Todd Ziegler
Circle Z soaps
I have been using onenote for inventory and I have been thinking about transferring over to it for a while.
Record keeping and notations
- Thread starter Todd Ziegler
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In addition to printing my recipes each time for notes I keep a simple spreadsheet (could be kept in a notebook) with date, name of soap, formulation type (I have 4), number bars, batch number. I also have columns to go back and update when beveled and labeled. I use cigar band labels that I print. I add the batch/date made at the top of the label (that will be only be visible when the label is removed). I print labels soon after I make the soap so that they can be on the shelf beside the curing bars. The spreadsheet helps me keep up with soap on the curing shelves but it makes it easy at the end of the year to sort/summarize what I made and what I need to plan for the next year.
Alira
Member
This is similar to my method. I print my recipes from the calc and put them in a plastic sleeve in a 3 ring binger. Notes, labels and everything else for that batch are slipped into the sleeve as well. I also have digital copies of each backed up in a Soap folder. I also put notes on my wall calendar for the day the soap were made and when it should be done curing. Since it hangs over my desk, it helps my SO know when an order is ready for one of his co-workers, instead of asking me all the time. Used to, I'd just write the dates in my notes, but got tired of always having to look it up for him, lol.
I keep copies of my base recipes in one binder and a “journal” page for each batch in a second binder organized by date. I use the journal page template from soaping101.com to plan and then keep track of everything I add to the batch and it has room enough to make notes about my process. I start every soaping session by rewriting the full base recipe. That forces me to double-check the plan, and although it’s a bit more work, I make fewer mistakes now than I did without that step. The back of the page provides plenty of room to plan the design and make more extensive notes. I also have a soap making “diary” for sketching out ideas, making general notes, running through calculations and generally keeping track of my soap making journey. After a soap is made and cut, I move it to a rack and make a label with the soap name (every soap gets a name) and the date it was made. I periodically enter the data for each batch into a spreadsheet which I’ve found to be most helpful for teasing out the factors that determine soap qualities, why a recipe might behave the way it does, etc. I have an extensive collection of reference articles, tables and other useful information organized in folders on my computer. I keep inspiration photos on the computer, organized mostly by style (e.g. layered vs. swirled) and also have a big collection on Pinterest.
I really like to be pen-to-paper (post-it notes rule!) but lost some of my fav formulations that way... 
With help from my tech-savvy sons, I still have my base recipes on paper (in a 3-ring binder) - and copy exists online. Easier to track batches & keep notes too.
With help from my tech-savvy sons, I still have my base recipes on paper (in a 3-ring binder) - and copy exists online. Easier to track batches & keep notes too.
PieBorg
Well-Known Member
If you have the slightest familiarity with computer programming, and if you're using a Windows operating system with MS Office, you can use MS Access to design the most wang-dang record keeping system imaginable. In one fairly small file, I have detailed records of purchases (equipment, materials, ingredients, etc.), from which, inventory and costs are easily managed, as well as an extremely flexible recipe calculator. In addition to doing all the math for me, the recipe calculator has a place for recording all the details about each batch, including an expandable memo field, so I can go back anytime and add notes, reviews from testers, etc. The whole thing is also searchable, and will collate your info any way you want. If I ever decide to sell, I can easily add customer and sales info, shipping rates -- whatever would make life easier. For now, I'm just using it to fine tune recipes, which I then print out and take to my soaping area. I write notes on the printout and enter them into the program when I'm all done soaping.
It was a little effort to set it up, but now record keeping is another fun part of soaping. I especially like playing with the recipe calculator. It's easy to add onto or change the system as needed, which I really like. But then, I'm a little nerdy that way. I realize most soapmakers, (or most *people*, for that matter) would probably rather not build their own software. If you're up to it, though, DIY is the way to go.
It was a little effort to set it up, but now record keeping is another fun part of soaping. I especially like playing with the recipe calculator. It's easy to add onto or change the system as needed, which I really like. But then, I'm a little nerdy that way. I realize most soapmakers, (or most *people*, for that matter) would probably rather not build their own software. If you're up to it, though, DIY is the way to go.
I would expect no less from a cyborg - oh I mean Pieborg.
PieBorg
Well-Known Member
... and one who is married to Darth Tater...I would expect no less from a cyborg - oh I mean Pieborg.
