Managing Tags#

Tags are labels that help you organize and categorize items in MenuM8. This guide explains how to create, manage, and use tags effectively across inputs, products, and costings.

What Are Tags?#

Understanding Tags#

Tags are flexible labels you create:

• Categorize inputs (ingredients)
• Organize products (recipes)
• Group costings (menus)
• Filter and search
• Generate reports

Why Use Tags:

• Find items quickly
• Organize by any criteria
• Create custom categories
• Filter shopping lists
• Analyze by groupings

Example Tags:

Input Tags:
- Dairy, Meat, Vegetables, Spices
- Organic, Local, Imported
- Refrigerated, Frozen, Dry Storage
- High-Use, Occasional, Seasonal

Product Tags:
- Appetizers, Entrees, Desserts, Beverages
- Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free
- Italian, Mexican, Asian, American
- Summer Menu, Winter Menu, Year-Round
- Signature, Popular, New

Costing Tags:
- Restaurant Menu, Catering, Events
- Wedding, Corporate, Private
- Active, Archived, Template

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Creating Tags#

Adding New Tags#

When Creating Item:

1. Create or edit input/product/costing
2. Find "Tags" field
3. Type new tag name
4. Press Enter or select "Create tag"
5. Tag is created and assigned
6. Save item

Example:

Editing: Chicken Breast (input)
Tags field: Type "High-Use"
Press Enter
"High-Use" tag created and assigned
Continue typing: "Refrigerated"
Press Enter
Both tags now assigned to Chicken Breast

Tag Creation#

Creating Tags:

• Created on-the-fly when tagging items
• Or created in Settings → Tags (if available)
• Reusable across all items
• Case-sensitive (typically)

Tag Naming:

• Clear, descriptive names
• Consistent capitalization
• Not too long
• Meaningful categories

Good Tag Names:

✅ Vegetarian
✅ High-Use
✅ Summer Menu
✅ Italian Cuisine
✅ Refrigerated Storage

Poor Tag Names:

❌ veg (unclear)
❌ VEGETARIAN vs vegetarian (inconsistent)
❌ Items-We-Use-A-Lot (too long)
❌ Misc (not meaningful)
❌ Temp-Storage-Location-Walk-In-Fridge (too specific/long)

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Tag Categories#

Input Tags#

Common Input Tag Types:

Category:

• Produce
• Meat
• Dairy
• Dry Goods
• Spices
• Beverages

Dietary:

• Organic
• Non-GMO
• Local
• Fair Trade
• Kosher
• Halal

Storage:

• Refrigerated
• Frozen
• Dry Storage
• Room Temperature

Usage:

• High-Use
• Low-Use
• Seasonal
• Special Occasion
• Everyday

Source:

• Local Farm
• Imported
• House-Made
• Specialty Supplier

Example Input with Tags:

Input: Organic Heirloom Tomatoes
Tags: Produce, Organic, Local, Seasonal, Refrigerated, High-Use

Helps find:
- All organic items
- All local items
- Seasonal produce to rotate
- High-use items to stock well
- What needs refrigeration

Product Tags#

Common Product Tag Types:

Menu Section:

• Appetizers
• Soups & Salads
• Entrees
• Sides
• Desserts
• Beverages

Dietary:

• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Low-Carb
• Keto

Cuisine:

• Italian
• Mexican
• Asian
• French
• American
• Mediterranean

Seasonality:

• Spring Menu
• Summer Menu
• Fall Menu
• Winter Menu
• Year-Round
• Holiday Special

Status:

• Signature Dish
• Popular
• New Item
• Limited Time
• Being Tested

Example Product with Tags:

Product: Margherita Pizza
Tags: Entrees, Italian, Vegetarian, Year-Round, Signature Dish, Popular

Helps:
- Build Italian section of menu
- Filter vegetarian options
- Identify signature items
- Plan year-round offerings
- Track popular dishes

Costing Tags#

Common Costing Tag Types:

Purpose:

• Restaurant Menu
• Catering Menu
• Event Quote
• Testing/Development
• Template

Client Type:

