Item Setup

The Item table is a list of all items served, with corresponding prices and nutritional information.

There is one item table for all schools in the district. This will ensure that items are managed and priced consistently for all schools in the district.

You can control which items each cashier serves under Item Access Setup.

Item Setup Form

Complete the following form to set up an item:

Search and View

Search by: Description

• Enter a description in this field to search for a specific item.

View B, L, O, or  ALL

• Click B, L, or O (Breakfast, Lunch, or Other) if you just want to see one type of item at a time. Click ALL to view all items.

Upper Grid

Displays items based on Search by: or chosen View.

Middle of Form

Item ID

• If you are adding a new item, select B, L or O (Breakfast, Lunch, or Other) and enter a 3-digit number to identify the item. (You do not need to enter leading zeroes. Numbers will automatically be formatted as 3 digits; for example, if you enter a 2, it will become 002.)

  •  L001 and B001 must be set up as reimbursable meals, Nutrition Code 1.

NOTE:You can number the items any way you like. However, if you want it to convert supplemental sales to reimbursable breakfasts or lunches, you must have item number 001 as nutrition code 1 for Breakfast / Lunch.

If you are not using a touch screen, we recommend using matching numbers for items that are served frequently during breakfast and lunch, since cashiers will be entering item numbers when serving. (Example: Milk could be item number 003 at both meals.)

Description

This is the full description of the item. It accepts up to 30 characters.

Short Desc

You can enter an abbreviated description here for use on the serving screen. If you leave this blank, it will use the first 15 characters of the long description.

Nutrition Code

• Select a nutrition code for this item. This determines whether the item is reported as a meal, a meal component, or a supplemental sale. (You can also set custom colors based on Nutrition Code. Please see details below.)

  • Nutrition code 1 is a meal that is USDA reimbursable when served to a student (status 2, 3, and 4). If it is served to an adult, it counts as a non-reimbursable meal. This is only available under Breakfast and Lunch.
  • Nutrition code 2 is a non-reimbursable second meal; X is supplemental sales. Both of these will count as supplemental sales.
  • The Breakfast component nutrition codes are:
    • M (Fluid Milk), P (Meat/Meat Alternate), V (Vegetable/Fruit) and B (Grain/Bread) are used for converting supplemental sales to reimbursable meals (for status 2, 3, and 4 only). Combo component codes BV, PB, and PBV can be used for items that provide multiple components. (Example: A sandwich could be protein and bread, or PB.)
  • The Final Rule Breakfast and Lunch component nutrition codes are:
    •  M (Fluid Milk), P (Meat/Meat Alternate), V (Vegetable), F (Fruit), and G (Grain/Bread) are used for converting supplemental sales to reimbursable meals (for status 2, 3, and 4 only).  Combo component codes FG, FFG, FGG, and FF GG can be used for items that provide multiple components.
  • RS is a USDA reimbursable snack; SM is USDA reimbursable milk.  These nutrition codes are only available under Other Items.

Alternate Item

This is used with Offline Mode. It only applies to reimbursable meals (Nutrition Code 1).

• If a student is served multiple reimbursable meals in the same serving day, the alternate item will be substituted when the offline transactions are synchronized with online data.

• The alternate item must be a Nutrition Code 2 item.

  • If you do not have a nutrition code 2 item, it will be set up automatically if it is needed.

Convert Amount

Convert Amount allows the user to assign a serving size, defined by grade, for fruit and vegetables. 

• Click  to enter amounts that can be assigned to fruits and vegetables.

• Click the green plus sign to add a convert amount.

• Select a grade from the Grade dropdown list.

  • All non-defined grades will default to 1 full portion.

• Enter an amount in the Convert Amount field.

  • 1/2 serving size applies when converting to reimbursable meal (Final Rule). 

• Click Save.

Item Category

Once a color has been assigned to an Item Category, it will show in this dropdown list so it can selected.

