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Step-by-Step Instructions for Every Feature
Studio For Makers helps you track inventory, costs, and production. Think of it as your digital notebook for everything you buy, make, and sell.
Important Concept: Everything flows from Inventory. You'll add items to Inventory, use them in Blends and Recipes, and track costs throughout. Start simple and add as you go.
Click Settings in the top navigation menu (under the Settings dropdown).
Example: "Sunrise Soap Co." or "Lavender Lane Candles"
Once you set this up, every report you print will have your business name at the top. It looks professional and saves you from writing it by hand on every document.
This is critical! Pick one unit per ingredient type and stick to it. Mixing units causes confusion in the system and in your formulas.
| Ingredient Type | Recommended Unit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fragrance Oils (FO) | oz or g | Match how you measure in formulas |
| Essential Oils (EO) | oz or g | Match how you measure in formulas |
| Carrier Oils & Butters | oz, g, or lbs | Use lbs for bulk (5lb+ containers) |
| Powders & Botanicals | oz or g | Weight is more accurate than volume |
| Packaging (jars, bottles) | ea (each) | Count individual items |
| Labels, Boxes | ea (each) | Count individual items |
Common Mistake: Using "ml" for some oils and "oz" for others. Pick ONE and use it for all similar items. You can always convert when entering data, but keep your system consistent.
Studio For Makers works on any device - no app store download needed. For the easiest access, add it to your home screen so it opens just like a regular app.
| Device | Steps |
|---|---|
| iPhone (Safari) | Tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen → scroll down → tap Add to Home Screen → tap Add |
| Android (Chrome) | Tap the 3-dot menu at the top right → tap Add to Home Screen → tap Add |
| MacBook (Chrome or Edge) | Click the install icon in the address bar → click Install |
Start with your top 10-20 items the things you buy and use most often:
Pro Tip: Don't try to enter everything at once! Start with what you'll use this week. You can add more items as you go.
This is your master list of everything you have in stock: ingredients, packaging, supplies. It tracks:
Look for the button near the top of the Inventory page.
Here's what each field means and how to fill it out:
Yes: "Lavender Essential Oil" or "Coconut Oil 76"
No: "Bramble Berry Lavender Essential Oil" (includes vendor name)
Why? You might buy the same ingredient from different vendors. Keeping the name neutral lets you compare prices across vendors.
Options: Oils, Butters, Essential Oils, Fragrance Oils, Packaging, Additives, etc. You can create your own categories as needed.
Example: "Lavender Essential Oil" → Category: Essential Oils or EO for short.
Examples: "Bramble Berry", "Bulk Apothecary", "Nature's Garden"
Why it matters: Track vendor spending and compare prices.
Example: "BB-LAV-16" or "NG-CO76-5LB"
Why useful: Makes reordering easier. You can reference this code when you want to buy more of the same item.
Example: Half-full 16oz bottle → enter "8" oz
Example: 3 full jars (8oz each) plus one that's 1/4 full → enter "26" oz (24 + 2)
Tip When you receive new stock, weigh the full containers immediately and make note. This way, you can just reweigh them to know how much is left. Example: If you receive a new 16oz bottle of lavender essential oil, weigh it and record the weight (say 18 oz. You know you have 16 oz of product so that means your container weighs 2 oz). Later, if you use some, reweigh the whole container and subtract the amount of the container to see what is left.
Options: oz, g, lb, ml, ea (each)
Remember: Use the unit you decided on in setup! Stay consistent.
How it works: Enter "Item Cost (Total)" and "Qty On Hand" → system divides to get Cost/Unit
Example: You paid $24 for 16oz bottle → Item Cost: $24, Qty: 16oz → Cost/Unit: $1.50/oz.
How to set it: Ask yourself "At what point do I get nervous about running out?"
Example: If you use 8oz of lavender EO per week, set reorder point to 16oz (gives you 2 weeks buffer).
Examples: "Oils-Shelf B3", "FO-Top Right", "Packaging-Box 2"
Why useful: The On-Hand Report will show locations, making shelf audits faster.