• Wedding
• Corporate Event
• Private Party
• Nonprofit
• Restaurant Service

Status:

• Active
• Archived
• In Progress
• Pending Approval
• Completed

Season/Time:

• Spring 2024
• Summer Menu
• Holiday Season
• Q1 2024

Example Costing with Tags:

Costing: Smith Wedding - June 15
Tags: Wedding, Catering, Active, Summer 2024, Completed

Helps:
- Find all wedding costings
- Filter summer events
- Show active vs archived
- Analyze wedding pricing

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Assigning Tags to Items#

Tagging Inputs#

Process:

1. Create or edit input
2. Find "Tags" section
3. Type tag name or select existing
4. Add multiple tags (comma-separated or multiple selections)
5. Save input

Example:

Input: Chicken Breast
Add tags: Meat, Refrigerated, High-Use, Protein
Save

Now Chicken Breast appears when filtering by:
- Meat
- Refrigerated items
- High-use ingredients
- Protein sources

Tagging Products#

Process:

1. Create or edit product
2. Find "Tags" section
3. Add relevant tags
4. Save product

Example:

Product: Caesar Salad
Add tags: Appetizers, Salads, Vegetarian, Year-Round, Popular
Save

Caesar Salad now shows in:
- Appetizer lists
- Vegetarian options
- Year-round menu planning
- Popular item analysis

Tagging Costings#

Process:

1. Create or edit costing
2. Add tags for organization
3. Save costing

Example:

Costing: Restaurant Menu - Spring 2024
Tags: Restaurant Menu, Active, Spring 2024, Current

Costing: Wedding Quote - Johnson
Tags: Wedding, Catering, Quote, June 2024, Pending Approval

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Using Tags to Filter and Search#

Filtering by Tag#

In Lists (if available):

1. Go to Inputs, Products, or Costings list
2. Find filter or tag selector
3. Select tag(s)
4. List shows only items with those tags
5. Combine multiple tags for precise filtering

Example Workflow:

Task: Find all vegetarian appetizers

1. Go to Products list
2. Filter by tag: "Vegetarian"
3. Filter by tag: "Appetizers"
4. Results: Only vegetarian appetizers shown
   - Caesar Salad
   - Bruschetta
   - Caprese Skewers
   - Veggie Spring Rolls
   - Hummus Platter

Multi-Tag Filtering#

AND Logic (items must have ALL tags):

Filter: Vegetarian + Italian + Entrees
Results: Vegetarian Italian entrees
- Eggplant Parmesan
- Pasta Primavera
- Margherita Pizza

OR Logic (items have ANY tag):

Filter: Mexican OR Italian OR Asian
Results: All items from these cuisines

Implementation varies by MenuM8 version.

Searching with Tags#

Tag-Based Search:

• Type tag name in search
• Or use dedicated tag filter
• Faster than scrolling long lists
• Especially useful with many items

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Editing Tags#

Renaming Tags#

Update Tag Name (if feature available):

1. Go to Settings → Tags
2. Find tag in list
3. Rename tag
4. All items with old tag now have new tag name
5. Save

Example:

Old tag: "Veg"
Rename to: "Vegetarian"
All items tagged "Veg" now show "Vegetarian"

Without Bulk Rename:

• Edit each item individually
• Remove old tag, add new tag
• Time-consuming for many items

Merging Tags#

Scenario: Duplicate or similar tags

Example:

Found duplicate tags:
- "Vegetarian" (20 items)
- "vegetarian" (8 items)
- "Veg" (5 items)

Solution:
1. Standardize on "Vegetarian"
2. Edit items with "vegetarian" → change to "Vegetarian"
3. Edit items with "Veg" → change to "Vegetarian"
4. Delete unused tags "vegetarian" and "Veg"

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Deleting Tags#

Removing Unused Tags#

Delete Tag:

1. Remove tag from all items using it
2. Delete tag from tag list (Settings → Tags)
3. Or tag auto-deletes when last item removed (depends on version)

Example:

Tag: "Fall 2023 Menu" (seasonal)
Items using it: 12 products

End of season:
1. Edit all 12 products
2. Remove "Fall 2023 Menu" tag
3. Add "Archived" tag if needed
4. Delete "Fall 2023 Menu" tag from system

