compares the theoretical cost of certain inventory items or categories against actual data, in terms of both quantities and dollar amounts. The user can drill down into the transactions that make up the numbers and view summary information by category for a Controllable Cost of Goods approach to analysis. Overall, this report provides a deeper dive into the quantity and cost of each menu item to find solutions to limit the biggest item variances. For more information, see [Troubleshooting Variances in an AvT Report](/doc/docs/actual-vs-theoretical-analysis-troubleshooting-variances). This report calculates theoretical usage using historical POS (point of sale) and PMIX (menu item) data. > [!WARNING] > The Actual vs Theoretical Analysis is not intended to tie back perfectly to Inventory Count/Financials. This report uses one static unit cost for an item for the period, rounds recipe conversions, and does not include any purchases made outside of the AP module, such as paid outs. The main purpose of this report is to provide quantities and approximate costs of each item so that the largest variances can be addressed and reduced. --- ## Navigation The My Reports search bar can be used to search R365's entire catalog of reports. 1. Open the **Reports** app. 2. Navigate to **My Reports**. 3. Enter all or part of the report name in the **search bar**. 4. The **Results** tab will open with the list of search results. 5. From beneath the report name, click **Run** to run the report with the selected report view. -OR- Click **Customize** to adjust the report parameters and run the report. ![Overview of report options in Restaurant365 with highlighted run and customize buttons.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/5c9d1111-0c69-4e96-8910-d7f2750fdc9d/Images/Documentation/report.png) --- ## Report Parameters ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/5c9d1111-0c69-4e96-8910-d7f2750fdc9d/Images/Documentation/image-28VLN32X.png) | **Field** | **Description** | | --- | --- | | From Count | Starting inventory count from which to pull data. The From Count and To Count selections create a date range for the generated report displays data. | | To Count | Ending inventory count from which to pull data. The From Count and To Count selections create a date range for the generated report displays data. | | Key Items Only | If Yes is selected, the report includes [key items only](/doc/docs/purchased-item-record-overview-security). If No is selected, the report includes all items. | | Show Unapproved | If Yes is selected, the report includes data from unapproved transactions. If No is selected, the report only accounts for approved transactions. > Yes is selected by default. This facilitates accounting staff, allowing them to close the period at their discretion, but operations can continue to run vital Reports in real time without waiting for all transactions to be approved. | | Count Time | Time of day from which transactions are pulled. Options include: - **Beginning of Day** - Uses transactions from the DAY OF the From Count to the day BEFORE the To Count. Example: If Count From is set to 02/10/YY and Count To is set to 02/17/YY, the report uses transactions from 02/10/YY to 02/16/YY. - **End of Day** - Uses data from the day AFTER the From Count through the DAY OF the To Count. Example: If Count From is set to 02/10/YY and Count To is set to 02/17/YY, the report uses transactions from 02/11/YY to 02/17/YY. | | Item Category 1, 2, 3 | Filters the items that appear in the report by the selected [item categories](/doc/docs/item-categories). | | Subtotal By | Sorts and subtotals item categories. Recommended: Categories 1+2. | | Show % of Sales | If Yes is selected, the Actual %, Theo %, and Variance % columns appear in the report. If No is selected, the report does not display these three columns. | | Sales Account | Filters the report to show data for selected sales accounts. | | Subtotal By Category | If Summary is selected, the report displays amounts by category. If Details is selected, the report displays amounts by category and by item. | | Efficiency Calculation (Waste) | Elect whether to include or exclude waste in percentage calculations. | | Efficiency Calculation (Donations) | Elect whether to include or exclude donations in percentage calculations. | | Actual Usage Dollar | Determines whether item costs are based on the: - **Transaction Cost** - Pulls the actual item's cost as it was at the time of each transaction that occurred between and including the beginning and ending count. - **Unit Cost** - Pulls the item's current inventory cost from the Item record as of the time the report was generated. If using [item locations](/doc/docs/item-location-records), this option pulls cost data from the store's item location. - **End Count Cost** - Pulls the cost of all items from the ending inventory count used for this report. | | Waste Calculations | Shows or hides inventory that was documented in the waste count. | | Donation Calculations | Shows or hides inventory that was documented in the donation count. | | Items to Display | If Counted Only is selected, the report shows only inventory count items. If All Items is selected, all purchased items are included in the report. | | Calculate Based On | Enables the user to select whether to calculate the report based on the default Inventory UofM 1 or the item's Reporting U of M. | | View options | Provides the user with options to select, save, edit, or delete a report view. Learn more about [using my reports](/doc/docs/my-reports-using-my-reports#report-views). | | Run | Generates the report. The green arrow button opens a drop-down from which users can Export, Email, or Print the report.![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/5c9d1111-0c69-4e96-8910-d7f2750fdc9d/Images/Documentation/ccaf8b31-5d8a-40b5-b850-cdf7d7ad05ee.png) | --- ## Report Columns ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/5c9d1111-0c69-4e96-8910-d7f2750fdc9d/Images/Documentation/image-0O01Y8TZ.png) The header displays the following information: - **Begin Inventory** - First inventory count included in the report. - **End Inventory** - Final inventory account included in the report. - **Net Sales** - Total net sales for all items in the report. > [!WARNING] > **Net Sales & Operational Reports Categories** > > - The Net Sales shows sales from GL accounts with an assigned **Sales** [operational reports category](https://docs.restaurant365.com/docs/operational-reports-categories) . This includes any of the following: > - Sales - Food > - Sales - N/A Beverage > - Sales - Liquor > - Sales - Beer > - Sales - Wine > - Sales - Retail/Other > - Sales - General > - To **avoid overstating net sales**, ensure that all comps/discounts are properly mapped to a GL account with the **Discount ( Exclude from Sales)** operational reports category assigned. > [!NOTE] > ****Note About Recipe Expansion**** > > - Recipes that **are marked as** **Log Prep** that are ***not* Received From Commissary** will appear on the AvT report *broken out into their individual ingredients.