Carolyne Thrasher
Well-Known Member
I printout a recipe every time I make a batch soap. Even if it is an exact duplicate. I file my paper recipes in a 3 ring binder, separated by months. Each soap gets a batch number which goes on my labels. The batch number is year month day and in case I've made more than one batch that day (waiting for that day to happen), there's a letter a, b, c etc at the end. So soap I made today would have a batch number of 20200424a. My recipes have the date printed on them so I can go back into my paper file system and cross reference. I just can't break the paper habit. I love binders and indexes and all things office supply. I'm a dork. I'd really like to settle on that one perfect soap recipe so I don't have so much work when it's time to label things but I also like to play around. I've pretty much settled on 2 standard recipes though. And then there's the specials like salt bars. I also use crafty base for my inventory and sales tracking and the recipes are also entered here as well but like I said, paper is my first love.
Anstarx
Well-Known Member
I used to hand write all my notes but sometimes it's hard to read my handwriting and I often get lost on what I need to write...I now use a cloud drive service. It's kinda like OneDrive but in my language.
I soap no more than 4 batches every month and each batch has a distinctive theme/technique so I can tell which batch it is just by looking at document titles. I have a document for every batch pretty much since the beginning of my soaping journey. Every 6 months I create a big folder to put everything happened in the time period inside so I don't need to scroll for 5 min for that one document.
Writing down every thing used in the recipe and happened during the process really helps cross reference.
It's usually something like this:
2020/3/25 Carrot Soap w/ red palm + soap dough
Oil: coconut(20%)100g, red palm (20%) 100g.....
Water: xx g frozen carrot juice
lye: xx g
Additive: carrot powder (1%) 6g. sodium lactate 5ml
Fragrance: orange peel EO 12g....
1. Orange juice dissolved well. No discoloration, strong red orange color.
2. 20 min to medium trace.
3. Medium heating. Partial gel.
4. 18 hours to unmold, moderately hard to cut. Red-ish orange became yellow-orange.
5. 4 weeks in, no harsh. Good scent retention
.....
It's kinda tedious at first but after a while you just get used to it lol. It also helps you to pay attention to details during soaping
I soap no more than 4 batches every month and each batch has a distinctive theme/technique so I can tell which batch it is just by looking at document titles. I have a document for every batch pretty much since the beginning of my soaping journey. Every 6 months I create a big folder to put everything happened in the time period inside so I don't need to scroll for 5 min for that one document.
Writing down every thing used in the recipe and happened during the process really helps cross reference.
It's usually something like this:
2020/3/25 Carrot Soap w/ red palm + soap dough
Oil: coconut(20%)100g, red palm (20%) 100g.....
Water: xx g frozen carrot juice
lye: xx g
Additive: carrot powder (1%) 6g. sodium lactate 5ml
Fragrance: orange peel EO 12g....
1. Orange juice dissolved well. No discoloration, strong red orange color.
2. 20 min to medium trace.
3. Medium heating. Partial gel.
4. 18 hours to unmold, moderately hard to cut. Red-ish orange became yellow-orange.
5. 4 weeks in, no harsh. Good scent retention
.....
It's kinda tedious at first but after a while you just get used to it lol. It also helps you to pay attention to details during soaping
Last edited:
SueH
New Member
@Todd Ziegler, have you tried using Soapmaking Friend? you can enter recipes, batches, inventory, supplies, purchases and suppliers. I haven't used that section as I have Soapmaker3, but it might be worth checking it out as you can use it on Android. And it's amazingly free!
I start with my "Soap recipe template" for writing down my ideas when the creative juices start flowing to create a soap recipe/design (I always print out 10 of these templates ready to go when I have ideas). Then I enter it in Soapmaking Friend to check and fiddle around with the "numbers" (I don't yet have definitive recipes, still working on that). I then enter it in SM3 to check the cost/bar and print the final recipe with exact quantities for my mold size. I staple both these sheets together. While making the soap I jot down on the recipe sheet the exact numbers used while weighing (sometimes a tad more/less oil of one kind while pouring, etc) and whatever happens during the process (acceleration, ricing, etc). These sheets end up looking pretty messy, but the important stuff is noted while it's happening.
For batch numbers, I use a date+hour format, like 200426-1316 - it helps when making multiple batches in one day and it also helps to know when to unmold as the hour is writen at then end (1316 = 1:16pm). For me using the date+hour format is intuitive and easy to follow up as the dates match in my folder and on the label (like Carolyn). When the recipe and batch number is given, I file them in my "batch binder" by the batch number which is equal to the date and time made.
I also use cure cards in front of each batch. Three Little Goats has some very nice printables, including a very practical cure card.
