# Bakers Mode
We know bakeries have unique, complex workflows, so we built a suite of tools specifically tailored to help you manage them. You can enable bakers mode within your production settings.
* **Starter within your starter? No problem:** We know you need it, and now you can do it! You can now use your starter *within* its own recipe without getting stuck in an infinite loop.
* **Automated Hydration Percentages:** Say goodbye to manual math. You can now tag your flour products as "needing hydration" and simply input the hydration percentage into your recipe - Supply'd will calculate the rest! Need to make an adjustment on the fly? You can easily override the hydration percentage on individual production runs.
* **Deck Reports:** Planning your daily bake just got much easier. You can now select which products should appear on your deck reports and export the report for any given day to perfectly optimise your baking schedule.
* **Smart Write-offs for Stores:** Streamline your end-of-day routines. Your stores can now perform a "Smart Write-off," which automatically identifies all stock expiring at the end of the day, making it incredibly simple for your team to isolate and discard it.
* [#enabling-bakers-mode](#enabling-bakers-mode "mention")
* [#starter-within-a-starter](#starter-within-a-starter "mention")
* [#hydration-percentages](#hydration-percentages "mention")
* [#deck-reports](#deck-reports "mention")
* [#smart-write-offs](#smart-write-offs "mention")
***
## Enabling Bakers Mode
**Bakers Mode** can be enabled in **Production Settings**, unlocking a set of features tailored for bakery workflows. Once enabled, you’ll gain access to tools such as hydration management, support for starter-based recipes, and deck reporting. This allows you to better control production processes, improve accuracy, and streamline daily baking operations.
To enable **Bakers Mode**:
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Go to Settings
Click on your company name in the top right and select **Settings**.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Select Production Settings
Select **Production Settings** from the **Settings** menu.
The **Production Settings** form will open.
{% hint style="success" %}
To open or close the sections on this form click the little arrows to the right of the titles (as circled in red above).
{% endhint %}
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Go to Production Defaults
In the **Production Defaults** section, select "**Yes**" for the **Enable Bakers Mode** field.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Click Save
Click to apply your settings.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
***
## Starter within a Starter
Supply’d allows you to use a **starter within a starter** when [creating-a-production-product](https://help.supplyd.co/production/creating-a-production-product "mention"), such as a starter for sourdough bread, giving you full flexibility to model real bakery processes. This means a starter can be included as an ingredient in another starter without causing calculation issues or loops. It reflects how bakeries naturally build and maintain levains over time, making it easier to manage complex recipes, ensure consistency, and accurately track ingredient usage throughout production.
In Supply’d, using a **starter within a starter** is done by simply adding an existing starter as an ingredient when creating another starter or production product.
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Create your base starter as a **Production Product**.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
When creating a new starter, add that starter as a **Production Item** (ingredient) in the recipe.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
The system recognises it as a production item and correctly calculates quantities without creating an infinite loop.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
This allows you to build layered recipes while keeping quantities, costs, and inventory tracking accurate throughout the production process.
{% hint style="info" %}
While this setting works best in Bakers Mode, it’s not exclusive to it. For example, outside of baking, you could use it if you have leftover rocky road after cutting - it can be added to a new batch of rocky road.
{% endhint %}
***
## Hydration Percentages
Hydration percentage is a key concept in baking that defines the ratio of water to flour in a recipe. It plays a crucial role in determining the texture, structure, and consistency of products like bread and sourdough. By using hydration percentages, you can standardise recipes while still allowing flexibility to adjust for factors such as temperature, humidity, and flour type.
To use Hydration Percentages, you need to:
* **Step 1:** Specify that any products (ingredients) to be used in production need hydration when you **Create the Products**.
* **Step 2:** Set the percentages when adding **Production Items** (ingredients) as you **Create the Production Product.**
* **Step 3:** Adjust the percentages, if needed, when you **Create the Production Run**.
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Create the Products (Ingredients)
If a **Product** (ingredient) requires water when used in production - like flour in bread making - you specify this when creating the product (eg. Bread Flour).
Following the guidelines in the [adding-and-updating-products](https://help.supplyd.co/products/adding-and-updating-products "mention") or [creating-a-production-product](https://help.supplyd.co/production/creating-a-production-product "mention") documents, complete the details in the **Product Details**, **Custom Fields**, and **Product Type** sections.
When completing the **Labelling Details** section, select "**Yes**" in the **Needs Hydration?** field.
{% hint style="info" %}
This field will only show when **Bakers Mode** is enabled in the [#production-defaults](https://help.supplyd.co/configuring-supplyd/settings/production-settings#production-defaults "mention") section in your [#production-settings](#production-settings "mention").
{% endhint %}
Complete the remaining details following the guidelines for adding a product.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Create the Production Product
Follow the guidelines in the [creating-a-production-product](https://help.supplyd.co/production/creating-a-production-product "mention") and complete the sections up to the **Production Items** section.
When adding an item that requires hydration, an additional field - **Hydration Percentage** - will show. Enter the typical hydration percentage for this item in this field.
When a Production Run starts, the system automatically calculates the required water for each item at the appropriate stage, and the calculated amount will be shown during the run. For example, if bread flour is set to 25% hydration, 100 g of flour will require 25 g of water.
{% hint style="success" %}
Since hydration can vary based on factors such as weather, temperature, and humidity, it can be adjusted when creating the **Production Run**.
{% endhint %}
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Create the Production Run
If **Bakers Mode** is on and a production product ingredient needs hydration, an addition section - **Hydration** - will show in the **Add Production Batch** form when [creating-and-performing-a-production-run](https://help.supplyd.co/production/creating-and-performing-a-production-run "mention").
{% hint style="success" %}
To open or close the sections on this form, click the little arrows to the right of the titles (as circled in red above).
