Quick Start Guide
Welcome to ShelfyAI! This guide will help you get started with inventory management for makers and small businesses.
What is ShelfyAI?
ShelfyAI is an inventory management system designed for makers, small businesses, and manufacturers. Track materials, manage recipes, process orders, and monitor expenses—all in one place.
Key Features
- Ingredient Tracking: Monitor all your raw materials with real-time stock levels
- Recipe Management: Define product recipes and automatically calculate costs
- Low Stock Alerts: Get notified when materials drop below reorder levels
- Order Processing: Track orders manually or extract data from URLs using AI
- Expense Tracking: Upload receipts and let AI extract the data automatically
- Cost & Profit Analysis: Automatic material cost calculation and profit tracking
Getting Started
1. Create Your Account
Sign up for a free ShelfyAI account at shelfyai.com/login. You can use email/password or sign in with Google.
2. Add Your First Ingredient
Navigate to the Ingredients page and click "+ New Ingredient" to add your first raw material.
Example Ingredient Entry:
Name: Oak Planks
Quantity: 50
Unit: pieces
Cost per Unit: $5.50
Reorder Level: 10
When your stock drops to or below the reorder level, you'll automatically receive a notification.
Authentication
ShelfyAI supports secure authentication via:
- Email and password
- Google OAuth
All data is encrypted and securely stored.
Ingredient Tracking
Track all your raw materials with real-time stock levels. Each ingredient includes:
Key Fields:
- Name: Material identifier
- Quantity: Current stock level
- Unit: Measurement unit (pieces, kg, liters, etc.)
- Cost per Unit: Material cost for profit calculations
- Reorder Level: Minimum stock threshold for alerts
- Notes: Additional information or supplier details
Stock Management:
- Manually adjust quantities up or down
- Receive automatic low-stock notifications
- Track when recipes consume ingredients
Recipe Management
Create product recipes by specifying which ingredients and quantities are needed. ShelfyAI automatically:
- Calculates total material costs based on ingredient prices
- Shows profit margin when you set a retail price
- Indicates which recipes can be made with current inventory
- Deducts ingredients when you process orders containing recipes
Creating a Recipe:
- Go to the Recipes page
- Click "+ New Recipe"
- Enter recipe name and optional description
- Add ingredients with required quantities
- Set your retail price (optional)
- Save to start using the recipe in orders
💡 Pro Tip: Set retail prices on recipes to track profit margins on each product.
Order Processing
Manage customer orders from the Orders page. You can:
Manual Entry:
- Create orders by selecting recipes
- Set quantities and customer details
- Track order status (pending, fulfilled, shipped)
AI-Powered Import:
ShelfyAI can extract order data automatically:
- Paste an order confirmation URL (e.g., from Etsy or Shopify)
- AI extracts customer details, items, and amounts
- Review and confirm before saving
Expense Tracking
Track business expenses on the Expenses page:
Manual Entry:
Add expenses with amount, date, category, and description.
AI Receipt Upload:
- Click "Upload Receipt"
- Take a photo or upload an image of your receipt
- AI automatically extracts date, amount, vendor, and items
- Review and save the expense
📸 Tip: For best results with receipt scanning, ensure the image is clear and well-lit.
Notifications
ShelfyAI sends automatic notifications when:
- An ingredient drops to or below its reorder level
- You have pending tasks or alerts
View all notifications by clicking the bell icon in the top navigation.
Next Steps
Ready to explore more?
- Try the Playground - Test features before creating an account
- View Pricing - See plan options and features
- Read the FAQ - Common questions answered
Questions? Feedback? We'd love to hear from you!