# Billing and profitability for collective catering

With the meal counts reconciled, MEPO generates the billing statement by contract and accounting period, using the rate in force in each period. Issuing it creates the receivable, and profitability brings together revenue, COGS, waste and expenses.

## What you organize

- Statement by contract and accounting period
- Rate frozen in each issued line
- Receivable created on issue, with payments recorded
- Result by Unit, with a warning for missing data

## Billing statement

The statement charges the reconciled billing quantity. Each line keeps the Unit, service, rate, validity period and tax. If the rate changes mid-month, the statement has two lines, one per validity period. A pending meal count blocks issue.

## An issued statement does not change

Changing the contract rate later does not change an issued statement. If a reconciliation changes after the statement was generated, it has to be generated again before it is issued.

## Receivable

Issuing the statement creates its receivable. A payment is recorded as a settlement that cannot be edited: a correction is an offsetting entry. Overdue status is calculated from the date. The number and date of an invoice issued outside MEPO can be recorded.

## Result by Unit

Profitability calculates net revenue (the gross amount minus tax), COGS, waste, expenses and result. An expense with no allocation stays out of profit and stays visible, and revenue with no cost raises a warning.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does MEPO issue tax invoices?

No. MEPO issues the billing statement, which is an operational document. The tax invoice comes from your own issuer, and MEPO stores its number and date.

### Does MEPO calculate cost per meal?

Yes. MEPO calculates the cost per meal produced, served and billed, side by side. The figure changes with the basis, and the view shows all three.

## Continue with these topics

- [Understand meal counts and billing](https://www.mepo.so/en/conteudos/medicao-e-faturamento-em-contratos-de-alimentacao-coletiva)
- [Compare profitability between Units](https://www.mepo.so/en/conteudos/como-comparar-custos-e-rentabilidade-entre-uans)
- [Calculate and interpret COGS](https://www.mepo.so/en/conteudos/como-calcular-e-interpretar-o-cmv)