{% endhint %}
In this section, you can review the calculated hydration percentage and override it if needed. This is useful as hydration can vary depending on conditions such as weather, temperature, and humidity, thus the same product may require different hydration on different days.
{% hint style="info" %}
The **Hydration** section will only show if **Bakers Mode** is enabled in the [#production-defaults](https://help.supplyd.co/configuring-supplyd/settings/production-settings#production-defaults "mention") section of [production-settings](https://help.supplyd.co/configuring-supplyd/settings/production-settings "mention") and **Yes** is selected in the **Needs Hydration** field in the [#labelling-details](https://help.supplyd.co/creating-a-production-product#labelling-details "mention") when [creating-a-production-product](https://help.supplyd.co/production/creating-a-production-product "mention").
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="warning" %}
Field and **Stage** names will vary from our examples depending on how they were defined when creating the production product.
👉 See the [#production-stages](https://help.supplyd.co/creating-a-production-product#production-stages "mention") section of the [creating-a-production-product](https://help.supplyd.co/production/creating-a-production-product "mention") document.
{% endhint %}
When a **Production Run** begins, the system automatically calculates the precise amount of water needed for each item based on its specified hydration percentage.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
***
## Deck Reports
Deck Reports help you plan and organise your daily production by showing how your baking workload is distributed across ovens (or “decks”). They provide a clear view of what needs to be produced and when, making it easier to schedule efficiently, avoid bottlenecks, and ensure optimal use of your equipment.
{% hint style="success" %}
A **Deck Report** is a planning tool used in bakeries and production environments to organise daily production across ovens (or “decks”).
* **1 deck = 1 oven**, so the report shows how many ovens are currently being used.
* You can select which products appear on the report for a specific day.
* The report helps optimise the baking schedule, making it easier to plan production, reduce bottlenecks, and ensure efficient use of resources.
{% endhint %}
To generate a **Deck Report**:
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
Go to the Production Page
Select **Production** in the main menu to open the **Production** page.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Select Download > Deck Report
Click the 3 dots in the top right and select **Download** then **Deck Report**.
{% hint style="info" %}
This option will only show when **Bakers Mode** is enabled in the [#production-defaults](https://help.supplyd.co/configuring-supplyd/settings/production-settings#production-defaults "mention") section in your [#production-settings](#production-settings "mention").
{% endhint %}
The **Download Production Deck Report** form will open.
**Scheduled Date**
Select the date for which you want to export the report.
Click to generate the report.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
***
## Smart Write-Offs
**Smart Write-Offs** streamline end-of-day stock management by automatically identifying inventory that is due to expire or needs to be discarded. This feature helps reduce manual checks, minimise errors, and ensures that expired or excess stock is properly removed, saving time and maintaining accurate inventory records.
Although not exclusive to **Bakers Mode**, this feature is particularly useful for bakeries, where unsold or overproduced items often need to be written off at the end of each day.
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Go to the Write Offs Page
Select **Inventory** from the main menu, then open the **Write Offs** tab.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Select Smart Write-Off
Click on the 3 dots in the top right and select **Smart Write-Off**.
The **Smart Write-Off** form will open.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### **Complete the Form**
**Method**
Select the method to use, either to write-off **Expired Batches** or **All Batches**.
* **Expired Batches:** Only write-off batches that have stock on hand and are due to expire.
* **All Batches:** Write-off all inventory, regardless of expiry.
**Location**
Select the location where the write-off will be applied.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Click Create
Click to generate a list of products to be written-off.
The **Edit Write-Off** form will open, and a **Write-Off Number** will be automatically assigned to the record.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Review the List
Review all items on the list. Quantities can be edited if needed, or click the 3 dots to the right of the item name to open a menu with the option to **Remove Item** from the write-off.
***
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Finalise the Write-Off
Once any required adjustments have been made, click . You will be asked to confirm.
{% hint style="success" %}
As an alternative to the button, you can click on the 3 dots in the top right and select **Finalise Write Off**.
{% endhint %}
All items on the list will be written off, and the write-off will appear in the **Write-Offs** list, marked as .
{% hint style="info" %}
**Additional Options**
Prior to finalising the write-off, clicking the 3 dots in the top right will open a menu.\
\
\
**Finalise Write Off**
An alternative to the button, this option will finalise the write-off.
**Remove**
Will remove the write-off. You will be asked to confirm.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
[#smart-write-offs](#smart-write-offs "mention")
***
## Enabling Bakers Mode
**Bakers Mode** can be enabled in **Production Settings**, unlocking a set of features tailored for bakery workflows. Once enabled, you’ll gain access to tools such as hydration management, support for starter-based recipes, and deck reporting. This allows you to better control production processes, improve accuracy, and streamline daily baking operations.
To enable **Bakers Mode**:
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Go to Settings
Click on your company name in the top right and select **Settings**.
to apply your settings.
to generate the report.
Smart Write-Offs
**Smart Write-Offs** streamline end-of-day stock management by automatically identifying inventory that is due to expire or needs to be discarded. This feature helps reduce manual checks, minimise errors, and ensures that expired or excess stock is properly removed, saving time and maintaining accurate inventory records.
Although not exclusive to **Bakers Mode**, this feature is particularly useful for bakeries, where unsold or overproduced items often need to be written off at the end of each day.
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Go to the Write Offs Page
Select **Inventory** from the main menu, then open the **Write Offs** tab.
**Smart Write-Off**.
to generate a list of products to be written-off.
The **Edit Write-Off** form will open, and a **Write-Off Number** will be automatically assigned to the record.
. You will be asked to confirm.
button, you can click on the 3 dots in the top right and select **Finalise Write Off**.
{% endhint %}
.
button, this option will finalise the write-off.
**Remove**
Will remove the write-off. You will be asked to confirm.