# Ingredient Cost Updates From Supplier Invoices

Source: https://maito.app/workflows/update-ingredient-costs-from-supplier-invoices

Maito reads supplier invoices as they arrive, works out cost per pound or each, and posts what changed. Costs update only after your approval.

Supplier invoices become checked ingredient costs, with big price jumps and pack-size changes flagged.

[Finance](https://maito.app/workflows/team/finance) · [Restaurants](https://maito.app/workflows/industry/restaurants) · When something happens · Updated October 19, 2026

Works with

-   Slack
-   Email
-   Gmail
-   Microsoft 365
-   Superhuman Mail
-   [Airtable](https://maito.app/workflows/tool/airtable)

## How do you keep ingredient costs current?

To keep ingredient costs current, forward supplier invoices to the workspace email. Maito reads each line, works out the cost per pound or each, compares it with last time, flags big jumps and changed pack sizes, and posts the changes in Slack. Costs update after you approve.

## How it's done today

The manager retypes each invoice into a spreadsheet, and recipe costs go out of date.

## What Maito does

1.  Read the invoice lines
2.  Convert pack sizes into cost per unit
3.  Flag substitutions and unusual price changes
4.  Wait for approval before updating costs

## Example

Loop run: New invoice in invoices@northstar.example

**Maito** (7:48 AM):

Wonka Foods invoice 40118 ($2,317.40, 14 lines) is read. 11 lines are within 3% of last time. Three need you, Marco.

• Unsalted butter: $159.00 for a 36 lb case, up from $124.80 for 30 lb. That's $4.42 per lb, up from $4.16 (+6%).  
• Heavy cream: 4 x 1 gal at $38.40, up from $33.60. +14%.  
• Shallots: case of 25 lb is new; the old line was 10 lb.

Catch: the butter case looks like a +27% price jump, but the pack grew 20%. Per pound it is only +6%. A copy-paste into the spreadsheet would have overstated it.

From the invoice PDF and last month's costs. Approve the 14 updates, or tell me which to change?

**Marco** (7:55 AM):

approve all but the shallots. I'll check that pack size with Wonka.

**Maito** (7:56 AM):

13 costs updated. Shallots stay at the old cost, and I've put a reminder on your list to confirm the 25 lb pack by Wednesday.

## How to set it up

When something happens Update ingredient costs from supplier invoices

Ask your agent

“When a supplier invoice arrives in invoices@northstar.example, extract the lines, work out the cost per pound or each, and post what changed in #kitchen. Wait for my okay before updating costs.”

Connect email

-   Gmail
-   Microsoft 365
-   Superhuman Mail

Connect spreadsheet

-   Airtable
-   Microsoft 365

Connect inventory system

-   Airtable
-   Shopify

Not connected yet? Your agent sends you a link to sign in.

## What it won't do

It can't read a blurry or handwritten invoice reliably, and it can't know why a supplier raised a price.

## Questions

### Will it update my costs on its own?

No. It waits for approval and can leave out any line you want to check first.

### How does it handle changed pack sizes?

It compares cost per unit, not the case price, so a bigger case isn't mistaken for a price increase.

### Where do the costs live?

In an Airtable or Microsoft 365 spreadsheet, or an Airtable or Shopify inventory system. Invoices arrive by Gmail, Microsoft 365 or Superhuman Mail.

## More finance workflows

-   [Log and match every invoice Invoices from email get read, logged and matched to purchase orders. Finance · When something happens Works with Gmail, Microsoft 365, QuickBooks, Xero.](https://maito.app/workflows/log-and-match-every-invoice)
-   [Review expenses against policy Expenses get checked against the policy before a person approves them. Finance · When something happens Works with Ramp.](https://maito.app/workflows/review-expenses-against-policy)
-   [Prep the month-end close checklist Know which close tasks are done, late or blocked. Finance · On a schedule Works with Linear, Asana.](https://maito.app/workflows/prep-the-month-end-close-checklist)
-   [Explain a budget variance See why spending is over or under budget, line by line. Finance · When you ask Works with QuickBooks, Xero, Airtable, Microsoft 365.](https://maito.app/workflows/explain-a-budget-variance)
-   [Chase overdue invoices Customers with overdue invoices get polite, correct reminders. Finance · On a schedule Works with QuickBooks, Xero, Gmail, Microsoft 365.](https://maito.app/workflows/chase-overdue-invoices)
-   [Build a forecast scenario Ask "what if" and get the forecast redone with your assumptions. Finance · When you ask Works with Airtable, Microsoft 365.](https://maito.app/workflows/build-a-forecast-scenario)

[See all workflows](https://maito.app/workflows)

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