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SIS 2000+ Food Services

Sec. 13c, Food Line Procedures 
 

The Cafeteria screen records all food transactions -- Meals, Milk, and ala Carte items served to students, faculty, patrons, visitors and cash account sales. Volume Sales, such as Banquet Sales and student milk sales are also processed. All transactions recorded using the Cafeteria module may be edited through the Accounts module. Student, faculty and patron transactions may also be edited from within the Cafeteria module.

Each service transaction references Rates, Items and Accounts to insure that meal and milk service is recorded in the proper category. Free/reduced/paid eligibility figures are derived by comparing enrollment with meal service, pay-types and consumer types.

Service and payment data is organized into a variety of report formats, including service, payment and ala Carte Detail and Summary reports. School/District Detail, Summary and Reimbursement reports are also available.

Fig. 1 - Cafeteria screen, service mode
 
 

13c.1 Run the Cafeteria module
Login as per instructions in Sec. 13. Verify that you are processing the correct date, cash drawer and POS Configuration. The Cafeteria screen displays with the focus on the Account field, ready to receive entry (Fig. 1). Confirm that Settings are set correctly before you begin to process transactions (Sec. 13b).

Focus Remains on 'Account' - At this point you may swipe a barcode or enter a student ID# (Fig. 1). Remember, a numeric entry in the Account field is interpreted as a Student ID number. If you are using manual entry and need to record service for Faculty or Patron Account types, you must first press "F" (faculty) or "P" (patron) in the Account field, then enter the ID # and press Enter. If you are using barcodes, the Account type is included in the barcode with other information that identifies the student, faculty, or patron.

The following procedures are not intended to address all possible Settings configurations. The performance of the Cafeteria module is controlled by the combination of settings in the Settings Editor, and may vary from the following examples.

Procedures -

13c.1.1 Auto Save ON / Auto Serve On
This method is used to record Meals and Milk only. It is the fastest method of processing a food line.

The Auto Serve MEAL will be recorded (see Sec. 13b).
The record will automatically SAVE
The screen will clear, and the focus will re-position at the Account field, ready for the next scan or entry of the next consumer ID number..

Please note: If you wish to use the Auto Save feature, Auto Serve default Meal must be set.

Auto Save On + Auto Serve On + Balance Restrictions -

Credit accounts (contain sufficient funds to pay for this meal) and free student accounts are not affected by Deficit Balance settings.

Auto Save On + Auto Serve On + Stop
The Auto Serve and Auto Save will proceed for credit accounts and free student accounts. Service will stop for deficit accounts with the focus placed on the Payment field. No default payment amount is suggested. A payment may be recorded or you may choose to record the meal without a payment.

Auto Save On + Auto Serve On + Ask
The Auto Serve and Auto Save will proceed for credit accounts and free student accounts. Service will stop for deficit accounts. An alert message will be displayed containing the number of meals remaining for this account (a minus figure). The alert contains Allow and Deny buttons, one of which must be selected. Deny cancels the meal transaction. Allow allows you to continue and either record meal service, with or without a payment. No default payment amount is suggested

Auto Save On + Auto Serve On + Deny
The Auto Serve and Auto Save will proceed for credit accounts and free student accounts. Service is denied for deficit accounts. An alert message will be displayed containing the number of meals remaining for this account (a minus figure). The alert contains a Deny only button.
 
 

13c.1.2 Payments accepted in line

Auto Save On + Auto Serve On
Re-scan consumer card or re-enter consumer ID number.  Previously saved transactions are displayed and the focus is placed on the Payments field.  Enter payment amount, Save.

Auto Save Off + Auto Serve On
The default meal is served but not saved. Additional food items may be served, and payments recorded. Typical food lines would be those that primarily serve a meal, plus ala Carte items, and accept payments inline.

If you wish to record service that does not include the default meal -
 

1. Click on the Undo button to remove the default meal. Or, click directly on the item (in the transaction grid) to remove it.
2. Select other food items
3. Enter payment (optional) and press Enter
4. Press Enter again to save and clear
 

13c.1.3 Auto Save OFF / Auto Serve OFF
This method best serves food lines that serves an assortment of ala Carte items and/or meals, and routinely accept payments in line. Service is not automatically saved when the barcode is scanned or the ID# entered. The consumer is identified, then the screen waits for food items to be selected and/or payment to be entered. This mode should be used with the POS touchscreen and multiple item food lines.

