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Configuring a Dining Area with a Manual Census

Kevin U
  • Updated

About a Dining Area with Manual Census

A dining area that has a manual census is commonly used in a cafeteria type setting in which the general population is being served, such as for staff meals or non-resident clientele, or an adult day program where there is a different client mix per day.

The manual census is the number of diet orders (i.e., diet type and texture type combinations) the dining area supports and must be entered by you (see Configuring the Diet Order Census Method below). The manual census is used in forecasting calculations and production reports so that production staff know the servings of each menu item to produce.

Note 1: If your MealSuite account does not have the People module, then any dining area will be automatically enabled as a manual census dining area.

Note 2: When a dining room is enabled with a manual diet order census, it is not available to be assigned to resident/patient profiles. This is because it is assumed such a dining room is for staff meals or non-resident clientele, or an adult day program where there is a different client mix per day.

Configuring a Dining Area with a Manual Census

  1. From the left navigation sidebar, select Tools & Setup > Facility Builder. The Facility Builder screen appears.
  2. Select the Dining Areas tab. The existing dining areas are listed.
  3. Click the Add Area button. The Create Dining Area slide-out panel appears. 

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  4. In the Dining Area Name field, enter the name of the dining area.
  5. From the Menu Service Location field, select the menu service location (MSL) to assign the dining area to. The MSL determines the menus that are available to the dining area. If your MealSuite account only uses one MSL (i.e., the default MSL), then select it.

    MSL.png
     
  6. Select the Ordering Settings tab. Two options are presented: Table Side Select and Advanced Ordering. 
    • If the production numbers are to be generated directly from the census numbers that you will configure for the dining area (see Configuring the Diet Order Census Method below), such as in a non-select service type setting, then deselect (i.e., clear) the Table Side Select and Advanced Ordering check boxes. 

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    • If it is required that the numbers for a manual census dining area be adjusted for production (e.g., you know that usually only 75% of sides and drinks are produced), then you will be applying forecasting (either percentages forecasting or total needed forecasting) to the menu associated with the manual census dining area. For the system to allow the numbers of a manual census dining area to be adjusted by forecasting, it is required that at least one service type be selected. Therefore, select the Table Side Select service type check box. 

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  7. Select the Manual Census tab, and select the Enable Manual Census check box. 

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  8. Click the Save button to apply your changes. 
  9. Your next step is to configure the appropriate diet order census method as per instructions below. 

Configuring the Diet Order Census Method

Configure the appropriate diet order census method from the available drop-down.

Simple Census

This Simple Census option is used to enter the census of the regular diet type/regular texture type diet. In the Enter Census Total field enter a single census number, which is applied across all menu items in each meal period/snack time.

simple_census.png

Census by Meal

The Census by Meal option is used to enter the census of the regular diet type/regular texture type diet by meal period and snack time. A separate census field for each meal period and snack time is displayed for you to enter a different census number for each. Note: If a meal period or snack time is not to have a census number, then enter 0 instead of leaving it blank. 

census_by_meal.png

Census by Diet Order

The Census by Diet Order option displays the diet order extension grid for you to enter the census numbers for each diet type/texture type combination, which is applied across all meal periods and snack times. Note: If a diet type/texture type combination is not to have a census number, then enter 0 instead of leaving it blank.

census_by_diet_order.png

Census by Meal and Diet Order

The Census by Meal and Diet Order option displays a diet order extension grid for each meal period meal period and snack time for you to enter the census numbers for each diet type/texture type combination of each meal period and snack time. Note: If a diet type/texture type combination is not to have a census number, then enter 0 instead of leaving it blank.

census_by_meal_diet_order.png

FAQs

For a dining area with a manual census, can the census contain fluid types?

No, at this time dining area with manual census does not support fluid types (e.g., Slightly Thick, Mildly Thick, etc.).