FAQ

Soap Butler covers a series of soap-making processes, from procurement, inventory, and adding recipes to managing curing. This includes all data cloud storage and switching between different devices.

Most core tools are available for free.

Some advanced AI features and production traceability features require Soap Points or a subscription plan.

Soap Butler is a web-based tool and does not require installation from the App Store or Google Play.
You can add Soap Butler to your phone's home screen, and then open it from your desktop just like an app.

iPhone / iPad

1. Open the Soap Butler website using Safari.
2. Tap the "Share" button in the bottom toolbar.
3. Scroll down and select "Add to Home Screen".
4. Confirm the name is "Soap Butler".
5. Tap "Add".

Once completed, the Soap Butler icon will appear on your phone's home screen.

Android

1. Open the Soap Butler website using Chrome.
2. Tap the "⋮" menu in the top right corner.
3. Select "Add to Home screen" or "Install app".
4. Confirm the name is "Soap Butler".
5. Tap "Add" or "Install".

Once completed, the Soap Butler icon will appear on your phone's home screen.

Additional Notes

Adding to the home screen won't take up much space on your phone, and you won't need to re-download an app.
If Soap Butler is updated later, it will automatically use the latest version when you open it.

Because cloud recipes, soap-making records, procurement, inventory, Soap Points, and production traceability all need to know which account's data they belong to. After logging in, the system can correctly load your lists and reminders.

• To continue working on your last recipe or record across different devices, you need to log in for it to appear on other devices.
• Ripening and soap-cutting reminders in the Message Center also require you to log in to view them.
• Content created when not logged in usually only remains on the current device or browser and may be lost when temporary data is cleared.

If you think, "I clearly did this, why isn't it in the cloud?", a common reason is that you were not logged in at the time.

To provide you with a better user experience, allowing you to access the same data across different devices,
Soap Butler currently requires you to log in to save recipes.

You can switch the interface language in the sidebar. Currently, English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese are supported.

• After switching, most buttons and descriptions will change accordingly.
• If there are slight differences in terminology between the mobile app and the web page, please refer to the screen you are currently using.

Soap Points are points consumed when using certain features, such as importing recipes, Ask Butler, Butler Analysis, or production history-related features.

• Soap Points provided monthly by your plan: These typically reset cyclically, and any unused portion does not carry over to the next period.
• Separately purchased Soap Points: Separately purchased Soap Points do not expire and will remain in your account indefinitely. They will not be cleared with your monthly plan reset.
• For actual rules, please refer to the Soap Points page or plan page, as plans may be adjusted.

If you frequently import recipes or use Ask Butler towards the end of the month, we recommend checking your remaining Soap Points and reset date beforehand.

Different features have different point deductions. Please go to the Soap Points / Membership page to view the current point deduction table.

• Ask Butler, Butler Analysis, AI Recipe Import, and Production History may each have different costs.
• If you anticipate heavy usage soon, it's best to check the point deduction table first before deciding whether to purchase add-ons or upgrade, so you're less likely to get stuck unexpectedly.

You can start by considering your usage and the depth of your needs.

• Free: Ideal for those just starting out, making soap occasionally, primarily wanting to save recipes and basic records, and who currently don't plan to develop new recipes. It's generally sufficient for these users.
• Plus: Ideal for users who want to build their own recipe system, use Soap Butler's analysis features, save notes, or start using Soap Passport.
• Studio: Ideal for users who make soap more frequently, manage multiple batches, run a brand, or require extensive record display.

If you're unsure, you can start with the Free plan or purchase a small amount of Soap Points to observe your usage habits before deciding whether to upgrade.

There are several common reasons:

• Not logged in: Please log in first.
• Payment page temporarily unavailable: This might be due to temporary network instability or issues with the payment gateway service. Please try again later.
• Already subscribed to the same plan and billing cycle: The system may prevent duplicate checkouts.

If the issue persists, please take a screenshot and report it through our contact channels. This will help us identify the problem more easily.

Yes, you can.
In addition to subscription plans, Soap Butler also offers one-time purchases of Soap Points, allowing you to use them flexibly according to your usage needs.

In the future, some features may also offer limited-time events, trial credits, or other ways to top up points. Please refer to the page for details.

If the screen displays "This month's quota has been used up," you can follow the page's guidance to view currently available plans and ways to top up points.

