A dish that comes off the menu for part of a service is easy to remember and hard to measure. People recall that it ran out at lunch, but not exactly when it stopped, when it came back or whether every channel changed at the same moment. Without times and evidence, a team cannot tell whether the problem is getting better or is simply remembered differently by each shift.
This guide measures availability state across one defined observed window for one item variation, at one outlet, on one channel. It records time, not stock, demand, lost sales or profit. The figures are an original fictional example, not provider data, a target or a benchmark.
Fix the scope before you record anything
Write down the item, the variation, the outlet, the channel, the date, the start and end of the observed window and the timezone. Treat each variation as its own record. A half portion and a full portion can run out at different times, so a single line for the item hides the difference.
Treat each channel the same way. Seeing that the dish was orderable at the counter does not show that a delivery listing or an online menu said the same thing at the same time. If you need several channels, open a separate record for each one and verify it with evidence from that channel. Choose the window deliberately, for example the published service hours for that day, and keep it fixed once recording starts.
Split the window into consecutive segments
Divide the window into segments in time order. The first segment starts at the window start, each later segment starts exactly where the previous one ended, and the last segment ends at the window end. Segments must not overlap, and there must be no gaps between them.
Give every segment one of three states. Available means evidence shows the variation could be ordered on that channel. Unavailable means evidence shows it was marked unavailable or orders for it were refused. Unknown means you have no evidence either way. Attach an evidence reference to each segment, such as a shift log entry, a timestamped screen capture or a change record. A stretch of time with no record is Unknown, never Available by default.
A single screen capture establishes the state only at that moment. To label a whole interval known, retain a complete change history or an observation record that supports its boundaries and continuity. If you only have occasional checks, the time between them remains Unknown unless other evidence establishes the state.
Worked example: V-01 at Outlet A, dine-in
In this fictional record, the standard variation of item V-01 is observed on the dine-in channel at Outlet A on 8 November 2026, from 10:00 to 16:00 IST. Five consecutive segments cover the whole 360-minute window, and each has its own evidence reference. The fictional evidence includes an opening check, a complete channel change history and an end-of-window check, EV-06, confirming the final state and cutoff. A snapshot alone would not establish these intervals.
| Segment | Start (IST) | End (IST) | State | Minutes | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 Nov 2026 10:00 | 8 Nov 2026 11:20 | Available | 80 | EV-01 opening menu check |
| 2 | 8 Nov 2026 11:20 | 8 Nov 2026 12:05 | Unavailable | 45 | EV-02 shift log: marked unavailable |
| 3 | 8 Nov 2026 12:05 | 8 Nov 2026 14:10 | Available | 125 | EV-03 shift log: marked available |
| 4 | 8 Nov 2026 14:10 | 8 Nov 2026 14:40 | Unavailable | 30 | EV-04 shift log: marked unavailable |
| 5 | 8 Nov 2026 14:40 | 8 Nov 2026 16:00 | Available | 80 | EV-05 shift log: marked available |
Reading the result
The segments add up to 285 available minutes, 75 unavailable minutes and 0 unknown minutes, which together equal the 360-minute window. Because every minute has evidence, coverage is 100%, and the unavailable share is 75 divided by 360, or 20.83%. The record also shows two separate unavailable periods, which is worth keeping visible rather than folding into one total.
This is a share of time, not a share of orders. Every minute has equal weight here. A minute at a quiet time and a minute at the lunch peak can have different operating consequences. The figure does not say how many guests wanted the dish, what sales were lost or whether stock was physically on hand. Reasons for each unavailable period, and any follow-up, belong in separate notes.
When evidence is missing
Suppose there were no record at all for 14:10 to 14:40. That half hour would be entered as Unknown, with its 30 minutes shown. Evidence coverage would fall to 330 of 360 minutes, or 91.67%. The unavailable share would then be withheld for the whole window, because availability during the missing half hour is not established.
Do not fill an Unknown segment from memory after the event. If evidence turns up later, revise the segment, add the new reference and note when the change was made.
Dates, times and cutoffs
Record full dates with every time and state the timezone once for the record. This matters when a window crosses midnight or when records from different outlets are compared later. The worksheet uses whole-minute timestamps on one fixed UTC-offset basis. Convert records across a clock change to a consistent fixed-offset basis first; ordinary local clock subtraction would not give reliable elapsed time.
If the variation is still unavailable when you finish recording, close that last segment at an explicit cutoff and label it as the observation cutoff. The cutoff ends your observation; it is not the moment the dish came back. Do not enter a guessed return time. If you need to know when availability resumed, open a new record for the next window. If recording ends before the agreed window, keep the unobserved remainder Unknown or create a separately labelled shorter-window record. Do not quietly shorten the original denominator.
Where the principle comes from
Square's help article on managing item availability describes availability as separate from inventory counting: an item or a variation can be marked available or sold out, and availability applies at the variation level, so each variation has its own status. Only those general distinctions are used here. Its reset defaults, channel behaviour, schedules and software steps are not applied, and nothing here describes how any other system handles availability.
Put it into practice
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From reading to doing
Menu Availability
Open Menu Availability for one item variation, one outlet and one channel. Record the item, variation, outlet, channel, timezone reference and the full start and end date and time of the observed window, using whole minutes on one fixed UTC-offset basis. Enter up to 12 consecutive segments in time order that together cover the whole window, each with a full start and end date and time, a state of Available, Unavailable or Unknown, and an explicit evidence reference. The sheet totals minutes by state and evidence coverage only when the segments are valid, chronological, without gaps or overlaps and match the window; otherwise the summary is withheld. Any Unknown minutes reduce coverage and withhold the unavailable share for the whole window. A still-continuing interval is closed at a labelled observation cutoff, not at a guessed return time. Confirm the timeline is complete and supported by its evidence. Each channel needs its own record and evidence. For more than 12 segments, use a fuller register rather than dropping intervals. The share is time-based and does not measure stock, demand, lost sales or profit.
Open the Menu Availability tab in the launch workbook. Keep a copy for your own business.
Download the free workbook See what’s inside the toolkit →Sources & further reading
- Manage item availability (Square Support Center) ↗
Retrieved 8 November 2026. Used only for the general principles that item availability is distinct from inventory counting and that availability applies at the variation level, with each variation carrying its own status. Reset defaults, cross-channel behaviour, schedules, permissions, plans and software steps are not applied, and no other provider's behaviour is implied. V-01, Outlet A and all times are original fiction.
Published by Keystonne Grow. Product links connect to the Keystonne ecosystem; check the linked product or service for its current scope.