Simple End User Guide

CraftShowTracker Workflow Guide #

This guide is written in a plain, step-by-step style for real users, not technical people.
The goal is simple: know what to do first, what to do next, and where each part of the app fits.

Before You Start #

CraftShowTracker works best when you use it in this order:

Set up your company details.
Add your products.
Add a show.
Assign products to that show.
Track costs and activity.
Close out the show when it is over.

If you skip ahead, the app still works, but the reports and totals may not make as much sense.

Quick Start #

Open More > Company Profile and fill it out.
Open Products and add the items you sell.
Use More > Tools > Replenishment to record stock you have made or purchased.
Open Shows and add a show.
Change the show to ACCEPTED when you are confirmed.
Open that show’s Related Records and assign products to take.
Add expenses, tasks, notes, and sales logs as needed.
After the event, change the show to COMPLETED.
Use Product Closeout to record what sold and what came back unsold.
Review P&L and Sales Analysis.
Export a backup file.

Step 1

Set Up Company Profile #

Go to More > Company Profile.

Fill in the basics first:

Business name
Owner name
Email
Phone
Website
Default currency
Local tax rate
Travel cost per km or mile
Whether you want 24-hour time

Why this matters: these values are reused throughout the app. If this screen is wrong,
your fees, tax, and time displays may also be wrong.

Step 2

Add Your Products #

Open Products.

This is your main inventory list. Add each product you normally sell.

Typical product details include:

Name
SKU
Unit cost
Default selling price
Quantity on hand

Important: this is your master product list. It is not a single-show list.
Shows pull products from here later.

Step 3

Replenish Inventory #

Go to More > Tools > Replenishment.

Use this only when you add brand-new stock to the business, for example:

You made 10 more candles
You packaged 6 more gift sets
You bought more stock from a supplier

Do not use replenishment for unsold items coming back from a show.
Those belong in show closeout.

Step 4

Add a Show #

Open Shows and create a new show record.

Enter the important details you know at the time, such as:

Show name
Theme
Start date and end date
Setup and teardown time
Contact details
Location
Entry cost and related fees

Set the status based on where the show stands right now:

APPLIED if you are waiting to hear back
ACCEPTED if you are officially in
COMPLETED after the event is finished

Simple rule: add the show as soon as it matters.
It is easier to update one record later than to recreate everything from memory.

Step 5

Accept the Show and Prepare #

When the show is confirmed, edit it and change the status to ACCEPTED.

The app may prompt you to:

Create a calendar event
Add a social media reminder task
Choose or create a packing list

This is the point where the show changes from “maybe” to “real plan.”

Step 6

Assign Products to the Show #

Open the show and go to Related Records > Products.

For each product, decide:

Which product you are taking
How many units you plan to bring
What selling price you plan to use at the show

Think of it this way: the product record is the master item.
The show product record is the event-specific plan for that item.

Step 7

Track Costs, Tasks, and Other Details #

While the show is accepted or completed, use Related Records as your working folder.

You can add:

Expenses for travel, meals, parking, supplies, booth fees, and more
Tasks for prep work and reminders
Sales Logs for high-level show sales numbers
Leads for prospects or follow-up opportunities

Best habit: record things as they happen.
The longer you wait, the easier it is to forget costs and notes.

Step 8

Work the Show #

During the live event, the app is mostly a reference and tracking tool.

You can use it to:

Check which products were planned for the show
Review tasks
Add last-minute expenses
Record notes about what happened

If you change prices during the event, that is okay. You can record the real final selling price during closeout later.

Step 9

Complete the Show and Close It Out #

After the event, change the show status to COMPLETED.

The app may ask for estimated booth visitors. Save that if you know it.

Then open Related Records > Product Closeout.

For each allocated product, enter:

How many units sold
How many units came back unsold
The actual selling price if it changed from the planned price

This is where inventory gets reconciled. Sold items reduce stock.
Unsold returned items are released back from the show allocation.

Step 10

Review Profit, Loss, and Sales #

Once a show is completed, review the results.

Useful places to check are:

P&L for completed show profit and loss
Overview > Sales Analysis for product-level sales totals
Products to see what stock is now left
Shows to compare show status and activity

Typical questions this can answer:

Was the show profitable?
Which products sold best?
What needs to be replenished?
Did sales logs and product closeout agree?

Step 11

Back Up Your Data #

Use More > Export to save a JSON backup file.

Use More > Import only when you want to replace the current local data with a saved backup.

Very important: import replaces current data. It is not a merge.
If you are unsure, export a fresh backup first before importing anything.

Good Habits

Best Practices #

Keep your company profile updated before working on shows.
Use the master product list for long-term inventory, not for single-show planning.
Use replenishment only for new stock entering the business.
Use product closeout for sold and returned show stock.
Review each show soon after it is completed.
Export backups regularly.
Keep dated backup files so you know which one is newest.