It is a tool used to estimate which plan suits you. You can determine which option — Free, Add-on, or Upgrade — is more suitable based on your usage, such as how often you ask the Butler, the number of times you import recipes, or whether you frequently create production records.

It is merely a suggestion and will not decide your plan for you.

Ask Butler is suitable for questions related to recipes and soap making, for example:

• I want to change an oil, but I'm not sure if it will affect hardness or the wash feel.
• How to handle special liquid phases like milk, alcohol, or infusions.
• Whether to adjust temperature, insulation, or curing time when seasons change.
• Where a particular recipe might have risks.

The Butler will refer to your recipe data and provide suitable advice.

It's more suitable for privately organizing your questions; there's no need to post your entire recipe to a public community for everyone to judge.

Each consultation round will deduct a fixed amount of Soap Points. The actual deduction amount is subject to what is displayed on the Soap Points page.

With each deduction round, you can ask 2 questions.

The more specific your questions are, the easier it will be for the reply to address your situation.

Before answering, Soap Butler will first read your recipe data, then provide advice tailored to you.

Currently, the entrance is on the recipe details page. You can find the Soap Butler-related button or panel in the top right corner of the new recipe creation page or an existing recipe's details page.

The interface may be adjusted. If you can't find the entrance, please refer to what is currently displayed on the page.

Numbers like INS, hardness, and cleansing power are reference values; in-depth analysis, however, examines the formula within the context of actual production.

It might organize:

• The impact of oil ratios on the feel of the wash, hardness, and lather.
• Process considerations for special water phases or additives.
• Whether extended curing or adjusted storage conditions are needed.
• Which suggestions are worth saving as notes for future reference.

It doesn't replace your judgment, but rather helps you identify and organize aspects of the formula that might be easily overlooked.

No. The uploaded images are used solely for this import process to help generate editable recipe drafts, and will not be automatically published to the Inspiration Wall or Community Area.

If you simply want to quickly organize handwritten forms, screenshots, or old recipes into drafts, feel free to use this feature.

We primarily support JPEG and PNG.

• You can try handwritten recipes, table screenshots, and photos of class handouts.
• The clearer the image and the more even the lighting, the better the recognition results usually are.
• After importing, you still need to manually check the oils, weights, water content, and superfat.

Direct use is not recommended. Please treat it as a draft.

Always re-verify before implementation:

• Whether the oil names are correctly identified.
• Whether the amounts of oil, water, and lye are reasonable.
• Whether parameters such as superfat, water-to-lye ratio, and NaOH purity are correct.
• Whether it complies with your usual safety procedures and labeling regulations.

AI can save transcription time, but it cannot replace soap making safety verification.

Importing a recipe consumes Soap Points. If your account currently has insufficient available Soap Points, a prompt will appear.

You can return to the Soap Points page to check:

• If this month's plan Soap Points have been used up.
• If you still have any additionally purchased Soap Points.
• If you need to upgrade or top up your points.

A common reason is that your browser or device does not allow temporary data to be stored.

You can try:

• Closing unnecessary tabs to free up some space.
• Ensuring your browser allows this website to store data.
• Avoiding operating in more restrictive private browsing modes.
• Testing on a different device or browser.

These sections are mainly used to showcase soap makers' workflow and project context, such as:

• Organizing handwritten recipes into digital ones.
• Keeping a record of adjustments for each batch.
• Sharing recipes, finished products, or process insights.

It's not a mandatory feature; it's more like showing you how others organize their making process.

After you share a recipe, the system will retain the original creator's information within the recipe content, ensuring recipients know the source.

• Friends can preview the recipe after scanning the QR code.
• If the recipient wishes to import it into their own database, they typically need to log in and follow the standard procedure.
• Before sharing, we still recommend checking if the content is suitable for public viewing, for instance, if the notes contain personal data or cost information.

There are two common reasons:

• You are not logged in.
• You haven't created a production history from a soap-making record yet.

If you want to see the production history card, please go to your soap-making records, select an entry, and start by clicking 'Create Production History'.

Soap Passport records every step of your soap-making information, fully displayed to the consumer, such as purchase date, curing date. The more detailed the information, the clearer consumers can understand your dedication.