Scan barcode or enter ID# (see above, Account types).
 

13c.1.3.1 Select items
Select food items by clicking on the item button with the mouse.

Select items using a touchscreen
Touch the item buttons for this transaction. Touch the page tabs to display additional pages of items.

Notice that the item School Lunch in Fig. 2 below qualifies as a reimbursable meal. The Amount field displays Meal, and the Meal text box contains 'Yes' to indicate that this account has been served the reimbursable lunch meal for today. Notice also that the Charges text box does not include the cost of the reimbursable Meal. The ending Balance however, reflects the debit of all food items, including the cost of the reimbursable meal. If you do not wish this information to be displayed in the food line, set the Show Balances Setting (Sec. 13b) to 'NO' to limit the display of account information to the Meals Remaining text box only.

13c.1.3.2 Record Payments
Focus defaults to the Payment field as soon as the consumer is identified, and remains there as food items are selected. When all food items have been selected, enter the payment amount and press Enter. Press Enter again to save. Meals, items and payments are recorded to the individual's account as they appear on the Cafeteria screen (Fig. 2). You may also save a transaction by using Alt-S or Save.

Record Payment using a touchscreen
Touch the payment field (or Alt-P or Command-P from the keyboard). Using the keyboard, enter the amount of the payment (50. = $50.00). Press Enter to activate the Save button. Press Enter again to save. You may also save by using keyboard commands Alt-S or by touching Save.


Fig. 2 - Cafeteria screen, service and payment entries
 
 

13c.1.4 Cafeteria Payment Alert - Payment amount exceeds $20.00
Cafeteria payment entry is safeguarded against accidental entry of oversized payments. Incorrect payment figures are most commonly created one to two ways --
 
1. barcodes -

the next barcode is scanned before the current record is saved and cleared. Since scanning a barcode inserts a numeric sequence into the field with the focus, the student ID number is literally inserted into the payment field as a payment amount. This is easily avoided by ensuring the current has saved and cleared before the next barcode is scanned.
2. manual entry of ID numbers -

failure to click on the Save button or failure to press Enter twice (the first time to record payment -if any-and move the focus to the Save button, the second time to save this transaction by activating the Save button) before entering the ID number for the next consumer. Since the focus is on the payment field, manual entry of the next consumer ID number is inserted into the payment field as a payment amount.

Fig. 3 - Cafeteria Payment alert
 
 

If a payment greater than $20.00 is recorded in the food line, an alert is displayed when the transaction is saved. The alert confirms that you are aware this payment is greater than $20.00 and should be recorded. Select 'Yes' to record this payment and clear the transaction, 'No' to return to this transaction with the focus placed on the payment field for correction of the payment amount.

13c.1.5 Cafeteria Scanning Alert -
A barcode scan is not accepted while a current transaction is in progress (current transaction has not yet been saved and cleared). Click 'OK' to clear the alert screen, then proceed to complete and save the current transaction. The focus will then move to the Account field, at which time the next barcode may be scanned.


Fig. 4 - Cafeteria scanning alert
 

13c.1.6 Indicate a Worker Meal
Click on the Worker button to mark the reimbursable meal as a Worker meal. The Meal designation in the Amount field changes to Worker, and the meal will be recorded as a worker/earned meal in the correct consumer and pay-type categories. Worker meal status may be edited both inline in the Cafeteria module and in Accounts. Notice in Fig. 5 the ending account balance has been adjusted to reflect the Worker Meal Rate (compare with Fig. 2).

If this consumer has been assigned the Account Setting 'Automatic Worker',  the default Auto Serve meal is automatically designated as 'Worker'.  See Sec. 6e, Account Settings.


Fig. 5 - Cafeteria procedures, Worker Meal
 

 

13c.2.1 Delete individual items from a transaction
Click directly on a food item or payment in the item grid to remove it. Use the Undo button to remove all unsaved items.

13c.2.2 Cancel transaction
Click on the Reset button to cancel this transaction. Consumer identification is cleared. Focus moves to the Account field, ready to accept the next ID number or barcode scan. Reset does not remove saved items from this consumer's record.

You have scanned a card (or entered ID number) to record meal service. Auto Serve is on and the default meal is present in the transaction grid. This student is not purchasing a meal, instead wishes to purchase milk only. Click Undo or click on the default meal to remove it. Click on the Milk Item button. Save.