* **Ex.** Each individual item used as an ingredient for the recipe ranch dressing will appear on the AvT in place of the recipe item. > > ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/5c9d1111-0c69-4e96-8910-d7f2750fdc9d/Images/Documentation/image-44EFRSYQ.png) > > > > - Recipes that **are marked** as **Log Prep** that ***are* Received From Commissary** at the location of the selected inventory count will appear as a *singular recipe item*. All other conditions for recipes on the AvT will appear as a singular recipe item. **Ex**. The recipe item ranch dressing will appear as ranch dressing. ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/5c9d1111-0c69-4e96-8910-d7f2750fdc9d/Images/Documentation/image-PRBVYTRF.png) > > When a recipe is Received From Commissary at a location, the Received From Commissary column on the [Location Costing tab of the recipe item record](/doc/docs/recipe-item-record) will say **Yes**. | **Column** | **Description** | | --- | --- | | Item Category / Item | Items broken down by item category down to the individual item. | | Count UofM | Unit of measure for each item as used when conducting an inventory count. | | Unit Cost | The average cost per unit of the item between and including the beginning and end count. | | **Quantity Usage** | | Begin | Starting quantity of each item as shown in the first inventory count that was included in the report. | | Purch | Quantity of items purchased for the location. | | Trnsfer | Quantity of items transferred to or from the location. | | End | Final quantity of each item as shown in the last inventory count that was included in the report. | | Actual | Actual number of items used. When expanded, the Beginning Amount, Purchased Amount, Transfer Amount, and End Amount appear. | | Theo | Theoretical number of items used. | | Var | Difference between the actual amount and the theoretical amount. | | Waste | Number of items that were not used and therefore went to waste. This column appears only if Show is selected on the Waste Calculations parameter. | | Donation | Number of items that were donated. This column appears only if Show is selected on the Donation Calculations parameter. | | UnExpl Var | Difference between variance and waste. This column can help users better understand why certain items have larger variances than others. | | Effcy | The theoretical quantity over the actual quantity used. This shows how efficiently this item is being used. | | **Dollar Usage** | | Actual | Total actual cost of the item. When expanded, the Beginning Cost, Purchased Cost, Transfer Cost, and Ending Cost appear. > [!WARNING] > **Actual Usage Dollar Parameter Setting** > > - When Actual Usage Dollar is set to **Transaction Cost,** the actual cost shown here is the total cost of all the transactions that occurred between counts, including the day of the beginning and ending count. The item costs used to calculate this value are the various item costs as they were at the point in time of each different transaction. > - When this parameter is set to **Unit Cost**, the actual cost shown here is the total actual cost based on the average cost of the item across all the transactions between and including the beginning and ending counts. > - When this parameter is set to **Ending Count Cost**, the actual cost shown here is based on the cost of the item at the time of the ending count. | | Theo | Total theoretical cost of the item. > [!WARNING] > **Actual Usage Dollar - Transaction Cost** > > - When Actual Usage Dollar is set to **Transaction Cost,** the theoretical cost shown here is the total theoretical cost of all the transactions that occurred between counts, including the day of the beginning and ending count. The item costs used to calculate this value are the the costs of the item at the time of each different transaction, which are based on the most recent selling price of the item relative to the various transaction(s). | | Var | Difference between the actual cost and the theoretical cost. This is **actual minus theoretical cost.** | | Waste | Cost items that were not used and therefore went to waste. This column appears only if **Show** is selected on the Waste Calculations option. | | Donation | Cost of items that were donated. This column appears only if **Show** is selected on the Donation Calculations option. | | UnExpl Var | Difference between variance and waste. This column can help users better understand why certain items have larger variances than others. | | Effcy | The theoretical cost over the actual cost of items used. This shows how efficiently this item is being used. | | **% of Sales** | | Actl % | Percentage of actual sales. This column appears only if the Show % of Sales option is set to Yes. | | Theo % | Percentage of theoretical sales. This column appears only if the Show % of Sales option is set to Yes. | | Var % | Difference between actual percent and theoretical percent of sales. This column appears only if the Show % of Sales option is set to Yes. | --- ## Email, Export, or Print the Report This report can be emailed, exported, or printed in custom formatting directly from the reporting window. Click here to learn how to [send, export, or print this report](/doc/docs/my-reports-send-export-or-print-reports). ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/5c9d1111-0c69-4e96-8910-d7f2750fdc9d/Images/Documentation/8fce5b87-737d-4d8a-a3b9-f0bbd842bb3f.png) POS (Point of Sale) A system used by businesses to process sales transactions and manage customer payments. Connected to R365 through a [POS integration](/doc/docs/pos-integration-overview). Structured documents that provide insights and summaries of various operational metrics and financial data. Financial account used to record specific transactions in the general ledger.