FAQs
Drawing from our experience working closely with restaurants, we’ve compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions by operators like you.
Accounting
Back Office’s restaurant accounting services benefit all types of restaurants! This includes independent, multi-unit, and Franchise operations. Our proprietary restaurant accounting software combined with our leading industry expertise paves the path for operators of all restaurant types to increase profitability, operational efficiencies, and financial accountability, while decreasing costs and creating scale for your team.
Our restaurant accounting software is accessible to clients 24×7! With our customer-first approach, our team of hospitality industry and accounting experts are available to our clients Monday – Friday via phone, Support Request (Back Office's digital ticketing system), or a live, online chat. We ensure that our members are always assisted in a timely manner so they can get back to their restaurants and focus on revenue-producing activities.
Our restaurant accounting services ensure your operation is fully prepared for tax season. Our specialized tax experts ensure your business complies with all hospitality-specific tax laws and regulations. To safeguard against audits, maintaining your restaurant’s financial health is crucial—and that starts with timely, accurate financial reporting. Back Office's restaurant accounting software delivers weekly financials, keeping you in control of your restaurant's finances at all times, so when an audit comes, you’re fully prepared and protected.
Back Office's restaurant accounting software integrates with industry-leading restaurant POS software. This integration seamlessly transfers your POS data directly into our restaurant accounting system to provide you with real-time, accurate, financial, and operational reporting. This includes pertinent sales and labor data, menu data, and more so operators can make smarter business decisions that positively drive their bottom line.
First-year Back Office members typically see a 14% increase in net profit. This is driven by our powerful financial accounting software combined with expert guidance and ongoing education. Our unique blend of software and service empowers operators to identify cost-saving opportunities and boost profitability.
Back Office’s restaurant accounting services are designed to meet operators where they are, and grow with them. We provide the insights you need to make better decisions without overwhelming you with unnecessary services. By tailoring our approach to fit your specific needs, we guide you on a path to success at the right pace for your business.
AP Automation
If an operator has vendors with set terms, they can be added to the Back Office system and we will automatically cut the checks based on terms. Handling restaurant AP based on terms ensures that your expenses are captured in the correct week and vendor payments are made timely, keeping vendor relationships positive and intact!
Through the use of Back Office's auto-generated invoices, operators can set up automated invoice scheduling for any vendors who are paid the same way on the same day. Using this feature ensures that all ACH or automated payments are captured and correctly allocated for both financial reporting and cash management reconciliation.
The best restaurant cash management systems not only help you manage current accounting requirements, but they also aid in down-the-road preparation. One of the many benefits of the Back office platform is that all submitted financial data interacts within all of the cost control and reporting tools. Operators have the ability to review current metrics and results and set future goals in real-time using both data from the financials and integrated POS reporting.
Yes! Back Office's interactive widget reporting allows you to view fluctuations in spending as well as identify spending trends. This helps to pinpoint areas of opportunity and allows you powerful negotiation tactics with purchase history across a period of time to negotiate vendor terms and pricing.
Food Cost Management
Yes! Our food costing software is designed to support both single and multi-unit operations. It provides comprehensive tools for managing food costs, optimizing menu pricing, and reducing waste, regardless of the size or number of your locations.
By analyzing purchase data and sales trends, our food cost software helps identify discrepancies and inefficiencies. This allows you to adjust orders and minimize waste by aligning inventory with actual consumption patterns.
Absolutely not! We pride ourselves on our speed to value; onboarding is quick and easy! Our reps will help you upload your invoices to start automating food cost calculations immediately.
Our food cost management solution integrates seamlessly with your current POS and accounting systems, ensuring that all data is synchronized and accurate. This integration allows for real-time updates and seamless management.
With each invoice that comes into Back Office, ingredient prices are updated automatically. This ensures that you can easily view which ingredients are increasing your plate costs and make adjustments to keep your menu items, like that burger, profitable and cost-effective.
We offer comprehensive support including tutorials, a knowledge base, and excellent customer service. Our team is available to help with any questions you may have.