Color Manager

On the serving screen, items are color-coded based on the Nutrition code. The pre-installed default colors are:

• Orange for nutrition code 1.  These are reimbursable when served to students.
• Green for components that can count as part of a reimbursable meal (M, P, V, B and combinations).
• Blue for nutrition code 2 or X items (always non-reimbursable).

To change the color settings for your entire district:

• Click Color Manager to open the color configuration screen.

• Select Nutrition Code or Item Category from the dropdown list.

Nutrition Code

• To change a color, click the Edit Color button. You will get a screen where you can select a different color for that nutrition code. You can also define and save custom colors.

• When you are done, click Save. To undo changes, click Reset to Default Colors.

• When you are finished, click Close.

Item Category

• Click to the green plus button to create an Item Category and assign a background color.

• Click Edit Color to select a background color.

• Click Assign Items to assign items to the category.  Select items from the grid by checking the box next to the item.

• Check the box in the Display Category column if you want the item category to display on its own tab on the serving screen.  This groups like items together, making them easier to find.

  

  • You can only display three tabs at a time, but can be changed at any time by unchecking/checking the boxes.

• Click Save to save the information. Click Close. The new Item Category will now appear in the dropdown list on the form.

• Click Reset Item Categories for all meal items to restore default settings.

Lower Grid—Price Grid

Grade

Grade 00 is the default value that will be used if the grade is not specified.

If the same prices apply for all grades, you do not need to set up any more grade rows here.

• Click the green plus sign to add extra rows if you want to set up Pricing by Grade. 

• Then you can select a grade from the dropdown list. The prices on that line will be used for that grade only.

Price

• Enter the prices that apply for each status code (and grade, if you are using Pricing by Grade).

State Reimbursable

• Check here ONLY if this item qualifies for extra reimbursement from state or local sources (in addition to federal reimbursement). Only Breakfast and Lunch items with Nutrition Code 1 can be flagged as State Reimbursable. 

• To print a report of State Reimbursable meals served, use the Participation report and check the box to “Include Special Milk and State Reimbursable.”

Prohibit Item by Status

This allows you to prohibit sales of this item for a group of accounts, based on status code.

Example:if an item is not to be served to students, select that item, click Prohibit, and check the boxes for Free, Reduced and Student (Paid.)

Assign Users to Items

• Click to set the users’ item access for this item only. You will see a list of all users.
• Check the box for each user that should have access to this item. (If you want to see all items that a user has access to, go to Item Access Setup.)

Converting Supplemental Sales to Reimbursable Meals

• You can set up your item file to automatically convert supplemental sales into a reimbursable meal if it meets the Offer Versus Serve guidelines.  This only works for student accounts (status 2, 3, and 4). It uses the site’s ‘Offer vs. Serve Meal’  B or L item number 001 to determine the meal price.

  • For Breakfast, a student must be offered four items from Milk, Fruit  or Vegetable, and Grains.  Students can get three or four of the items, but one item selected must be Fruit  or Vegetable.
    • Valid combinations would include: MMFG, MFFG, MFGG, MFG, FFG, FGG, MFF.  The combinations MMG and MGG are not reimbursable because there is no F or V.
  • For Lunch, a student must be offered five components, including Milk, Protein, Grain, Vegetable and Fruit. Students can select three, four or five of the items, but at least one item selected must be Fruit or Vegetable.
    • Valid combinations would be: MPGVF, MPGV, MPGF, MPVF, MGVF, PGVF, MGV, MGF, MPV, MPF, PGV, PGF, GVF, FVM and FVP.  The combination MPG is not reimbursable.

• The meal price is the same regardless of how many components they get (up to the maximum allowed).

• If they are getting additional single or combo items that are not included in the reimbursable meal, it will add those prices to the Total Due, based on the order in which the items are entered.

If you do not want to use the conversion feature, just use nutrition code X for all your a la carte items instead of the component codes M, P, V and B.

©2018 EMS LINQ, Inc.

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POS Version 9, revised 03/2018