# Software for UANs and Unit management

MEPO calculates the ingredients a menu requires, subtracts stock, records what production withdraws and keeps the service quantities. Everything starts from the same recipe sheets and the same ingredients.

## Direct definition

A UAN is the Brazilian term for a food and nutrition unit that produces collective meals. In MEPO, this operational site is called a Unit.

## Who it is for

- People responsible for the daily operation of the Unit
- Nutrition and menu planning
- Purchasing, goods receipt and stock
- Production, meal counts and closing

## Menu and recipe sheet in planning

The recipe sheet lists ingredients, units, yield, portions and theoretical cost. With the sheet in an approved menu, the team calculates the ingredients for the planned quantity.

- Recipe sheets with versions and validity periods
- Menus by day and service
- Pending items when a recipe sheet or yield is missing

## Purchasing calculated from the Unit's needs

The calculation considers demand, gross quantities, available balance, reservations, open orders, the safety policy and packaging. The team reviews the result before creating the request.

- Calculation record for each ingredient
- Request, quote and approval
- Goods receipt with stock entry

## Every stock movement is recorded

Entries, withdrawals, transfers, adjustments, waste, returns and counts are kept in the history. The moving average cost is recalculated on confirmed entries in the base unit.

- Balance and reservations kept separate
- Physical count with approval
- Waste and returns with a reason

## Production and meal counts with separate quantities

The production plan uses the menu, the recipe sheet and demand. The forecast, the operation record, the quantity reported by the Client and the billable quantity stay separate so they can be checked.

- Requisition and reservation of ingredients
- Confirmation of withdrawals
- Reconciliation with source and justification

## Example of a routine in the Unit

Example: a Unit plans Tuesday's lunch.

### 1. Plan

The team confirms the menu and enters the expected quantity for the service.

### 2. Calculate

MEPO calculates the ingredients from the recipe sheets and subtracts the available balance.

### 3. Buy

If an ingredient is short, the request goes through review, approval, purchase order and goods receipt.

### 4. Produce

The requisition reserves the ingredients and the confirmation records the withdrawals used in production.

### 5. Count

The team records the service numbers and reconciles the quantity that can be billed.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can MEPO be used for a single Unit?

Yes. An Organization can operate with a single Unit and use the same menu, stock, production, meal count and finance features.

### Does the system replace the technical manager?

No. MEPO organizes records and workflows. Technical, sanitary and operational decisions remain the responsibility of the qualified people in the operation.

### Do I have to give up spreadsheets all at once?

No. Start with the records and one routine, such as stock, check the balances and add the others when it makes sense.

## Related reading

- [Industrial kitchen management](https://www.mepo.so/en/solucoes/software-gestao-cozinhas-industriais)
- [Stock control in an industrial kitchen](https://www.mepo.so/en/conteudos/controle-de-estoque-em-cozinha-industrial)
- [Spreadsheet or management system](https://www.mepo.so/en/conteudos/planilha-ou-sistema-para-gestao-de-uan)