By automating cost calculations, streamlining recipe costing, and minimizing waste, our software helps you optimize inventory management and pricing strategies, ultimately improving your restaurant's profitability.
Bookkeeping
Back Office's bookkeeping services benefit all types of restaurant operations. With our expert restaurant bookkeeping solution, we help all operators streamline financial processes, improve profitability, and increase operational efficiency, all while reducing costs and giving your team more time to focus on growth.
Back Office's bookkeeping service is part of our customer-first approach, and we proudly provide expert bookkeepers who are available Monday through Friday via phone, support request (Back Office's digital ticketing system), or live online chat. We ensure that our clients receive timely assistance so they can get back to their restaurants and focus on revenue-generating activities.
Our bookkeeping services handle daily financial tasks such as cash management, reconciliation, financial reporting, and more, ensuring accurate, up-to-date financials without the manual effort from your team.
Absolutely! Our restaurant bookkeeping service streamlines cash flow management by monitoring inflows and outflows, providing insights that help you manage resources efficiently and avoid cash shortages.
It’s easy! Book a cost-free demo to see how our bookkeeping services can eliminate manual tasks and streamline your financial processes for better efficiency.
Payroll
The Back Office payroll management system is designed specifically for Restaurants. Back Office understands the industry and has built a platform based on the unique needs specific to the hospitality industry.
Our restaurant payroll software integrates directly with industry-leading POS systems to automate the payroll process. Users’ payroll data streams directly from their POS into the your payroll dashboard. We will then alert a client of any critical exceptions that may exist, ensuring that all employees are paid accurately and on time.
Staffing issues impact all industries but perhaps none more than the restaurant business. Back Office recommends a weekly payroll cycle as it improves retention. We provide this option at no additional cost over bi-weekly or semi-monthly schedules.
Weekly payroll increases financial accuracy and improves cash management. Additionally, it enables restaurant employees to better manage their finances.
The complexities of restaurant payroll management and compliance pose a substantial risk for errors. Back Office works with every payroll client to ensure compliance, accuracy, and timeliness of payments. Back Office provides clarity into legislation and guidance on properly recording wages while paying employees in compliance with the law.
Our restaurant payroll software handles all auditing and preparation of city, state, and federal (if applicable) taxes within regard to payroll tax returns. This includes unemployment, form 940 and 941 returns, and annual W2s, as well as wage garnishment calculation and payments.
Back Office integrates with the following solutions providers to enhance our payroll services to our clients: AmTrust Financial, Efficient Hire, Employers Insurance, FirstComp, Farmers Insurance, Republic Indemnity, The Hartford, InsurePay, and SmartPay.
Yes! Back Office provides each restaurant with a library of resources regarding employee access to paystubs, W2s, training, etc. These resources include video walk-throughs as well as typed instructions.
Back Office fully supports a paper-free payroll process. It is up to the restaurant to determine what pay types they would like to offer their employees. Back Office provides flexible pay-type options to ensure all facets are covered, although fees vary depending upon the option chosen (paperless is always no-cost). This includes Direct Deposits, Paper Checks, Pay Cards, or Cash.
Yes! Every RASI demo is free of cost and will include a discovery session to understand your restaurant’s current hurdles within payroll, and your goals for a solution.
One of our representatives will then guide you through the Back Office payroll software solution and service to showcase how our system and team can help alleviate issues you may be experiencing. Schedule a demo of our restaurant payroll services today!
No other payroll company provides guidance on how to control labor costs. Back Office payroll helps operators identify, down to the shift, where they are losing money in comparison with sales and recognize specific job codes that need adjustments to make the most profitable impact when creating schedules.
Independent
Back Office offers tailored solutions that simplify restaurant accounting and bookkeeping, food cost management, payroll, and more, helping independent restaurants run more efficiently without overwhelming you with unnecessary tools.
Yes, Back Office is designed to grow with your business! Whether you're a single location or expanding, our platform provides flexible features that adapt to your changing needs.