I still need to enter all the batches in SM3 (still learning the program) and probably will be able to have a printout of all my batches in inventory directly in SM3.
I start with my "Soap recipe template" for writing down my ideas when the creative juices start flowing to create a soap recipe/design (I always print out 10 of these templates ready to go when I have ideas). Then I enter it in Soapmaking Friend to check and fiddle around with the "numbers" (I don't yet have definitive recipes, still working on that). I then enter it in SM3 to check the cost/bar and print the final recipe with exact quantities for my mold size. I staple both these sheets together. While making the soap I jot down on the recipe sheet the exact numbers used while weighing (sometimes a tad more/less oil of one kind while pouring, etc) and whatever happens during the process (acceleration, ricing, etc). These sheets end up looking pretty messy, but the important stuff is noted while it's happening.
For batch numbers, I use a date+hour format, like 200426-1316 - it helps when making multiple batches in one day and it also helps to know when to unmold as the hour is writen at then end (1316 = 1:16pm). For me using the date+hour format is intuitive and easy to follow up as the dates match in my folder and on the label (like Carolyn). When the recipe and batch number is given, I file them in my "batch binder" by the batch number which is equal to the date and time made.
I also use cure cards in front of each batch. Three Little Goats has some very nice printables, including a very practical cure card.
I still need to enter all the batches in SM3 (still learning the program) and probably will be able to have a printout of all my batches in inventory directly in SM3.
Many of you are referencing Soapmaker 3 but I use a Mac not a Windows machine - any Mac users out there? What do you use?
I'm a mac girl - just use an excel spreadsheet as stated somewhere up there ^
I am-just hoping for a “lazy person’s” option! 
Actually, I have quit using Word or Excel and have moved to the native (and free) Pages and Numbers. Can save to excel and even use with Google docs. Took a little getting used to but now I like them a lot!
Actually, I have quit using Word or Excel and have moved to the native (and free) Pages and Numbers. Can save to excel and even use with Google docs. Took a little getting used to but now I like them a lot!
I'm old school. I do a SoapCalc printout of each batch on which I list the date and the scent used at the very top, and list all the additives used in the notes section of the printout. These I keep in a 3-ring binder organized by date (newest batch is always placed at the front). Then in a Black and Red notebook I keep corresponding handwritten notes of a blow by blow description of each batch. It's an old-fashioned system, but it works for me. So far, nothing has ever gotten lost, and everything is easy for me to look up or reference. After all these years, I have several of the Black and Red notebooks completely filled in.
I'm hoping to get a
IrishLass
@IrishLass
I don't know how I ended up editing your comment!
Below is what I meant to post
I'm hoping to purchase SoapMaker 3 or 4 whichever will be available when funds become available.
Meanwhile, I print and save PDF Soapcalc recipe. I then edit and fill in my notes using the PDF editing tools. I have an excel for my supplies, suppliers, cost, dates and cost per ounce.
I have a spiral bound notebook in which I enter the date, recipe, process, (including temps) and lessons learned. Okay, that’s the IDEA. The truth is I am terrible about notetaking, half the time I write the date and name of what I’m doing and that’s all. I desperately need a system I can stick with, so I’m reading all your great ideas. Not familiar with soap maker 3 but I’m going to check it out. Thanks friends.
Dawni
Well-Known Member
I have what my toddler calls "the handy dandy notebook" although it sounds more like "andy andy know buck" lol - if you guys have kids who watch Blue's Clues, you'll get it.
In it there's recipes I've copied down (don't own a printer) and notes everywhere across several pages dedicated to one particular recipe. I need to make a better system but so far this is what had worked for me
In it there's recipes I've copied down (don't own a printer) and notes everywhere across several pages dedicated to one particular recipe. I need to make a better system but so far this is what had worked for me
Wish SoapCalc was available for mac. In this day, there is no excuse for not having to be cross-platform. Excel works on all platforms and even integrates with Apple’s native spreadsheet Numbers. Very frustrating to have to spend time building my own version. Ugh! Excuse my whining. 
SoapmakingFriend.com and SoapInventory.com are both free cloud-based programs, so you can use them with any operating system. They both track inventory, recipes, batches etc.Wish SoapCalc was available for mac. In this day, there is no excuse for not having to be cross-platform. Excel works on all platforms and even integrates with Apple’s native spreadsheet Numbers. Very frustrating to have to spend time building my own version. Ugh! Excuse my whining.
Thanks!
