GET REVIEW READY 2022 – PART ONE: FRONT OFFICE MODULES

So, you’ve got the letter that you have an audit. Don’t worry – you’ve got this! After all, there are only five steps in the audit process: set up, prepare, receive, process, and notify. PrimeroEdge Customer Care can be there for you each step of the way. Here are a few tips to make sure your review ends with no findings! In this blog, we’ll cover Point of Service and Student Eligibility. Check out this blog to get recommendations for Inventory, Menu Planning, and Production.  

Point of Service 

  • Reconciliation and Deposits – If you are charging for Meals or Al La Carte items, make sure your Cash collection report matches your deposits report and that there are no inconsistencies or variances that are not well documented. Make sure all your sessions are reconciled. 
  • Serving exceptions – Make sure the serving exceptions reports have been checked so that there are no duplicate meals that are not legitimate and have been charged for. Address all the serving exceptions so that all students are charged at their correct eligibility levels. 
  • Meal Count Reports – Make sure your meal counts match your edit check and claim as well as your production records. Make sure any manual count matches. Make sure all meals entered as reimbursable meet the reimbursable meal guidelines. 
  • Edit Check – Make sure all edit checks are resolved and that a comment has been entered. Make sure the edit check matches your reimbursement claim. Make sure your detailed edit check shows no meals served on any non-serving day. 
  • Close your POS periods – Locks down the month so that transactions cannot be adjusted.  
  • Point of Sale – Make sure all meals served as reimbursable meals meet the reimbursable meal requirements at the register before charging a reimbursable meal to the student. Also, be sure to capture every sale. I’m sure you do this anyway, but they are probably counting! 

Student Eligibility 

  • Applications – Make sure all applications are processed within 10 business days. Another application option is to process the application by giving the eligibility date of the date received. Use serving exceptions to correct meals that may have been purchased at different eligibility when backdating. 
  • Notification – Make sure applicant parents are notified using the notify function within 10 business days. 
  • Anti-Discrimination Statements – Check all eligibility notification templates thoroughly to ensure the Discrimination statement matches the UDSA discrimination statement word for word or the discrimination statement specified for use in your specific state. You may do so here: https://www.fns.usda.gov/civil-rights/usda-nondiscrimination-statement-other-fns-programs

Good luck! We wish you a painless audit process. Let Customer Care know if you have any questions about the tips mentioned above, or about how our software can help your program stay in compliance. 

The technical information and insights have been provided by David Sugg, Manager, Customer Care.