Back Office integrates seamlessly with industry-leading POS systems and other key software, allowing for smooth transitions and minimal disruptions to your current workflow.
We offer dedicated member support, guided onboarding experiences, and ongoing training to ensure you get the most out of our software and services.
Our food costing software tracks your food purchases, usage, and waste, providing actionable insights into your COGS so you can optimize spending and reduce waste effectively.
Yes, we offer flexible pricing plans designed to meet the needs of independent operators, making it a cost-effective solution that delivers value without breaking the bank!
Back Office offers weekly financial packages, including profit and loss statements, statement of cash flow, and a balance sheet. We also provide a multitude of comparative reporting and cost insights, so you can make informed decisions to improve your bottom line.
Our 3-tier, guided onboarding process is designed to get you up and running quickly, with step-by-step guidance from our industry expert team to ensure a smooth setup and seamless transition!
Multi-Concept
Back Office provides a centralized platform with flexible tools where you can manage financials, labor, inventory, and reporting across all your restaurant concepts. Our solutions streamline operations by delivering actionable insights, helping you control costs and optimize performance for each brand from one dashboard.
Yes, Back Office offers a unified dashboard that allows you to view and compare financial, operational, and labor data across all locations and concepts. This enables better decision-making and allows you to monitor performance across your entire portfolio.
Our platform identifies cost-saving opportunities in key areas such as labor, food costs, and operational efficiency. Many of our members a 2-3% improvement in food costs, and a 2-4% reduction in labor costs per location after implementing Back Office.
Absolutely! Back Office is designed to adapt to the unique needs of each concept. Whether you're managing different menus, supply chains, or staffing requirements, our platform allows you to track and optimize these operations across all brands.
Back Office is built for scalability and ease of use. Our onboarding process is streamlined to ensure speed-to-value. We provide training and support to help your team maximize the software's benefits.
Franchisees
Back Office offers robust reporting tools that give franchisees real-time insights into food usage, waste, and cost trends. With detailed reports that break down food costs by category, menu item, and location, franchisees can identify inefficiencies and take action quickly. On average, members see a 2-3% improvement in food costs and a 20% reduction in food waste within the first three months, resulting in substantial savings and better sustainability.
Back Office provides a comprehensive financial management suite tailored to the needs of franchisees. Each week, you’ll receive a financial package that includes your Profit & Loss statement, statement of cash flow, and balance sheet. This ensures you have a clear view of your financial health, allowing you to make informed business decisions. The platform also tracks expenses, revenue, and labor costs across locations, giving you the power to optimize profitability and streamline accounting processes effortlessly.
While we do recommend our proprietary restaurant accounting system, we understand that there can be corporate mandates in place. Because of that, Back Office is designed to integrate with many accounting platforms, making it easier to manage your financial data without disrupting your current systems. This seamless integration supports smooth operations and ensures accuracy across all your franchise locations.
Our restaurant-specific payroll software helps franchisees monitor labor expenses through detailed labor reports. Franchisees have reported a 2-4% reduction in labor costs per location by utilizing our labor management tools, which provide the data needed to optimize scheduling and labor efficiency.
By automating time-consuming tasks like payroll and invoicing, Back Office frees up valuable time for franchisees to focus on running their business.
Back Office provides the tools needed to streamline operations and capture ROI more effectively. With enhanced reporting and performance insights, franchisees can identify opportunities for growth, helping them expand their ownership while maintaining operational control.
Franchisors
Back Office allows franchisors to compare key metrics like food and labor costs, daypart sales, and more across different locations and regions. This helps you set benchmarks, identify opportunities for improvement, and discover successful strategies within your franchise network.
Our platform enables you to track compliance with brand standards, such as inventory management and operational protocols. You can proactively troubleshoot issues, review product substitutions, monitor price fluctuations, and manage vendor spend across your franchise locations.
You can customize your product databases and set custom alerts to monitor franchisee operations, ensuring adherence to your product standards. This guarantees consistency across all franchise locations.
