# Guidance

> Guidance is the operations platform for CPG brands. It replaces disconnected spreadsheets with one connected system for inventory, production, COGS, lot traceability, and organic compliance. Built by the CEO of Claros Farm — a certified organic CPG brand — after years of running operations on 14 spreadsheets.

Guidance is designed for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands doing $500K–$10M in revenue that are outgrowing spreadsheets. It is particularly well-suited for brands that are USDA certified organic, use co-packers (contract manufacturers), or need to comply with FDA FSMA 204 traceability requirements.

The platform covers six core operational areas: purchasing and supplier management, inventory and lot traceability, production planning and scheduling, bill of materials and recipe management, COGS and food costing, and organic mass balance and compliance reporting.

Guidance is currently in a design partner program — early-stage CPG brands can apply to use the platform and help shape its development.

## Docs

- [Homepage](https://guidance.so/): Overview of the Guidance platform, value proposition, and design partner program
- [About](https://guidance.so/about): Origin story, why Guidance was built, and the Claros Farm connection
- [Case Study: Claros Farm](https://guidance.so/case-studies/organic-farm-cpg): How Claros Farm replaced 14 spreadsheets with Guidance

## Solutions

- [Organic ERP Software](https://guidance.so/solutions/organic-erp-software): Operations platform for USDA certified organic food brands — mass balance, lot traceability, COGS, and compliance
- [Food Brand Inventory Software](https://guidance.so/solutions/food-brand-inventory-software): Inventory management for CPG brands with lot traceability and real-time stock visibility
- [SMB Food Manufacturing Software](https://guidance.so/solutions/smb-food-manufacturing-software): Operations software for small food manufacturers replacing spreadsheets
- [Guidance vs. Spreadsheets](https://guidance.so/solutions/guidance-vs-spreadsheets): Why spreadsheets break down for growing CPG brands and what Guidance does differently
- [Peasy vs. Guidance](https://guidance.so/solutions/peasy-vs-guidance): Comparison of Peasy and Guidance for food manufacturing operations
- [All Solutions](https://guidance.so/solutions/): Full index of Guidance solutions for CPG brands

## Blog

- [Understanding True COGS in Food Manufacturing](https://guidance.so/blog/understanding-true-cogs): How to calculate accurate cost of goods sold beyond the bill of materials
- [How to Track Organic Mass Balance](https://guidance.so/blog/organic-mass-balance-tracking): Tracking organic mass balance without spreadsheets for USDA compliance
- [Lot Traceability for Food Brands](https://guidance.so/blog/lot-traceability-food-brands): Building a lot traceability system for food and beverage brands
- [Co-Packer Management](https://guidance.so/blog/co-packer-management): Managing contracts, quality standards, and accountability with co-packers
- [Operational Inflection Points](https://guidance.so/blog/operational-inflection-points): What changes operationally at $1M, $5M, and $10M in CPG revenue
- [When to Move Beyond QuickBooks](https://guidance.so/blog/when-to-move-beyond-quickbooks): Signs a food brand has outgrown QuickBooks and what to move to
- [The Reformulation Decision](https://guidance.so/blog/reformulation-decision): Framework for evaluating COGS impact when reformulating a product
- [Production Cadence and Shelf Life](https://guidance.so/blog/production-cadence): Planning production runs around shelf life constraints for small food brands
- [Organic Certification Audits](https://guidance.so/blog/organic-certification-audits): How organic certification audits work and what records you need
- [Organic System Plan](https://guidance.so/blog/organic-system-plan): What an organic system plan is and how to maintain one
- [Supplier Risk Management](https://guidance.so/blog/supplier-risk-management): Managing supplier risk for CPG brands
- [Integrated vs. Best-in-Class Tools](https://guidance.so/blog/integrated-vs-best-in-class): How to choose between an integrated platform and best-in-class point solutions
- [One Source of Truth](https://guidance.so/blog/one-source-of-truth): Building a connected operations model for a growing food brand
- [USDA Organic Integrity Database](https://guidance.so/blog/usda-organic-integrity-database): How to use the USDA Organic Integrity Database for supplier verification
- [All Blog Posts](https://guidance.so/blog/): Full index of operational guides for CPG brands

## Glossary

- [Bill of Materials (BOM)](https://guidance.so/glossary/bill-of-materials-bom): Structured list of all ingredients and materials needed to produce one unit of a finished product
- [Co-Packer](https://guidance.so/glossary/co-packer): Contract manufacturer that produces finished goods on behalf of a food brand
- [Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)](https://guidance.so/glossary/cost-of-goods-sold-cogs): Direct costs attributable to the production of finished goods sold
- [CPG Brand](https://guidance.so/glossary/cpg-brand): Consumer Packaged Goods brand that manufactures and sells packaged goods
- [Demand Planning](https://guidance.so/glossary/demand-planning): Process of forecasting customer demand to plan production and purchasing
- [ERP for Food Manufacturing](https://guidance.so/glossary/erp-food-manufacturing): Enterprise Resource Planning software designed for food manufacturers
- [Finished Goods](https://guidance.so/glossary/finished-goods): Products that have completed manufacturing and are ready for sale
- [FSMA Rule 204](https://guidance.so/glossary/fsma-204): FDA traceability rule requiring records of key data elements at critical tracking events
- [Landed Cost](https://guidance.so/glossary/landed-cost): Total cost of a product including freight, duties, and all costs before it reaches the warehouse
- [Lot Traceability](https://guidance.so/glossary/lot-traceability): Ability to track a product forward to customers and backward to raw material sources using lot codes
- [Material Requirements Planning (MRP)](https://guidance.so/glossary/material-requirements-planning-mrp): System that calculates what materials are needed, in what quantities, and when
- [Organic Mass Balance](https://guidance.so/glossary/organic-mass-balance): Reconciliation calculation verifying organic product sold does not exceed organic inputs purchased
- [Organic System Plan (OSP)](https://guidance.so/glossary/organic-system-plan-osp): Written management plan required for USDA organic certification
- [Purchase Order](https://guidance.so/glossary/purchase-order): Formal document authorizing purchase of goods from a supplier
- [USDA Organic Certification](https://guidance.so/glossary/usda-organic-certification): Certification verifying a food product meets National Organic Program requirements
- [Work in Progress (WIP)](https://guidance.so/glossary/work-in-progress-wip): Partially completed products that have entered production but are not yet finished goods
- [Yield Loss](https://guidance.so/glossary/yield-loss): Difference between theoretical and actual finished product output from a batch
- [Full Glossary](https://guidance.so/glossary/): Complete CPG operations glossary

## Tools

- [Yield Loss Calculator](https://guidance.so/tools/yield-loss-calculator): Free calculator for food manufacturers to calculate yield loss percentage and cost impact
- [Organic Mass Balance Worksheet](https://guidance.so/tools/mass-balance-worksheet): Free interactive worksheet for calculating organic mass balance for USDA compliance
- [Lot Traceability Log](https://guidance.so/tools/lot-traceability-log): Free interactive lot traceability log for food manufacturers
- [All Tools](https://guidance.so/tools/): Full index of free tools for food manufacturers

## Optional

- [Privacy Policy](https://guidance.so/privacy): Privacy policy for the Guidance platform and website
- [Terms of Service](https://guidance.so/terms): Terms of service for the Guidance platform and website