The Mixing Bench Frequently Asked Questions

The license file is very tamper resistant. Moving, coping, deleting, editing and several other things can cause the license to fail.
The computer is not the exact original computer as when The Mixing Bench program was first licensed. (The Mixing Bench serial number has changed.) Serial numbers are unique to each computer and it's configuration. Unfortunately this is necessary to deter piracy.
You uninstalled version 6.52 prior to installing version 8.0. This removes the old license file. The new license file will reject as "Expired". This is not exactly an answer to the question but it happens.
You installed version 8.0 in a different directory than version 6.52. Both versions must be installed in the same directory.
You manually typed in the registration information and made an error. All the registration information has to be entered exactly as you received it, not just the activation code. It's best to import the registration file.

I use cups to measure dry ingredients in my recipes. Does your software support this?
Yes. Version 8.0 enables you to enter ingredient measurements in many different forms including each, cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, gallons, fluid ounces, etc. This is extremely useful when converting old recipes into formulas and using ingredients like whole eggs. What's the Catch? In order to use these alternate units of measure and calculate costs, the program needs to know how much an ingredients weighs. It does not automatically know the weight of a cup of flour or a large egg as these vary from bakery to bakery and vendor to vendor. Fortunately the weights can be entered on each ingredient purchases screen. A database of standard weights and a conversion calculator are provided to assist you. Most professional bakers prefer to use weights when measuring ingredients as it is much more accurate and results in consistent batches from day to day. For example: A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 3.5 to 6 ounces depending on how much you pack it, sift it, scoop it, who makes it, and what type. Therefore it's possible to nearly double or half the amount of flour from batch to batch if measuring by the cup. Liquids are also a concern. 8 ounces of melted chocolate in your glass measuring cup actually weighs 10 ounces or so on the scale! So does the recipe call for volume or does the formula call for weight? If you typically bake home kitchen style, one cake at a time, you can possibly get away with inconsistencies. But if you create large batches and expect today's cakes to taste as good as yesterday's; do yourself a favor, use a scale!

How do I register (license) "The Mixing Bench"?
You must request a registration and Activation Code from Rivik Solutions, Inc. This can be done from the program Registration screen or from the web site order form. In either case you must have The Mixing Bench installed on the computer that you wish to register it on.

Some of my screens do not display properly.
The Mixing Bench requires a minimum of 800 x 600 screen resolution to display properly. If this still does not correct the problem go to Administrator Options and click the Load Program Defaults button. All options will be returned to the way they were when the program was installed. This will not delete any of your data or change the data path.

I want The Mixing Bench to start automatically and go to the Formulas screen. I also want to prevent any changes from being made to the formulas.

This is very handy if you have a computer near your actual mixing bench and want view only rights to formulas and batches.

Open Administrator Files.
Under "Open at Program Start", click Formulas
Go to the Employees tab.
Edit the Administrator record. Turn on program security by assigning a password.
Add an Employee record that will sign on automatically. The name does not have to be a real employee.
On the Security tab give the user a login name and password. (Remember this!)
Under Grant employee the right to: Uncheck all blocks except "View Formulas".
Click Ok and close Administrator Options.
Go back to your Desktop.
Copy the shortcut for The Mixing Bench to the Startup folder. Click on Start, Programs, The Mixing Bench..... Right click and hold on The Mixing Bench 8.0 shortcut and drag the icon to the Startup folder. Drop the icon and select Copy Here.
Right click the icon you just created and select Properties.
In the Target line you will see something similar to "C:\Mixbench\mixbench8.exe".
Add to the target line the login name and password you created in step #6. It should look something like "C:\Mixbench\mixbench8.exe thename thepassword" without the quotes.

Now restart your computer The Mixing Bench will start automatically, login with the username and password that you assigned and open the formulas screen.

I do not have a network but want to keep my files updated on all computers.
Choose one computer to be the main computer. Do all the data entry on this computer. When all entries are completed, perform a Backup to a floppy disk or jump drive. The backup routine is found under Administrator Files. Take the backup to the other computers you wish to update and Restore the files.

I am getting a message that says "Your product has expired".
This is normal if you have not registered the program within 30 days. It can also happen if the program has been moved to a different partition on your computer or if the license file has been tampered with. See How do I register (license) "The Mixing Bench" on my computer?

What does it mean by "The License File Has Been Copied Or Tampered With"
Something has changed since you registered the program on this computer. It could be from moving the program to a new folder or to a different partition on your hard drive or to a new hard drive. Running The Mixing Bench (any version) from two different folders will corrupt the license file. To reactivate your program go to Register The Mixing Bench in the program and send us the information.

I only have a certain amount of an ingredient left. How do I figure my batch size to use this amount?
Open the Formulas screen and display the formula you want to make. Change the Batch Size at the top right until the ingredient amount is close to what you have left. Use the arrow keys or the mouse to "spin" the Custom Size spinners at the bottom until the ingredient amount is as close as possible to the amount you have left.

Are Additional Expenses used for things such as cost of labor, pans, and other non food items?
Yes! Costing a formula in the program consists of ingredient and additional expense costs such as labor, utilities etc. You create the expense list so it can contain whatever you like. One or more additional expenses are added to the formula and make up the total cost of producing the formula. For example: Create an expense called “Labor, Baker” with $10.00 as the cost for 1 unit (unit in this case is an hour) . Add the expense to a formula with the number of units required 0.50. (1/2 hour) This will add a labor cost of $5.00 to the cost of producing the formula. Should your “Labor, Baker” costs change in the future, all you do is update the Additional Expense list and the change will be reflected in all formulas and products where this expense is used. To create a product; use formulas, non food supplies and any additional expenses required to make the product. (The formula costs flow into the cost of products automatically.)

Tip: Some bakeries enter additional expense labor units as minutes. This sometimes makes it easier to figure the expense into a formula. (i.e. it takes the baker 24 minutes to prepare the formula.)

Is there a free demo?
Yes! The Mixing Bench software initially installs as a demo version. You will have access to the program for a 30-day period. Registering the software removes the time restriction. The data you enter will remain. No wasted time entering it again! Download The Mixing Bench.

What does the explanation under “Your product has expired” mean?
The demo is for a limited amount of time. After that time you will receive an alert that your product has expired.” You would of course want to purchase the software at or before that time. (The demo will expire immediately if you set the clock on your computer backward and try to run the program.)

Does the program have to be registered again after a period of time?
No! There are no annual update or renewal fees. No hidden costs.

Can I buy one program and use it on all of my computers?
The purchase price is for one computer license. Additional computers can be licensed at a reduced price as long as they belong to the same company.
Price List

Why would I need additional licenses?
Each registered copy of The Mixing Bench can be used on only one computer. Additional licenses are for bakeries with multiple computers. Additional licenses are sold at a reduced price.

Will I have to pay for new versions, updates, or any hidden costs?
Maintenance updates are provided free of charge. Most will include new enhancements and functionality. There are no annual renewal fees or hidden costs. New versions will be released as they become available.

Can The Mixing Bench be used on a network?
Yes. The Mixing Bench is fully network compatible. Maintain all of your formulas and products on one computer and share the data on network workstations.

How do I set up The Mixing Bench on a network?
Please view the Installation Guide for setup instructions

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Updated 04/15/2011