Analytics, Sales, Expenses, And Shift Close
Understand operating dashboards, sales reports, payment mix, expenses, staff performance, alerts, and daily close-out.
Analytics turn what happened during service into numbers you can review. Zesty reads from the same Orders and Payments records that staff create during the day. POS sales and table-service orders share one reporting spine—nothing is counted twice when setup is correct.
Numbers are only trustworthy when your team keeps orders, payments, inventory, expenses, and staff actions up to date during service. Garbage in, garbage out.
Who uses analytics
| Role | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Owner | Revenue trends, payment mix, profit signals, expense review |
| Manager | Daily sales, refunds, item performance, shift close |
| Accountant (external) | Exported close reports and payment summaries |
| Staff | Usually no full analytics—dashboard widgets only if permitted |
Restaurant dashboard
The dashboard is the first screen most people see after sign-in. It shows:
- how service is going right now (open orders, kitchen pressure)
- money signals (payments, mix, refunds)
- things that need attention (low stock, mismatches)
- shortcuts into Orders, Billing, KDS, and POS
Owners and managers see more business widgets. Floor and kitchen staff see service-focused modules. Disabled modules show a clear "no access" state instead of breaking the page.
Customize lets each user show, hide, and reorder optional widgets. Layout saves to the server for your user, restaurant, and role—not just on one device.
Full guide: Dashboard
Sales reports
Use sales workspaces to answer questions like:
- How much did we sell today?
- How many orders?
- What was the average bill size?
- Which items sold best?
- How much was cash vs UPI vs card?
- How many refunds or cancellations?
In Combined sales workflow mode, reports can split POS sales from service orders (table/QR/staff orders). This helps when your counter and dining room run differently.
Tip: Run sales reports after Shift Desk reconciliation, not in the middle of a busy rush when payments are still landing.
Payment analytics
Payment reports depend on accurate settlement. Before trusting numbers for owner decisions, reconcile:
| Source | What to check |
|---|---|
| Cash | Physical count vs system cash total |
| Manual UPI | Staff-recorded UPI vs bank/UPI app |
| Razorpay / provider | Provider dashboard vs Zesty payment status |
| Split tender | Each part of a split bill recorded |
| Refunds | Refund rows match what left the drawer or account |
If provider status says "pending" but staff marked paid, fix the record before closing the shift.
Expenses
Record day-to-day operating costs that are not tied to a single customer order:
- rent, utilities, repairs
- vendor purchases not through inventory PO
- marketing spend
- staff advances or petty cash
Each expense can include title, vendor, amount, category, date, payment method, and approval status. Attach receipts or invoices when useful—only upload files that are safe to store.
Managers use expenses alongside sales to understand net operating picture. Zesty is not a full accounting system; export or hand off to your accountant for tax filing.
Shift Desk (daily close)
Shift Desk is the guided close-out journey for managers. It replaces a single "close shift" button with seven clear stages:
- Open context
- Service review
- Reconciliation
- Cash and UPI matching
- Stock notes
- Staff activity
- Final close and export
Do not skip stages to finish faster. Blockers exist for a reason.
Full guide: Shift Desk
Alerts
Operational alerts surface issues that need a human:
- low stock below threshold
- payment or reconciliation mismatches
- other configured exceptions
Keep alert delivery channels (in-app, email, etc.) current so the right person sees them during service—not the next morning.
Profit Advisor (plan permitting)
Where enabled, Profit Advisor surfaces evidence-backed profit opportunities: margin pressure, cost spikes, or pricing signals. Treat suggestions as operating hints, not automatic commands.
Owners should preview, approve, or dismiss with notes before changing menu prices or procurement habits.
Zesty Assistant (plan permitting)
Zesty Assistant can answer product questions and help review operating context. Assistant output is guidance only. Always verify against live orders, reports, and manager judgment before acting.
Reports are decision support
Zesty reports help operators review the day and week. They do not replace:
- statutory accounting or tax filing
- legal or food-safety compliance
- payment-provider settlement records
- formal audit by a qualified accountant
Verify figures before procurement, staffing, or legal decisions.
Common questions
Why do POS and Orders totals look different?
In Combined mode they are meant to be separate slices. Do not add POS receipt totals to order totals manually.
Dashboard numbers changed after I refreshed
Live queries update during service. For final numbers, use Shift Desk close export.
Staff cannot see analytics
Check plan, feature catalog, and role permissions.