The soap-making record is a feature designed to accurately document the raw materials used.
It is also one of the important data sources for production traceability.
Therefore, we only allow modifications to the storage location, because during the curing process, there might genuinely be a need to change the storage location.

When creating an externally traceable production record for each soap-making entry, the initial unlock will consume Soap Points.

• After unlocking, the traceability record for that entry can continue to be edited.
• Generally, you will not be charged the same fee repeatedly for minor modifications to the same traceability record.
• The actual rules are subject to the explanations provided on the screen.

If you have insufficient Soap Points, the system will prompt you to top them up first.

This explains the relationship between a soap-making record and inventory deduction.

• Usage Recorded Only: Only records the formula usage; inventory may not have actually been deducted.
• Inventory Deduction in Progress: The system is still processing the inventory deduction.
• Inventory Deduction Failed: You may need to go back and check your purchase orders, inventory batches, or raw material data.

To ensure more accurate costs and inventory, we recommend completing your purchase unit prices and inventory information.

Once deleted, it usually cannot be recovered. If the purchase record was used to create inventory batches, the associated inventory might also be removed.

We recommend deleting only when the entire entry was made in error and you are certain you want to rebuild the data.

The Inventory page typically only displays batches that still have remaining quantities.

Possible reasons include:

• No purchase or inbound records have been created yet.
• All batches have been used up.
• Data has not yet synced or needs to be refreshed.

If you wish to use sales price calculation or cost tracking, it is recommended to first complete your purchase and inventory data.

Under the same account, your data should be synchronized. Purchase records you create on your phone should ideally also be viewable on the web interface, allowing you to verify batch numbers, suppliers, and unit prices.

If the data appears inconsistent between the two platforms, first confirm that the logged-in account is the same and refresh the page.

Both are suitable for different scenarios.

• Cloud Recipe: Ideal for estimating the theoretical material cost of a specific recipe beforehand.
• Soap Making Record: Ideal for reviewing a batch that has actually been produced. If the record includes raw material costs and the total weight of the finished product, the cost calculation will be closer to the actual situation.

If you're estimating market selling prices or quoting for custom orders, the Soap Making Record typically offers more valuable insights than a simple recipe.

This usually happens when input values are unreasonable or conflict with each other.

• Channel commission cannot be so high that the calculation becomes meaningless, for example, close to or equal to 100%.
• When Curing loss is calculated together with Weight per piece, it may result in 0 sellable pieces.
• If this happens, please go back and check the total finished product weight, weight per piece, and curing loss rate.

Mostly no. These types of operating cost fields usually only exist in the current browser, used for local calculations.

This means:

• They might not transfer if you switch computers.
• You might not see the same numbers across different devices using the same account.
• If you need to keep them long-term, we recommend recording them separately in your own studio ledger or spreadsheet.

The suggested retail price is usually calculated by first determining the full cost of each bar of soap, then adding your set cost markup, and finally, reverse-calculating the price after considering channel commissions.

You can also enter the actual selling price to view the gross profit margin and profit for this batch.

Common uses include:

• First, check the system's suggested retail price.
• Then, enter the price you originally intended to sell at.
• Compare the difference between the two to decide whether to adjust costs, selling price, or channel strategy.

First, please check if any materials are missing a unit price.

Common omissions include:

• Oils for which a purchase unit price has not been set.
• Additives, essential oils, or powders not recorded as purchased.
• Packaging materials or shipping consumables not entered.

If any materials have no cost, the calculation results will be too low.

After logging in, the system will load your custom ingredients from the cloud.

If the list is empty, it might be because:

• You haven't created any custom ingredients yet.
• You're logged in with a different account.
• The data hasn't synced yet; please refresh.

For those who frequently use special oils, infused oils, or custom water phases, we recommend completing your custom data; creating recipes will be much faster afterwards.

It usually refers to the percentage range of the total oil weight. It is a reference value, not a regulatory limit, and does not replace your own testing.

When using new powders, fragrances, essential oils, or extracts for the first time, we recommend:

• Test in small quantities first.
• Pay attention to allergens and the intended users.
• Do not directly use the maximum recommended amount based solely on the suggested percentage.

These prompts are to alert you to potential operational risks you might encounter with this recipe.

