Help & FAQ

Can't find an answer?

Does search look across everything, or just the page I'm on?

Everywhere at once - typing anything into search looks across items, categories, tasks, records, and meals for your whole household, not just the page you're currently on. It also looks inside record details like provider, reference number, and owner - not just the title - and it matches category names too, so searching “Shed Freezer” returns every item filed under that category, not just an item literally named that.

How do I invite someone to my household?

Open the side menu and tap “Invite members” (owners only) to share your 6-digit household code via WhatsApp or clipboard. Whoever you send it to can enter that code on the welcome screen the first time they log in, or from the “Join Household” section of the side menu if they already have an account.

What's the difference between Free and Premium?

Free households can track up to 10 inventory items, 3 tasks, and 3 records, with meal planning up to a week ahead and 14 days of activity history. Premium removes all those limits, adds order email scanning, and removes ads.

How does the shopping list work?

Most of it is automatic - built from any item that's run low (below its threshold) or marked “Need to Buy”, plus anything an upcoming meal needs that you don't have enough of. You can also manage it manually with Quick Add, for a one-off thing that isn't part of your regular inventory (like batteries for a toy).

Can I add items from a shopping order automatically?

Yes (Premium) - forward your order confirmation email to receipts@oikoapp.uk with your household's 6-digit code somewhere in the subject line. We'll extract the likely items and put them in a review queue for you to approve.

Why didn't I get a notification the moment an item was restocked?

Only other household members get notified when you restock something - you won't get a notification for your own restock. Those notifications are also grouped: if you restock several items in quick succession (like putting away a shop), other members get one combined notification a few seconds later instead of one per item.

What should I actually track in Inventory?

There's no fixed rule - Inventory can hold anything - but it tends to work best for longer-life items: things like sauces, where tracking when you opened it lets Oiko calculate the expiry for you, or freezer stock. Short-life items you buy constantly, like bread or milk, usually aren't worth tracking day-to-day. The real test is whether updating it starts to feel like a chore - if it does, that item's probably not worth full tracking. We're working on a faster way to handle exactly this: asking Siri to “buy milk” and having it land straight on your shopping list as a quick ad-hoc item, no typing needed.

How do I add an item to Inventory, and what does each field do?

Tap “+ Add Item” at the top of Inventory, or the + on any category card. Every field on that form is explained in detail below.

How do I filter, browse, and search Inventory?

Use the Status and Type filters at the top to narrow what's shown, browse by Category further down, or just search - it looks across everything, not only Inventory. Full breakdown below.

How do I delete an item, task, meal, or record - and can I undo it?

It depends what you're deleting - some things are just archived and can come back, others are gone for good. Items are archived and can be restored later; tasks and records are archived with no restore option; meals are permanently deleted outright. Full breakdown below.

What does the Activity page show, and how do I navigate it?

A timeline of what's happened in your household - items added/restocked/archived, meals planned, tasks added/completed, records added, and members joining or leaving. Use the filters at the top to narrow it down. Full breakdown below.

How do I use the Tasks & Renewals page - adding tasks, the calendar, recurring tasks, and calendar sync?

Tasks tracks chores and reminders, including automatic renewal reminders generated from your Records - that's why it's “Tasks & Renewals”, not just Tasks. Full walkthrough below: adding a task, the calendar view, setting up recurrence, and syncing to your own calendar app.

How do Records work, and what counts as a renewal?

Records track documents and subscriptions that expire or need renewing - passports, insurance, MOTs, and so on. Give one a renewal date and a reminder window, and Oiko takes care of the rest. Full breakdown below.

How do I use the Meal Planner - adding meals, Draft vs Planned, and hiding empty slots?

Plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks across the week, and mark meals Planned once you're committed so their ingredients count against your inventory. Full walkthrough below.

Questions? Email hello@oikoapp.uk directly.