When to use: For ingredients that need FDA compliance or recall traceability
Example: "LOT12345" from the bottle label.
When to use: Essential oils, fragrances, preservatives, natural ingredients, volatile oils (like grapeseed oil or evening primrose oil)
Why useful: Dashboard will alert you when items are expiring.
Your item is now in inventory! You can edit it anytime by clicking on the row.
Use Duplicate when you want to create a new item that is almost identical to an existing one — for example, the same ingredient in a different container size or packaging format.
Common use: You sell the same product in multiple sizes. Duplicate lets you set up each packaging variant quickly without re-entering every field from scratch.
Scenario: You just received a 16oz bottle of Lavender EO from Bramble Berry. It cost $28.50 (including shipping allocated to this item). The bottle says "LOT67890" and "Best By: 06/15/2027".
How to enter it:
Shows only items in a specific category (e.g., just "Oils" or just "Packaging")
Use it when: Looking for all your oils, or checking packaging supplies.
Shows only items from one supplier
Use it when: You're placing a reorder with Candle Science and want to see everything you've bought from them.
When to use Grouped: Quick overview of totals
When to use Lots Only: Tracking specific items.
Shows only items at or below their reorder point
Use it when: Building your shopping list.
This tiny column tells you where each inventory row came from:
Why it matters: If you see "P", you know that item came from an invoice in the Purchase Log.
Best Practice: Use Purchase Log for regular supplier orders (creates invoice history). Use Manual entry for one-off purchases or quick updates.
Tracks complete invoices with shipping, tax, and fees. Calculates the true landed cost of each item (not just the item price, but your real cost including all fees).
Example: "Bramble Berry", "Bulk Apothecary"
Why useful: Reference it later when needed
Why it matters: This gets divided across all items to calculate true cost per unit
Why it matters: This gets divided across all items to also calculate true cost per unit
Click "Add Line" for each item on the invoice.
Example: Bought 2 bottles of 16oz each → Container Size: 16
Example: Bought 2 bottles of 16oz each → Number of Containers: 2
System calculates: Total Qty = 2 × 16 = 32oz
Example: Invoice shows "2 × $12.00 = $24.00" → Item Cost: $24.00
The system shows:
Your Invoice from Lotion Crafter:
How to enter it:
Invoice Header:
Line 1:
Line 2:
What happens when you post:
Your business at a glance: alerts, trends, and action items.
Total value of all inventory (Qty × Cost/Unit for all items)
Use it to: Understand how much capital is tied up in stock
How many different inventory items you have
Items at or below reorder point
Action needed: Click to see what to reorder
Items with 0 quantity
Action needed: Order immediately if these are active items
This section shows problems that need your attention:
Items with zero quantity. Click the item name to jump to Inventory and see details.
What to do: Check if you still use this item. If yes, add to shopping list.
Items below reorder point (but not zero yet).
What to do: Plan to reorder soon before you run out.
Items past their expiry/best-by date.
What to do: Evaluate if still usable or needs replacement. Don't use in new batches.
If you see this, you have no urgent issues!
Shows blend and recipe batches made in the last 30 days.
Quick search for lot numbers or ingredient names.
Use it when: You need to trace an ingredient fast (recall situations)
See which vendors you spend the most with.
Use it to: Negotiate volume discounts, consolidate vendors
Compare prices for the same ingredient from different vendors.
Use it to: Find the best deal before reordering
Items missing important data (cost, unit, category, etc.).
Use it to: Clean up your inventory and make reports more accurate
A blend is any mix of ingredients you make ahead and reuse in recipes:
Example: "Lavender Vanilla FO Blend" or "Packaging Kit - 8oz Jar"
Options: FO Blend, EO Blend, Oil Blend, Packaging Bundle, Other
For fragrance/oil blends: Use oz or g (same as ingredients)
For packaging bundles: Use ea (each set)
Click "Add Component" for each ingredient in the blend.
Must total 100%! System will alert you if it doesn't.
