How to choose CACFP software
Comparing systems is awkward because the monthly figure rarely tells you the annual cost, and the feature lists all look alike. The differences that matter are in the annual cost, and in who does the work when you move.
Start with what it has to do
Whatever you are looking at should carry a program through the whole month, from serving the meal to filing the claim. If a demo moves past one of these quickly, ask to see it again.
A system that handles four of the five leaves the fifth on your desk, usually in a spreadsheet.
The five functions
- Point-of-service meal counts
- Menu planning against the USDA meal patterns
- Meal production records
- Your monthly claim
- Audit-ready documentation you can retrieve later
Sticker prices are not comparable
Vendors price CACFP software in several different ways, so two monthly figures can mean very different annual bills.
| Pricing model | What to watch for |
|---|---|
| Flat monthly per center | Whether setup and the annual maintenance fee are quoted separately |
| Per site, per month | Whether a platform fee sits on top of the per-site rate |
| Per user, per month | What happens to the bill when you add seasonal staff |
| Seasonal or flat-fee | Which months are covered, and the cost of an extra site |
Add twelve months, the setup fee and any annual fee together before you compare anything. Our own rates and a first-year comparison are on the pricing page.
Questions worth asking
- Is support included, or billed separately?
- Who moves the existing data across, you or us?
- Is there a setup fee, and an annual fee on top of the monthly?
- Which program types are covered: CACFP, At-Risk Afterschool, SFSP, Head Start, adult day care?
- What happens to the claim history if we leave?
What switching actually takes
The part people dread is mostly a data problem, so find out early who is doing the work. Ask whether the vendor imports your participant information or hands you a template.
We do the import and provide step-by-step transition guides, with unlimited human support from the first day. El Paso Human Services moved 80 sites onto CenterPilot over a few months and said it went more smoothly than they expected.
Comparison questions, answered
What should CACFP software be able to do?
At a minimum: point-of-service meal counts, menu planning against the USDA meal patterns, meal production records, your monthly claim, and audit-ready documentation you can retrieve later. Anything missing from that list becomes manual work.
Is support usually included?
It varies by vendor, so ask before you sign. CenterPilot includes unlimited human support on every plan at no extra charge.
Who moves our data when we switch?
Ask whether the vendor imports your participant information or hands you a template to fill in. We do the import and provide step-by-step transition guides. El Paso Human Services moved 80 sites onto CenterPilot over a few months.
Does CACFP software work in every state?
CenterPilot follows the federal USDA CACFP meal patterns and documentation requirements that apply nationwide. Book a demo and we will walk through how your state's claim process fits.
See it against your own program.
Book a demo and we will walk through your menus, your sites and your claim before you decide anything.