Before you start
Please make sure you understand the following concepts before you start:
Target temperature: The temperature food must reach within a given time interval to remain safe during a food handling process.
Step duration:The time interval during which food must be heated, cooled, or held at a specific temperature.
Product-to-process assignment: Different foods can be assigned to specific processes so staff don't accidentally use the wrong process when preparing a food.
There are two types of food handling methods:
Heat/Cool Method: Food is heated or cooled to a target temperature within a set time. A measurement may be taken at any point during the step. If the target temperature is not reached before the step duration expires, the process is flagged as "failed."
Hold Method: Food is held above or below a certain temperature for a set period. Measurements may be taken at any time during the hold, but a temperature must be recorded near the end of the hold period during the measurement window. If no measurement is taken during the window, or the temperature target is not met, the process is flagged as "failed."
Note: Time & temperature doesn't tell you what to do with your food. It records temperature and time data so you can prove food was handled according to your process.
Multi-department tip: If you have departments set up as locations in Jolt and don't want products mixed across departments, enter products in location mode for each department separately.
Configuring food handling processes
How do I access food handling processes?
Log in to the Jolt web app and make sure you are in content group mode.
Navigate to menu > time & temperature > food handling & processes.
If this is your first time on the page, click get started to create the default set of processes. Otherwise, click on a process to open the template.
Note: Configuring processes in content group mode pushes changes to all locations and keeps them in sync. If one location needs a unique process, switch to location mode, copy a content group process, and adjust it there.
You can adjust the temperature and step duration on this screen.
For example, on a cool down, you might set the heat step to 165°F for chicken or 145°F for seafood (once a process is started on the Jolt mobile app, the clock starts immediately).
Click update to apply changes.
Can I copy or rename a process?
Yes. Click the kebab menu (three vertical dots) to the right of the food handling process and select make a copy to copy the process.
Click on the name of the food handling process then click options. On this tab, you can rename the process and update the description (this displays on the Jolt mobile app). Click update to apply changes.
How do I set available products for a food handling process?
Click on the name of the process you want to configure.
Navigate to the options tab and click on the dropdown under available products. Here you can select products you want to make available for the process. Products can be assigned to multiple processes and, if a product isn't on the list, you can click add product to add it on the fly.
Click update to apply changes.
How do I customize the final actions for a failed process?
Within the food handling process, click the edit final actions link to display the template for what happens when a process fails. Add or remove items to match your food handling requirements.
Hold processes & measurement windows
Hold processes include a measurement window at the end of each hold step, which is a time frame a temperature reading must be recorded.
The measurement window is set using two values:
Allow measurement before: how early before the step end a measurement can count
Allow measurement after: how late after the step end a measurement can still count
The combined before and after values define the full measurement window.
Note: Before/after buffers exist because most users won't be available to take measurements at the exact moment a step ends. Temperatures taken outside the measurement window do not advance the process but are retained for reporting purposes.
Adding schedules to food handling processes
You can attach a schedule to a food handling process so it runs automatically at set times.
Navigate to the menu > time & temperature > food handling & processes.
Click on the name of the process, and go to the schedules tab.
Click add schedule.
Fill out the required fields, then click update to apply changes.
Adding products to food handling processes
Note: Configure food handling processes before adding products.
Tip: Before you start, organize your product list in a spreadsheet. Group products by their default process (e.g., all items heated to 165°F together) to make bulk entry faster using the save & add button (this feature remembers settings from the previous product).
Navigate to the menu > time & temperature > food handling & processes.
Click the products tab, then click the plus sign in the bottom-right corner.
A template will open. Enter a product name.
In the allowed processes section, select all processes the product can use (a process won't appear for a product on the Jolt mobile app unless it's added here).
Select a default process (the one most commonly used for the product). This will be pre-selected when a user starts a new process on the Jolt mobile app.
Click save & add to continue adding more products, or save to finish.
Once you are done, you can search for existing products, edit their names, or delete them from the products tab at any time.
FAQ
What is the purpose of time & temperature?
Time & temperature records temperature and time data so you can demonstrate that food was handled according to your process. It does not prescribe food handling procedures.
Can I add a process from scratch?
No, you must use one of the default processes created when you first click get started, then copy and modify as needed.
Can the same product be assigned to multiple processes?
Yes, products can be available to as many processes as needed.
What happens if a temperature isn't taken during a hold process's measurement window?
The process is flagged as failed. Temperatures taken outside the window are still recorded for reporting but do not advance the process.
What if one location needs a process that others don't?
Switch to location mode for that location, copy a content group process, and make your adjustments there (this will not affect other locations).
Can I track time & temperature on the Jolt web app as well as the mobile app?
Yes, processes can be monitored and managed through the Jolt web app and mobile app.