System calculates cost per unit automatically based on ingredient costs and percentages.
You want to create: A signature fragrance blend that's 60% Lavender, 40% Vanilla
Setup:
Components:
| Ingredient | Percentage | Your Cost/oz |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender FO | 60% | $1.50/oz |
| Vanilla FO | 40% | $2.00/oz |
Calculated Cost:
Cost per oz = (60% × $1.50) + (40% × $2.00) = $0.90 + $0.80 = $1.70/oz
Now in recipes:
When you add "Lavender Vanilla FO Blend" to a recipe, it knows the cost is $1.70/oz and tracks the component ingredients for lot traceability.
Build formulas for finished products with automatic cost calculation.
Example: "Lavender Vanilla Soap" or "Eucalyptus Mint Lotion 8oz"
Examples: Soap, Candle, Lotion, Bath Bomb, Shampoo Bars, etc.
Example: "10" bars, or "48" oz of soap
Options: ea (for bars/items), oz, g, lb
Click "Add Ingredient" for each component.
You can mix regular ingredients and blends in the same recipe.
Example: "16" oz of coconut oil
Examples: "A" for lye water, "B" for base oils, "C" for additives, etc.
System shows:
Click "Create SKU" to make a Finished Product entry. This:
When you're ready to produce:
Studio For Makers Rule: Create SKU once (sets up the product). Make Batch every time you produce (updates inventory).
This is where you manage your sellable products - pricing, stock levels, COGS, margins, and Shopify export. Finished products are separate from your raw materials inventory. They have their own inventory tracking that updates automatically when you make batches in Recipe Builder.
Each finished product needs an inventory row to track stock and COGS. This usually happens automatically when you add a SKU. If a product shows "NO INVENTORY LINK":
You can also use the "Fix Inventory Links (Wizard)" button to fix all unconnected products at once.
COGS is calculated automatically when you make a batch in Recipe Builder. It includes all ingredient costs used in that batch. Make sure your recipe accounts for:
What you sell it for in your shop or online. Changes save automatically when you click away from the field.
The system calculates: Margin % = ((Retail - COGS) / Retail) x 100
Common Mistake: Forgetting to include labor and overhead in COGS. A product might look profitable at $5 cost and $15 price, but if it takes 2 hours to make, your margin disappears!
Remember: Making a batch in Recipe Builder adds stock automatically. Stock adjustments are for everything else — shipments, damages, recounts, and returns.
When your products are Shopify Ready, you can export them as a CSV file to import into Shopify:
To get a product Shopify Ready, it needs: SKU, Name, Retail Price, and a Shopify Handle.
Track any ingredient or lot number through your entire production chain — from supplier to finished product.
Scenario: Your supplier emails: "We're recalling Lot #67890 of Lavender Essential Oil due to quality issues. Please do not use in production."
What to do:
Invite team members to access your Studio For Makers account and assign roles.
The All Access plan includes 5 team member slots (including you).
| Permission | Owner | Admin | Member | Viewer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| View inventory & costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Edit inventory | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Create recipes & blends | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Make batches (production) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Edit costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Manage team members | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Manage settings | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
System generates an invitation link. Share it with the team member.
When they click the link and create an account, they'll appear in your team list.
See invitations that haven't been accepted yet.
Found at: Reports → Pricing & Profitability
This report helps you answer three business-critical questions:
Why This Matters: Two products can both be profitable, but one might generate 3× more profit per unit sold. Many makers discover that the products they love making the most are not always the most profitable. This report shows you what actually funds your business.
The "Goldilocks" rule is a simple method that keeps pricing healthy even when ingredient costs change:
Ideal Retail Price = Total Cost × 4 to 5
Below 4× = likely underpriced. Above 5× = check the market. In the 4–5× range = just right.
