Linking POS items to recipes can be time-consuming, especially for businesses with large menus. Smart Matching helps speed up this process by automatically analyzing your unlinked POS items and suggesting the most likely recipe match for each one.
Instead of manually searching for the right recipe every time, you can review suggested matches and confirm them in seconds.
Smart Matching is designed to save time while maintaining accuracy. You stay in control and decide which suggestions to confirm.
How Smart Matching Works
Smart Matching compares each unlinked POS item against your active recipes and evaluates potential matches using two main signals:
1. Name Similarity
The system compares the POS item name with your recipe names and calculates how closely they match.
For example:
POS item: “Cheeseburger”
Recipe: “Classic Cheeseburger”
Minor differences in spelling, abbreviations, or word order are accounted for. Only strong matches are surfaced.
2. Price Comparison
As an additional check, Smart Matching compares the POS item price with the recipe’s sale price.
When both the name and the price are similar, the system has higher confidence in the suggestion. If there is a large price difference, the confidence score is reduced.
Confidence Threshold
Only suggestions that meet a minimum confidence threshold are shown. Low-confidence guesses are not displayed. This helps ensure you only see high-quality recommendations.
Finding Suggested Matches
Go to Inventory Setup → POS Items
In the Status filter, select Matched
You will see all POS items with suggested recipe matches
The suggested recipe will appear pre-filled in the Recipe column.
Reviewing and Confirming Matches
For each matched POS item, you can:
Confirm the suggestion to link the POS item to the recommended recipe
Change the recipe by selecting a different one from the dropdown
Leave it for later and return when ready
Matched items remain in the Matched filter until you take action.
Bulk Confirming Matches
You can confirm multiple matched items at once:
Select multiple matched items using the checkboxes
Choose Link matched items to recipes
Confirm the action
Each selected item will be linked to its own suggested recipe.
Note: If you select unlinked items without suggestions and choose to link them in bulk, you will be prompted to assign them all to a single recipe.
Using Filters to Narrow Down Matches
Smart Matching works alongside existing filters.
You can:
Filter by location
Search by item name
Narrow down to specific item groups
This allows you to review matches in smaller, more manageable batches. When you filter or search, matching suggestions are calculated for the items currently in view.
When a POS Item Does Not Appear as Matched
If a POS item does not appear in the Matched filter, it typically means:
No recipe was similar enough to meet the confidence threshold
The naming between POS and recipe differs significantly
You can still link the item manually by searching in the Recipe dropdown.
If no appropriate recipe exists, you may need to create one before linking.
Best Practices
To get the best results from Smart Matching:
Use consistent naming between POS items and recipes
Avoid large differences in wording between POS and recipe names
Ensure sale prices are correctly set when possible
The closer your POS and recipe data align, the more accurate Smart Matching will be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a POS item appear as “Matched” in one view but not in another?
Smart Matching evaluates items based on what is currently visible on your screen.
If you apply filters. For example by location. Or use search. The system recalculates suggestions for that set of results.
Because of this, an item may appear as “Matched” in one filtered view and not in another. This is expected behavior.
If you are reviewing matches in bulk, we recommend working by location or by search to stay consistent.
Why don’t I see matches for all of my POS items?
Smart Matching only displays suggestions that meet a minimum confidence threshold.
If a POS item does not appear in the Matched filter, it means:
No recipe was similar enough.
The price difference reduced confidence.
The naming between POS and recipe differs significantly.
You can still link the item manually using the Recipe dropdown.
Why wasn’t an obvious match suggested?
Smart Matching compares names and prices. It does not understand brand-specific shorthand, internal naming logic, or synonyms.
For example:
“CB Classic” may not match “Classic Cheeseburger” if the wording is too different.
If the POS price is set to 0 or differs significantly from the recipe sale price, the suggestion confidence may drop.
For best results, keep naming consistent between POS items and recipes.
Does Smart Matching automatically link items?
No.
It only suggests matches. You must confirm each link individually or use bulk confirm.
Nothing is linked without your approval.
What happens when I bulk confirm matched items?
Each selected item is linked to its own suggested recipe.
This is different from bulk linking unlinked items. When linking unlinked items in bulk, you assign all selected items to a single recipe.
If you are unsure, review the confirmation modal before proceeding.
Why isn’t a POS item showing as matched even though I have a recipe for it?
Possible reasons:
The name similarity is below the confidence threshold.
The sale price is significantly different.
The naming format between POS and recipe is inconsistent.
Try searching for the item name directly. This may surface additional suggestions for that specific result set.
Does Smart Matching work for modifiers?
Smart Matching currently applies to POS items. Modifier support may vary depending on your setup.
Will newly added POS items be included?
Yes.
New POS items are eligible for Smart Matching. If they meet the confidence threshold, they will appear in the Matched filter.
Why does price affect matching?
Price is used as a secondary validation signal.
A strong name match combined with a similar sale price increases confidence. A large price difference lowers confidence, even if the names look similar.
If your POS prices are set to 0 or are inconsistent, you may see fewer suggestions.