Cleaning Up Tags#

Regular Maintenance:

• Review tags quarterly
• Remove outdated tags (old seasons, completed events)
• Merge duplicates
• Standardize naming
• Delete unused tags

Tag Cleanup Checklist:

✅ Remove tags for old menus/seasons
✅ Merge duplicate tags (Veg → Vegetarian)
✅ Fix capitalization inconsistencies
✅ Delete single-use tags that aren't needed
✅ Consolidate overlapping categories

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Tag Organization Strategies#

Hierarchical Naming#

Use Prefixes for Grouping:

Category - Appetizers
Category - Entrees
Category - Desserts

Dietary - Vegetarian
Dietary - Vegan
Dietary - Gluten-Free

Storage - Refrigerated
Storage - Frozen
Storage - Dry

Season - Spring
Season - Summer
Season - Fall
Season - Winter

Benefit: Tags group together alphabetically, easier to find related tags.

Consistent Tagging Standards#

Document Your System:

Input Tagging Standards:
- Category: Food group (Produce, Meat, Dairy, etc.)
- Storage: Where stored (Refrigerated, Frozen, Dry)
- Usage: How often used (High-Use, Low-Use, Seasonal)
- Source: Where from (Local, Imported, Organic)

Product Tagging Standards:
- Menu Section: Where on menu (Appetizers, Entrees, etc.)
- Dietary: Diet types (Vegetarian, Vegan, GF, etc.)
- Cuisine: Cuisine type (Italian, Mexican, Asian, etc.)
- Status: Menu status (Signature, New, Popular, Testing)

Team Training:

• Document standards
• Train staff on tagging
• Review regularly
• Maintain consistency

Avoid Over-Tagging#

Too Many Tags:

❌ Chicken Breast tagged with:
Meat, Poultry, Chicken, Protein, High-Use, Refrigerated,
White Meat, Boneless, Skinless, Fresh, Daily-Delivery,
Premium, Main-Ingredient, Popular, Versatile

That's 15 tags! Too many, hard to manage.

Right Amount of Tags:

✅ Chicken Breast tagged with:
Meat, Refrigerated, High-Use, Protein

That's 4 tags. Sufficient, manageable, useful.

Guideline: 3-6 tags per item is typically sufficient.

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Tag Use Cases#

Use Case 1: Seasonal Menu Planning#

Goal: Rotate menu seasonally

Tag System:

Products tagged:
- "Spring Menu" → Asparagus Risotto, Strawberry Salad, etc.
- "Summer Menu" → Grilled items, Fresh salads, Cold soups
- "Fall Menu" → Pumpkin dishes, Heartier items
- "Winter Menu" → Comfort foods, Warm soups, Stews
- "Year-Round" → Classics available always

Workflow:

1. Filter by season tag
2. Build seasonal costing
3. Update menu
4. Rotate as seasons change

Use Case 2: Dietary Filtering#

Goal: Quick dietary options for customers

Tag System:

Products tagged with dietary tags:
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Dairy-Free
- Nut-Free

Workflow:

Customer: "I need gluten-free options"

1. Filter products by "Gluten-Free" tag
2. Results: All safe options
3. Build specialized menu or recommend items
4. Fast, confident service

Use Case 3: Ingredient Inventory Management#

Goal: Manage storage and purchasing

Tag System:

Inputs tagged:
- "High-Use" → Stock well, reorder frequently
- "Low-Use" → Order as needed, don't overstock
- "Seasonal" → Available certain times only
- "Refrigerated" → Storage requirements
- "Frozen" → Freezer items

Workflow:

Weekly Ordering:
1. Filter inputs by "High-Use"
2. Check stock levels
3. Reorder high-use items
4. Separate by storage tags for organization

Use Case 4: Menu Analysis#

Goal: Understand menu composition

Example:

Question: How many vegetarian entrees do we have?

1. Filter products: "Vegetarian" + "Entrees"
2. Result: 8 vegetarian entrees
3. Analysis: Good variety, meets demand

Question: What are our signature dishes?

