What this tool tells you about your Square data
Square is great at taking the money. It is less good at telling you which categories are quietly carrying your business and which are dragging it down. The default reporting lists totals but does not show the sales mix, the contribution split, or how the picture changes between two time periods.
Drop in a category sales CSV from Square and this tool surfaces three things in seconds: which categories make up the bulk of your revenue, how the mix is shaped (concentrated or spread), and how it has shifted compared with another period.
How to export the right report from Square
- Open the Square Dashboard and go to Reports > Sales > Category sales.
- Pick the date range you want to analyse. Most cafe operators look at the last 28 or 90 days.
- Click Export and choose CSV. The file downloads to your device.
- Drop the CSV into the analyser above. To compare two periods, export a second CSV for the comparison range and load both.
What to look for in the results
- Concentration. If 70-80% of your revenue comes from 20-30% of categories, your menu is following the Pareto pattern. Optimise those few categories relentlessly. The rest are filler.
- Surprises. A category you thought was a hero ranking 5th is data telling you something. Either the menu position is wrong or the dish is overrated.
- Period-on-period shifts. A category that fell 30% in 90 days needs attention now. A category that grew 30% deserves doubling down on. Both are easier to see when you compare two CSVs side by side.
For deeper guides on what to do with this data see sales mix and the Pareto rule for cafe menus, why smaller menus make more money, and POS data vs recipe costing.
Frequently asked questions
How do I export category sales from Square?
In your Square Dashboard go to Reports > Sales > Category sales. Pick a date range, then click Export and choose CSV. The downloaded file contains every category with units sold, gross sales, net sales, and tax for the period.
What is sales mix and why does it matter?
Sales mix is the percentage each category contributes to total revenue (or units). For most independent cafes 70-80% of revenue comes from 20-30% of categories, the Pareto rule in action. Knowing your mix tells you which categories are worth optimising and which to prune from the menu.
Can I compare two different time periods?
Yes. Export two Square category reports for different date ranges and load them into the analyser. You will see which categories grew, which declined, and how the overall mix shifted between periods. Useful for measuring the impact of menu changes, price rises, or seasonal shifts.
Is my Square data uploaded anywhere?
No. The CSV is parsed and analysed entirely in your browser. Files are not uploaded to any server, not stored, and not logged. Close the tab and the data is gone.