---
title: How to add an ingredient to your database?
description: These steps will help you efficiently incorporate new ingredients into your Elecate Empower system.
---

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# How to add an ingredient to your database?

## These steps will help you efficiently incorporate new ingredients into your Elecate system.

 

Ingredients are the raw food items used to build recipes in Elecate. Each ingredient must be configured with units of measure, costs, and operational details so recipes can calculate accurate food costs, quantities, and reporting. Proper setup ensures consistency across menus, purchasing, and production.

 

**The Ingredient setup screen typically includes:**

- **General Information** (name, group, status)
- **Units of Measure**
- **Costing Fields**
- **Vendor/Purchasing Details** (if used)
- **Conversion Settings**

**Before adding ingredients, confirm the following are configured:**

**Required Setup:**

- **Units of Measure**  
  Needed for quantity tracking and conversions
- **Ingredient Groups**  
  Used to organize ingredients for reporting and filtering

**Recommended Setup Sequence:**

1. Set up **Units of Measure**
2. Configure **Ingredient Groups**
3. Create **Ingredients**
4. Assign ingredients to **Recipes**

**How to Add a New Ingredient**  

1. Go to ***Data Items*** on the left side panel.
2. Click ***Food Management*** in the drop-down list.
3. Click ***Ingredient Management (All Items)**.*
   
   *![](https://faq.elecate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-17-2024-07-24-04-0766-PM.png?width=670&height=312&name=image-png-May-17-2024-07-24-04-0766-PM.png)*
4. Click on the ***New Entry*** button.
   
   ![](https://faq.elecate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-17-2024-07-24-47-8688-PM.png?width=670&height=292&name=image-png-May-17-2024-07-24-47-8688-PM.png)
5. Fill out the ingredient information. All the highlighted fields are required to save the ingredients.
   
   **![](https://faq.elecate.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-May-17-2024-07-26-06-6053-PM.png?width=670&height=271&name=image-png-May-17-2024-07-26-06-6053-PM.png)**
6. Click the ***Save*** button to add the ingredients to the database.

 

**FIELD DEFINITIONS:**

 

**Ingredient Name:**

- The name used across recipes, reports, and purchasing
- Should be standardized (e.g., “Chicken Breast – Boneless”)

**Ingredient Group:**

- Categorizes the ingredient for reporting and organization
- Helps filter items in large databases

**Unit of Measure (UOM):**

- Defines how the ingredient is tracked (e.g., lbs, oz, each)
- Required for all ingredient calculations

**Cost:**

- Cost per unit of measure
- Used in recipe cost calculations
- Should be kept up to date for accuracy

**Conversions:**

- Defines how units relate (e.g., 1 case = 10 lbs)
- Enables flexibility in purchasing vs recipe usage units

**Status (Active/Inactive):**

- Active: available for use in recipes
- Inactive: retained for reporting but unavailable for new use

**Vendor / Purchasing Info (Optional):**

- Tracks supplier details and purchasing units
- Useful for procurement and inventory workflows

**DECISION FRAMEWORKS:**

 

**Choosing the Right Unit of Measure:**

- Ingredient used in weight?  
  → Use **lbs, oz, kg**
- Ingredient counted individually?  
  → Use **each (ea)**
- Ingredient purchased in bulk but used differently?  
  → Use **conversions**

**Ingredient Naming Strategy:**

- Need consistency across reports?  
  → Use standardized naming (e.g., include cut, prep, or form)
- Need flexibility for kitchen staff?  
  → Keep names simple but descriptive

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