They may include:

• A high hard oil percentage, causing the soap batter to thicken easily or experience false trace.
• Certain additives that may accelerate trace.
• Beeswax, special oils, or high temperature requirements that will affect working time.
• The water phase or order of addition requires more caution.

If you've ever experienced a situation where the batter "looks thick, but the saponification is actually unstable," these prompts will be very helpful.

You can think of them as indicators of operational difficulty.

• Green: Relatively stable. Simply follow the normal process and monitor the temperature.
• Yellow: Requires extra attention to temperature, stirring speed, or the order of additions.
• Red: Higher risk. Beginners are advised to start with smaller batches or consult with experienced individuals to review the process.

They assess the formula and operating conditions, not your personal ability.

It is primarily for the person who receives this bar of soap. The content compiles information about the manufacturing, curing, inspection, and raw materials of this batch of soap, allowing the recipient to better understand its origin.

For sellers, it can also be paired with a QR Code on the packaging, allowing consumers to scan and view the public page.

These images serve different purposes.

• Passport cover: The main image for the public profile page.
• Soap formula image: A photo of the formula itself.
• Inspection photo: Used to record inspection or test results.

Once the profile is complete, some covers or public information may be locked. It is advisable to confirm whether the photos are suitable for public viewing before submitting.

You can publish the curing traceability record according to your process, but you must make it clear to the recipient that this batch of soap is still curing.

In practice, please note:

• The public page may display the remaining curing days.
• If you print labels in advance, please ensure that the curing process is complete when the product is delivered to the user.
• It is not recommended to use a 'curing in progress' page to mislead users into thinking the product is ready for use.

• Publish First: The public page and QR Code can be used, but the content may still be marked as 'maturing'.
• Complete Profile: All process, curing, and inspection information has been gathered, forming a more finalized public version.

If you need to prepare packaging or market labels first, you can choose to 'Publish First'; after curing and inspection are complete, then update to the 'Complete Profile' version.

No, it's not recommended. It's a textual description of the pH range, designed to help you determine the approximate range your reading falls into.

It cannot replace:

• Laboratory test reports.
• Your own testing procedures.
• Confirmation of testing methods, sample ratios, and curing status.

If the pH value seems unreasonable, please reconfirm your testing method first.

These items are used to confirm that you have performed basic checks on this batch of soap, such as:

• Usage test.
• Presence of abnormal irritation.
• Presence of abnormal precipitation or lye spots.
• Zap test or other checks you use.

If you have changed the pH value, please save the updates first before completing the inspection process, to prevent discrepancies between the public data and your actual records.

Because the QR Code directs to a public page. If the information is not yet complete, consumers who scan it might see incomplete or unconfirmed content.

Therefore, the system will only enable the link and QR Code after the process reaches a publicly available stage.

It might be that the demo data does not yet meet the conditions for creating a Soap Passport, for example, due to incomplete curing status or record source.

First, try:

• Refresh the page.
• Confirm that you are entering from the correct entry point in the soap making record.
• Confirm whether the record has unlocked the production Soap Passport.

Depending on the completeness of your records, it may include:

• Purchase date.
• Supplier.
• Batch number.
• Raw material category and usage details.

If you want consumers to be able to trace raw materials, please fill in your purchase and soap-making records as completely as possible.

This usually means there are no pending curing or cutting reminders at the moment.

It could also be:

• You are not logged in.
• Curing days or cutting times have not been set.
• Relevant records have not been synced yet.

If you are sure there should be a reminder, please check the dates and curing settings in your soapmaking records first.

It primarily provides production reminders related to time, such as:

• Which batch of soap has reached its curing time.
• Which batch is ready for cutting.

These reminders are suitable for assistance and are not recommended to completely replace your own studio calendar or production schedule.

General calculation tools focus on crunching numbers; Soap Butler, in addition to calculating, also aims to help you preserve your production process.

It can help you organize:

• Recipes and adjustment records.
• Soap making records and curing status.
• Procurement, inventory, and costs.
• Ask Butler and analysis results.
• Production history and public-facing pages.

The tool does not replace the maker's experience. A more reasonable way to use it is to treat it as an assistant for organizing data, reminding you of risks, and preserving records; ultimately, it's still up to you to decide how to make that batch.

If this article is inconsistent with the latest descriptions on the product screen, please refer to the content presented live on the App and website.