A recipe lists what a product needs
A recipe or bill of materials—often shortened to BOM—is the list of materials and quantities needed to make a product.
For a handmade product, that might include ingredients, components, containers, labels, and packaging rather than industrial parts.
Recipes support consistent production
A clear recipe gives you a repeatable starting point for each batch. It helps you prepare the right materials and understand how much finished stock a batch should create.
Recipes connect stock and cost
When materials and quantities are attached to a product, the same recipe can support stock deductions and product cost estimates.
That connection is what makes a recipe more useful than a note stored separately from inventory.
Keep recipes easy to update
Handmade products evolve. Packaging changes, suppliers change, and formulas are refined. A structured recipe makes those updates visible and keeps production information in one place.
For makers, “recipe” is often the friendliest term. “BOM” describes the same practical idea: what you need, how much you use, and what it costs.