You have scanned a card (or entered ID number) to record meal service. Auto Serve and Auto Save are on, so the default meal for this consumer is saved automatically. This consumer is not purchasing a meal, instead wishes to purchase milk only or perhaps other food items in place of the meal. Rescan the card (or re-enter ID number). The saved (indicated in red) meal is present in the transaction grid. Undo is not available because there are no new, unsaved transactions. Click on the meal to remove it. Click on the desired Item buttons. Save.
 

Recap:

Reset -
Cancels current transaction. Unsaved changes are lost. Cafeteria screen is reset for new consumer. Reset = never mind.

Undo -
Undoes, or deletes all unsaved items from this transaction. Undo is enabled only if changes have been made and not saved.

Delete an item -
Click on the item.

13c.3 Cash transactions
The Cash buttons are available when a consumer has not been identified. The Cash buttons disable when a consumer is selected. Use of a Cash button assumes and records one service and one payment in the exact amount of that service to an anonymous individual (per button type). Notice that Cash consumers do not have Meals Remaining or Balance Forward figures.

Please note:
The Cash Buttons are not affected by the Auto Save Setting. In other words, even if Auto Save is set to ON, a Cash transaction will not automatically save and clear. This provides the opportunity to edit the cash transaction (delete a default meal, or add ala Carte items to the transaction).

Food Service Preference 'Student Cash Meals'
If the Food Service Preference 'Student Cash Meals' value = 'NO', you will be unable to record a Student Cash meal using the Cash Student button in Cafeteria, the Volume Sales Meal/Student category, or in Cash Accounts (Sec. 3, Food Services Preferences Manager).

13c.3.1 Cash Button -- Default Meal Set
If an Auto Serve Meal has been set, then all Cash transactions use the default meal as the service item. The payment recorded is the meal rate (per the Cash button used -- student, faculty, visiting adult, visiting child). Notice that when a Cash button is selected, the default meal displays in the Description grid, and the amount of that meal displays in the Payments field. If the Auto Save Setting is 'ON', the cash transaction will record, save and clear automatically. If Auto Save is 'OFF', the Save button or the keyboard command Alt-S must be pressed to save and clear. If Auto Save is 'OFF', you also have the opportunity to override the default payment amount (for a guest meal, for example).


Fig. 6 - Cafeteria Cash buttons
 

Cash Student -
Records service and payment for one reimbursable student meal in the Paid category. No distinction is made between first (reimbursable) student meals and second (non-reimbursable) student meals. Cash Student records are stored in Accounts, Cash.

Faculty -
Records service and payment for one faculty meal. Cash Faculty records are stored in Accounts, Cash.

Adult -
Records service and payment for one visiting adult meal. Cash Visitor Adult records are stored in Accounts, Visitor.

Child -
Records service and payment for one visiting child meal. Cash Visitor Child records are stored in Accounts, Visitor.
 

13c.3.2 Cash Button -- Default Meal Unset
If Default Service is not set, use of a Cash Account button places the Cafeteria food item grid into edit mode (Fig. 7) for this cash transaction. Select food items, then Save to record payment and service . The Payment amount defaults to the exact amount of this transaction (total of items selected) but may be over-ridden. If the visitor is a guest, for example, zero the payment before saving the transaction. Notice that the 1st Meal field indicates 'Yes'. This does not necessarily mean that this meal is a reimbursable meal. 'Yes' in the 1st Meal field indicates that this is the first meal for today's lunch or breakfast session (and therefore potentially reimbursable, based upon the consumer type) served to this consumer. In this example, the consumer is a Visitor. A Visitor meal is not a reimbursable meal, as shown by the Amount of the meal displayed in the transaction grid.


Fig. 7 - Cafeteria, Cash Visiting Adult ala Carte and Meal items
 
 
 

Fig. 5 - Cafeteria, Line Counts
 

13c.4.1 Run Cafeteria Counts
Click on the Counts button at any time between transactions. The Cafeteria Counts window may be moved to the side of the Cafeteria screen and left running. Click anywhere on the Cafeteria screen to bring it to the front and resume transactions. Click anywhere on the Counts screen to refresh line totals and bring it to the front. If the size of your monitor screen does not permit this procedure, click on the Cafeteria Counts Done button to close that window. To view line counts at a later time, re-click on the Counts button. The Refresh button will also update line totals.