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Soap Business Inventory Tracking: How to Stay Organized and Avoid Running Out of Supplies

Keeping track of your inventory is one of the most important parts of running a successful soap business—whether you’re selling at markets, online, or in local shops. Good inventory tracking helps you stay profitable, avoid last-minute supply shortages, and understand exactly what’s selling.

Here’s a simple guide to help you manage your soap business inventory like a pro.

Why Inventory Tracking Matters

If you’ve ever run out of oils right before a batch or discovered leftover bars you forgot to list online, inventory tracking solves these headaches.

Good inventory tracking helps you:

  • Estimate costs accurately

  • Prevent overbuying or running out of supplies

  • Know exactly how much product you can sell

  • Understand best-selling scents and sizes

  • Plan production around demand

  • Make tax time easier

1. Track Your Ingredients (Raw Materials)

Ingredients are the heart of your soap business. You should track:

  • Oils and butters (olive, coconut, shea, palm, etc.)

  • Lye (sodium hydroxide/potassium hydroxide)

  • Essential oils and fragrance oils

  • Additives (clays, herbs, exfoliants, colorants)

  • Packaging supplies (boxes, labels, shrink wrap)

What to record:

  • Quantity on hand

  • Cost per unit

  • Date purchased

  • Supplier

  • Expiration dates (especially oils!)

Pro Tip:

Always record how much of each ingredient you use in every batch. This helps predict when you need to reorder.

2. Track Work-In-Progress (Your Batches)

Every batch goes through stages:

  1. Made

  2. Curing

  3. Ready to package

  4. Ready to sell

Tracking these stages helps you know when you’ll have soap available.

Record the following for every batch:

  • Batch name/number

  • Date made

  • Oils used

  • Additives/fragrances

  • Number of bars expected

  • Number of bars actually produced

  • Cost of ingredients

  • Cure completion date

Example:

  • Batch #032

  • Lavender Oatmeal

  • Made: Jan 14

  • Ready: Feb 11

  • Yield: 27 bars

This makes planning for markets or launches much easier.

3. Track Finished Products

These are the soaps that are cured, packaged, and ready to sell.

Track:

  • How many bars you have in stock

  • How many you’ve sold

  • Where you’ve sold them (website, Etsy, local markets, wholesale)

  • Cost per bar

  • Profit per bar

Useful categories:

You can also track inventory per scent or collection.

4. Track Sales and Restocks

Understanding sales patterns helps you keep your business profitable.

Track:

  • Which scents sell the fastest

  • Which products are low-performers

  • Seasonal demand (e.g., holiday scents)

  • Wholesale orders

  • Repeat customer favorites

This helps you plan your production calendar so you’re always stocked.

5. Use a Simple Inventory System (No Fancy Software Needed)

Here are your options:

Option 1: Spreadsheet (Simple and Free)

Use Google Sheets or Excel.

Create tabs for:

  • Ingredients

  • Batches

  • Finished products

  • Sales

  • Supplies to reorder

This works for the majority of small soap makers.

Option 2: Inventory Apps (If You Want More Automation)

Some small businesses use:

  • CraftyBase (popular for crafters)

  • SoapMaker 3 (designed for soap)

  • QuickBooks (for full accounting + inventory)

  • Airtable (great for organizing complex data)

Option 3: Pen and Paper (Still Works!)

If you prefer a simple approach, a notebook system can work as long as you consistently record everything.

6. Keep a “Reorder List” to Avoid Running Out

This list includes supplies you must always have on hand.

Examples:

  • Olive oil

  • Coconut oil

  • Sodium hydroxide

  • Fragrance oils

  • Soap boxes

  • Labels

Set a minimum quantity for each item.

Example:

  • If coconut oil drops below 2 gallons → reorder

  • If lye drops below 5 lbs → reorder

Small rules like this save you from production delays.

7. Do a Weekly or Monthly Inventory Check

Depending on your production volume, choose a schedule:

Weekly:

If you make soap often or sell a lot.

Monthly:

If you make small batches and sell slowly.

During your inventory check:

  • Update ingredients used

  • Count finished bars

  • Check curing bars

  • Look for low-stock items

  • Remove expired or old oils

8. Keep Everything Organized Physically

Your workspace matters!

Organize:

  • Oils by type

  • Fragrances alphabetically

  • Colorants in labeled containers

  • Curing racks labeled by date

  • Finished soaps stored separately

A clean system online + a clean system in your workspace = smooth operations.

Final Tips for Stress-Free Soap Inventory Management

  • Stay consistent — record everything the same day it happens.

  • Use batch numbers on labels to trace any issues.

  • Back up your spreadsheets or data.

  • Track your TIME too—time is part of your cost!

  • Keep inventory simple until you grow.