Our first-year members typically see, on average, a 14% increase in net profit across their franchise network when leveraging Back Office. Plus, we provide daily accounts payable automation, ensuring timely and accurate financial reporting and expense tracking.
Back Office offers tools that simplify communication with your franchisee network, ensuring that important updates, brand guidelines, and compliance information are easily shared and accessible.
Back Office includes baked-in compliance features, ensuring that your operations meet necessary legal standards across all your franchise locations. This helps reduce risk and ensures that each franchisee is aligned with your brand's operational requirements.
Back Office restaurant accounting services are designed with scalability in mind. As your business expands from a single unit to multiple franchises or additional locations, our platform seamlessly adapts to meet your growing needs. You’ll benefit from centralized controls for consistent financial reporting, streamlined operations, and real-time insights across all units. Plus, our user-friendly interface ensures that you can efficiently manage accounting processes without sacrificing accuracy.
Why Back Office?
Back Office is more than just software—it’s a true partnership with a team of industry experts who’ve walked in your shoes. Many of us have owned or operated restaurants, so we understand the unique challenges you face. Our solutions combine cutting-edge technology with a personal touch, ensuring they fit seamlessly into your operations. Plus, as part of the Buyers Edge Platform, we offer access to exclusive savings across procurement, supply chain management, fresh produce, and more. With Back Office, you're not just using a restaurant management tool—you’re engaging with dedicated partners who are committed to helping your business thrive and grow.
Back Office delivers real, measurable results for restaurants by streamlining operations and driving profitability. Here’s how we help you achieve tangible savings:
Real Results for Your Restaurant:
Increased Profitability:
Back Office helps identify cost-saving opportunities and optimize financial performance. First-year members see an average 14% increase in net profit when using our software.Improved Efficiency:
By automating tasks like payroll and invoicing, our members report a 25% boost in reporting efficiency, allowing managers to focus on daily operations.Reduced Food Costs:
With real-time insights into food usage and waste, our users see a 2-3% improvement in food costs and a 20% reduction in food waste within the first three months.Controlled Labor Costs:
Our payroll solution helps streamline labor management, and franchisees report labor cost reductions of 2-4% per location by leveraging detailed labor reports.
Additional Savings through Buyers Edge Platform:
Beyond the software, Back Office connects you to Buyers Edge Platform, giving you access to exclusive savings through our vast network. Benefit from negotiated pricing on foodservice suppliers, fresh produce rebates, and supply chain optimizations, which further reduce costs and improve profitability across all your locations.
We turn your data into actionable insights by analyzing operational patterns and financial metrics. Our system identifies trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities, allowing us to provide tailored recommendations that drive growth, streamline processes, and increase profitability.
Our 3-tier onboarding process is designed for simplicity and success. You’ll receive personalized, step-by-step guidance from our dedicated team to ensure a smooth transition to Back Office. We’re with you every step of the way, ensuring everything is set up correctly and tailored to your needs from day one.
Back Office is designed to support a wide range of restaurant operations. Whether you're managing a single location or overseeing multiple sites, our platform is flexible enough to meet your needs. We work with:
Independent Operators:
Tailored solutions for independent restaurants to streamline operations and improve profitability.Franchisees:
Customized tools that help maintain brand standards while optimizing efficiency and cost savings across multiple locations.- Franchisors:
Solutions that support franchisors in overseeing franchisee operations, ensuring consistency, compliance, and efficiency across the franchise network. Multi-Concept Operations:
Comprehensive features for managing multiple concepts, offering insights and analytics that help with centralized control and localized management.
No matter the size or type of your restaurant, Back Office provides the tools and support needed to enhance your operational efficiency and drive success.
Our team of industry experts—many of whom have real-world restaurant experience—uses your operational data to make customized recommendations for growth and efficiency. Whether it’s food cost management, labor optimization, or financial strategy, we provide insights based on your restaurant’s unique performance.
Buyers Edge Platform is a powerful network that includes digital procurement, supply chain management, software solutions, and fresh produce management. By being part of this network, Back Office offers you exclusive access to savings and tools that no other restaurant management software can provide.
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