Tip: In Myfoodbank.Online, rather than using the default individual stock item setting, you can instead use our 'Categories' section. This allows you to create custom Category headings, for example 'Soup', 'Cereal', 'Fresh fruit', and group similar food items under them. Our bulk assignment feature also means you can create QR codes for each category, allowing for more efficient assignment and updates for your food stock.

1. To create your food category, first of all navigate to your dashboard: https://www.myfoodbank.online/FoodBank/Dashboard

2. Click on the "Admin" menu from the top toolbar.

3. Select the option for "Category" from the drop down menu.

4. Click the "Add Category" button on the top right of the page

5. Click the "Category Name*" box and type in the name of the category that you plan to create.

6. We will create a category for lunch items.

7. Tick the "Is Active" box to ensure the category is activated.

8. We can now assign any stock that we have already scanned to this category. First of all, click on the drop down menu labeled 'Choose uncategorised food items'.

9. A list of any uncategorised food items will then appear. Select one of them from the menu.

10. Once you have selected your food item, click the add button to the right of the drop down menu.

11. Click "Select" to choose any further food items to add to the category.

12. Choose your next food item.

13. Click Add and repeat until you have added all of your uncategorised food items.

14. At the bottom right of the list of items, you will see a box labeled "Total Quantity". Click in this box and then fill in the total quantity for this category that you have in stock right now.

15. When you are done, click the Save button.

Tip: You may need to update the amount of stock against a category, or add other uncategorised items that you have scanned since creating a category.

16. On the Categories page, click "Edit" next to the category you need to update.

17. To add a new item to the category, Click the "Uncategorised food items" drop down menu.

18. You can search for the name of the item you are looking for, then select it from the list.

19. Click "Add" to add the stock item to the existing category.

Tip: You can also update the quantity of stock for the category.

20. Select the "Total Quantity" box and fill in the latest stock amount.

21. Click the "Update" button to save any changes you have made to the category.

Tip: Each category has a unique QR code that you can use to help update the stock levels of your categories quickly by using our volunteer app.

22. If you are not already on the categories page, click on the "Admin" menu.

23. Then select "Category" from the drop down menu.

24. To find the QR code, click the "View" button next to the category you are looking for.

25. You will see a QR code icon next to the category name. Click on the icon to view and print the QR code.

26. You can view the QR code here, or click the download icon shown below to download a PDF copy of the QR code, ready to print.

27. Click the "×" button to close this QR code, which will return you to the categories page.

Tip: You can then print this QR code from the PDF and use this in your stock room, to help volunteers scan the QR code using our application to update the stock levels of each category.