1. Filter products: "Signature Dish"
2. Result: 6 items
3. Review: Promote these items, ensure quality

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Advanced Tagging#

Tag Combinations#

Smart Filtering:

Filter: Italian + Vegetarian + Appetizers
Result: Italian vegetarian appetizers
- Bruschetta
- Caprese Salad
- Arancini (if vegetarian version)

Use to build themed menus or sections.

Tag-Based Reports#

Analysis (if available):

Report: Products by Tag
Shows:
- Vegetarian: 42 products (28%)
- Vegan: 18 products (12%)
- Gluten-Free: 35 products (23%)

Insight: Good variety for dietary needs.

Tag-Based Pricing#

Concept:

Tag products by profitability:
- High-Margin
- Medium-Margin
- Low-Margin

Analysis:
Filter "Low-Margin" → Review pricing, consider removal or price increase
Filter "High-Margin" → Promote, highlight, upsell

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Troubleshooting Tags#

Duplicate Tags#

Problem: "Vegetarian" and "vegetarian" both exist

Solution:

1. Standardize on one (e.g., "Vegetarian")
2. Edit items with "vegetarian", change to "Vegetarian"
3. Delete unused "vegetarian" tag

Prevention: Document capitalization standards, train staff

Can't Find Tag#

Problem: Tag exists but not showing in dropdown

Cause: Typo, or tag not yet used

Solution:

1. Check spelling
2. Create new tag if needed
3. Or search for existing tag in tag manager

Too Many Tags#

Problem: Tag list is overwhelming

Solution:

1. Review tag usage (how many items per tag?)
2. Delete tags with 0 or 1 item
3. Merge similar tags
4. Establish standards to prevent future proliferation

Example Cleanup:

Before: 85 tags (many unused, duplicates, unclear)
After: 32 tags (clear, consistent, all in use)
Result: Much easier to manage and use

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Tag Best Practices#

Keep It Simple#

Start Small:

• Begin with 10-15 essential tags
• Add more as needed
• Don't create tags "just in case"
• Every tag should have a clear purpose

Common Starter Tags:

Inputs: Produce, Meat, Dairy, Dry Goods, Refrigerated, High-Use
Products: Appetizers, Entrees, Desserts, Vegetarian, Vegan, Popular
Costings: Restaurant, Catering, Active, Archived

Document Standards#

Create Tag Guide:

MenuM8 Tagging Standards

Input Tags:
- Category: Food group (required)
- Storage: Storage type (required)
- Usage: Frequency (optional)

Product Tags:
- Menu Section: Where on menu (required)
- Dietary: Diet compliance (if applicable)
- Cuisine: Cuisine type (optional)
- Status: Current status (required)

Naming: Use Title Case, no abbreviations, singular form

Share with Team: Ensure everyone tags consistently.

Regular Audits#

Quarterly Tag Review:

1. Export tag list
2. Check usage (items per tag)
3. Remove unused tags
4. Merge duplicates
5. Update documentation
6. Retrain staff if needed

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Common Questions#

How many tags can I create?#

Typically unlimited, but keep it manageable. Too many tags becomes hard to use. Aim for 20-50 tags total.

Can I assign multiple tags to one item?#

Yes! Assign as many tags as relevant. Typical: 3-6 tags per item.

Can I rename a tag across all items?#

Depends on version. Some allow bulk rename in Settings. Otherwise, edit each item individually.

What happens if I delete a tag?#

Tag is removed from all items. Items remain, just without that tag. Cannot be undone.

Can I import tags?#

Depends on version. Some support CSV import of items with tags. Check documentation.

Are tags shared across inputs, products, and costings?#

Depends on implementation. Some systems share tags, others separate by item type. Check your version.

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Getting Help#

Tag Management Support#

Contact Support:

• Visit our Support Page for assistance
• Questions about tag features
• Help with organization strategies
• Bulk tag operations

Check Documentation:

• Review specific features for your plan
• Tag features may vary by plan level

Related Articles#

• Understanding Input Tags
• Understanding Product Tags
• Creating Inputs
• Creating Products
• Managing Your Account