Bar stock control questionsQuestions bar owners ask us.
Straight answers about stocktakes, ordering, GP, plans and your data. Can't find yours? Email hello@barloapp.co.uk.
Getting started
What is Barlo?
Barlo is drinks stock control and supplier ordering for UK bars, pubs and restaurants. You count stock on your phone, upload your weekly sales report, and Barlo shows what you have, what each drink makes you and what to order from each supplier.
Who is Barlo for?
Independent bars, pubs and restaurants, typically around 70 to 100 covers, and small groups of 3 or 4 venues. Each plan covers one venue. If you run more than one, email hello@barloapp.co.uk and we'll talk it through.
How do I set Barlo up?
Add your drinks menu, a few supplier invoices and a sales report. Barlo reads them, matches names that mean the same drink, and builds your product list with sell prices, costs, case sizes, suppliers and suggested par levels. You check anything it isn't sure about, then you're ready for your first count.
Do I need a card to start the free trial?
No. You get 14 days with everything in Pro and no card. Two days before the end we email you to choose Starter or Pro. If you don't choose, your account pauses with no charges and your data is kept for 90 days.
Does Barlo work on my phone?
Yes. Barlo is designed for the phone and works on desktop too. iPhone and Android apps are being prepared.
Stocktakes
How do I do a stocktake with Barlo?
Open Count stock and film each shelf, fridge or cellar area while you talk, for example “two cases of prosecco behind the kegs”. Barlo counts it and shows you the numbers. You check them and confirm. If you'd rather, you can type the numbers instead.
Do I have to trust what Barlo counts?
No. Nothing is saved until you've checked it. Barlo shows each count for you to confirm or change, so you stay in control of the numbers.
Can I count the bar, cellar and fridges separately?
Yes. Add areas like Bar, Cellar and Fridge and count them one at a time. Barlo adds them up to one total for the venue. Kegs and cellar stock are tracked too.
How often should a bar do a stocktake?
Many bars count weekly, often on a Monday, so sales and orders line up week to week. With Barlo you can also set a regular count day for the team.
Sales, orders and suppliers
How do my sales get into Barlo?
Upload your weekly sales report as a CSV, Excel file, PDF or photo. Barlo matches each line to your products, takes the stock off and shows you anything it couldn't match before anything changes.
Does Barlo handle cocktails?
Yes. Set up each cocktail as a recipe once. Every one sold takes each ingredient off stock, measure by measure, and you see the cost per serve.
How does Barlo build my order?
From your par levels: anything below par is added to the order for its supplier, in case sizes. On Pro, Barlo also suggests changes using your sales trend, the weather and your bookings.
Can I send orders to all my suppliers at once?
Yes. Barlo groups the order by supplier. Check and edit each one, then send every supplier email with one button.
Can Barlo see my bookings?
Yes. Link ResDiary, OpenTable, SevenRooms or Google Calendar once and Barlo shows the covers coming in this week. It only reads your bookings and never changes them.
Money and GP
How does Barlo help my GP?
Barlo shows what each drink costs you per serve and what it makes you, including cocktails. On Pro, when a delivery invoice is checked against your order, price rises are flagged and you see GP% trends and alerts when a drink's GP drops.
How do I calculate GP on drinks?
Take VAT off the menu price, subtract the cost per serve, then divide by the price without VAT. Our free bar GP calculator does it for you, with the price you need to hit your target.
Will Barlo show me where stock is going missing?
Yes. The weekly shrinkage report compares what you sold with what's gone from the shelf, product by product. Waste is recorded separately, in pounds.
Plans, staff and data
What's the difference between Starter and Pro?
Starter (£29 a month) covers counting, ordering to par, sales upload, cocktails, bookings, core reports and Barlo AI to answer your questions, for up to 150 products and 3 staff plus the owner. Pro (£39 a month) adds unlimited products, Barlo AI that does jobs for you and counts by voice, AI order suggestions, the weather forecast, the Monday summary email, price rise alerts, invoice matching and advanced reports, for up to 5 staff plus the owner.
Can my staff use Barlo?
Yes. Starter includes up to 3 staff logins and Pro up to 5, plus the owner, each with a role. Staff can log in with a PIN and do counts and sales.
If I change plan, do I lose anything?
No. Moving from Starter to Pro keeps all your products, stock and history. The same goes after the trial: if you take a break, your data is kept for 90 days.
Is my data safe?
Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest, handled under UK GDPR, and never sold. You can export it as CSV whenever you like.
How does Barlo AI use my data?
Barlo AI is powered by Claude, made by Anthropic. On Starter it answers questions; on Pro it also does jobs for you and counts by voice. It asks your permission before any data is sent, and it prepares jobs for you to confirm rather than doing them on its own.
Is there a contract?
No. Pay monthly or yearly (save 10%) and cancel any time. You keep access to the end of the period you paid for.
Try it on Monday.
Set up from your documents, film your first count and see your first order. 14 days free, no card, no sales call.