Handmade businesses have costs that large companies don't:
The 4× floor also ensures that if you ever sell wholesale (stores typically expect 50% off retail), your wholesale price still covers your costs.
| Cost Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | $2.10 |
| Packaging | $1.20 |
| Label | $0.40 |
| Labor & overhead | $0.80 |
| Total Cost | $4.50 |
Contribution Margin = Retail Price − Total Cost per Unit
It shows how much money each product contributes toward covering your business expenses and profit.
| Status | Margin % | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy | 60% or above | Target range for handmade brands |
| Watch | 45–59% | Review costs or consider a price increase |
| Low | Below 45% | May not be sustainable - investigate costs |
| Product | Retail | Cost | Margin $ | Margin % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soap bar | $9 | $2.25 | $6.75 | 75% |
| Shampoo bar | $16 | $4.50 | $11.50 | 72% |
| Conditioner bar | $18 | $5.00 | $13.00 | 72% |
| Detangler spray | $14 | $3.50 | $10.50 | 75% |
| Candle (medium) | $28 | $9.00 | $19.00 | 68% |
Even if soap sells the most units, the haircare bars and candles generate more profit per item. This tracker shows your real profit drivers.
Your finished products appear automatically with costs pulled from linked recipes (when ingredient costs are set up in your inventory). Products without recipe data show a warning badge — click Edit to enter costs manually.
For auto-loaded products where ingredient cost is missing or incorrect, click Edit on the row and enter the correct cost breakdown. Overrides save in your browser and persist between sessions.
The bottom section shows typical retail ranges for common handmade products. Use this as a reality check against market prices when setting or reviewing your pricing.
Use Print Report to get a clean printed copy showing both tables and the market reference. Use Download CSV to export all product data with margins and pricing status to a spreadsheet.
What Many Makers Discover: Products with high perceived value but lower ingredient cost — body oils, hair oils, face serums, lotion bars — are often the real profit drivers of the business. The products you love making the most are not always the most profitable. Tracking this shows you what actually funds your business and where to focus your marketing energy.
Warning Signs Your Pricing is Too Low:
| Product Type | Typical Retail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soap | $8 – $12 | per bar |
| Shampoo Bars | $14 – $20 | per bar |
| Conditioner Bars | $16 – $22 | per bar |
| Candles | $18 – $40 | small to large |
| Body Oils | $24 – $38 | per bottle |
| Face Serums | $32 – $60 | per bottle |
| Lotion Bars | $12 – $18 | per bar |
| Bath Salts | $12 – $22 | per jar |
| Hair Oils | $18 – $32 | per bottle |
| Lip Balm | $5 – $9 | per tube |
| Body Butter | $16 – $28 | per jar |
| Detangler Spray | $14 – $20 | per bottle |
A: Track the usable amount you have left, not the original container size.
Methods:
Example: 16oz Lavender FO bottle looks half full → enter 8oz
A: Focus on what matters for production:
A: Check for these common issues:
Fix: Use Dashboard → Data Gaps report to find and fix missing data
A: Yes, if you make cosmetics or food products that might need recall traceability.
Critical for: Essential oils, fragrance oils, preservatives, active ingredients, botanical powders
Less critical for: Packaging, tools, stable ingredients like sodium hydroxide
A: Aim for at least 30% margin after including ALL costs:
Don't forget: Labor cost, overhead, waste percentage
A: Blends are pre-mixed ingredients. When you add a blend to a recipe, the system automatically expands it to show the component ingredients and calculates true cost.
Example: "Lavender Vanilla Blend" (60% Lavender, 40% Vanilla) in a recipe → system knows you're using both FOs and tracks them for lot traceability.
A:
A: Items with different categories appear in separate sections.
Fix: Update all instances of the item to have the same category. They'll group together on the report.
A: You don't have enough of one or more ingredients.
Check: Look at the "Missing Ingredients" column to see what you need.
Remember: If a recipe uses a blend, all components of that blend must be in stock.
A: Most reports have export buttons. Look for "Export CSV" or "Download" buttons.
Remember: Studio For Makers is a tool to help you make better decisions. It's okay if your data isn't perfect! Being consistently close is more valuable than being perfectly accurate once.
Need more help? Email support@studioformakers.com
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