In 2026, the biggest threat to your bar’s profitability isn't just inflation—it's sitting inventory. We’ve performed over 30,000 audits across the US, and the data is clear: Many bars find themselves drowning in dead stock. As a general rule, most bars shouldn't have more than 4 times as much inventory on hand as they use in a week. Sticking to the "4 weeks on hand" rule is a simple and effective way to balance having an interesting product selection with operational efficiencies of being lean.
Why? Because managers are still managing their ordering based on "gut feeling" rather than data.
It’s time to stop guessing. By upgrading to a system that utilizes Dynamic Pars, you can leverage historical data to make intelligent decisions, ensuring you never overorder or run dry again.
Most managers walk into the storeroom, look at a shelf, and think, "We usually go through a few bottles of Vodka, better order a case just to be safe." This leads to overordering and bloated inventory.
The Solution: Let the Software Do the Math
Instead of guessing, Bar-i’s inventory software uses Dynamic Pars. This system learns from your past 5 audit cycles to calculate your exact average daily usage.
Step 1: The system analyzes your history.
Step 2: You set your "Days on Hand" (Default is 14 days).
Step 3: The software tells you exactly how many bottles to order to meet that demand. No more, no less.
Are you carrying bottles that haven't moved since 2024? That is dead money. Carrying too many products complicates your processes and reduces your buying leverage.
💡 Pro-Tip from Bar-i: The "Half-Bottle" Rule. Our system flags items as "Dead Stock" if you are using less than half a bottle every two weeks. Once identified, you can remove these from your order list permanently.
By using this feature to streamline your product mix, you avoid reordering mistakes and focus your capital on high-margin items. We’ve seen bars free up over $10,000 in working capital just by cleaning up their order list.
The system automatically highlights slow-moving items (Dead Stock) so you can stop ordering them immediately.
Running out of a popular item on a Friday night is a nightmare. But ordering manually takes hours. Bar-i’s software bridges this gap by automating the decision-making process based on real-time data.
Each week, the system automatically compares your Current Inventory on Hand against your Dynamic Pars. The 'Orders View' acts as a smart filter, displaying ONLY the items where stock has dipped below safety levels. You don't need to hunt for missing bottles—the data finds them for you.
The 'One-Click' Distributor Split: Once you know what to order, the tedious part begins: emailing 5-6 different distributors. Bar-i eliminates this busy work.
Because every product is linked to a specific vendor in our system, the software automatically splits your master order into separate lists (e.g., Distributor 1 of 6, 2 of 6...). With a single click, you can fire off perfectly formatted emails to each specific sales rep. No copy-pasting required.
Bar-i automatically identifies low-stock items based on Dynamic Pars AND splits the order by distributor for one-click emailing.
Ordering is just one piece of the puzzle. When your ordering is accurate, your inventory count becomes faster and cleaner. This sets the stage for [level 3 inventory], where we compare exactly what was poured versus what was sold.
Speed: With fewer "dead" bottles on the shelf, your staff spends less time counting dust-covered glass.
Organization: Carrying less stock helps you maintain your organizational plan, making it easier for bartenders to find bottles during a rush.
Profit: Accurate ordering helps reduce shrinkage and lowers your overall liquor cost by preventing waste and theft.
Don't let manual errors eat your profits in 2026. By automating your ordering process with Bar-i, you don't just save time—you gain peace of mind.
Ready to use your inventory efforts to maximize profits?
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and see how Dynamic Pars can transform your bar's efficiency.