For a CACFP review, organize records around the actual document request. A folder is useful when another person can find the right record, confirm the period it covers, and see what is still missing. This guide gives practical organization steps for Texas contracting entities and sponsored centers.
1. Start with the reviewer’s list
Save the letter and requested-document list first. Note the review period, due date, submission method, and contact. If a sponsor is reviewing your center, use its request; if TDA is reviewing your organization, use TDA’s document request package.
Create a simple tracker with one line per requested item: document, period, location, person responsible, status, and submission date. Mark items available, missing, or needing clarification.
2. Create a central folder and an index
Use clearly named sections for the requested records, such as:
- Meal counts, attendance, menus, and meal production records
- Enrollment and income eligibility documentation, where applicable
- Claims and reimbursement records
- Receipts, invoices, financial reports, and labor records
- Application approvals, procedures, training, and prior corrective actions
Our recommendation: name files by site, period, and record type. Keep a short index showing where each requested item is located. Restrict participant and financial information to authorized people and use the reviewer’s designated submission method.
3. Check the records for the period under review
Use the enrollment, eligibility, staffing, and program records applicable to that period. Updating today’s forms does not establish what was on file for a past claim. Keep original records and distinguish later corrections or replacement copies.
For expenses, connect receipts and invoices to the ledger and payment evidence requested. For meal claims, compare claim totals with supporting meal counts and attendance, investigate discrepancies, and document explanations. Attendance does not establish that every participant ate every meal.
4. List gaps honestly
Retrieve existing records from authorized files or request legitimate copies from the original source. Do not invent meal counts, backdate forms, or change records simply to make totals agree. If a required record cannot be found, list what is missing and ask the reviewer how to address it.
Work through the review-readiness self-assessment as a second check. It helps identify gaps; it does not replace the review request or certify compliance.
5. Test access and keep the submission record
Have a backup person open the files and check that scans are complete and legible. Paper and electronic files both need an accessible, usable system. Software can support organization, but it does not make unsupported records valid.
Keep the final packet, the date submitted, and any confirmation or follow-up request. Continue the daily recordkeeping and staff checks after the packet is sent.
If findings arrive, move to the corrective-action response guide. For the wider process, read what to expect during a Texas program review.
Need help with review preparation or corrective action?
CACFP Solutions’ specialists can help eligible clients organize requested records and prepare responses to findings. Review the service scope and client prerequisites before choosing this support. The preparation project is for qualifying existing monthly-service clients; corrective-action assistance has a separate scope.
If you need to clarify whether support is available for your situation, book a call to discuss the notice and deadline. Bring the request or findings letter and a list of records you have. CACFP Solutions is a private team of CACFP specialists; the reviewing agency or sponsor decides whether your response is acceptable.
Checked October 2026 · Texas administrative reviews. TDA CACFP Handbook, Section 5000 (March 2026) covers review scope, document requests, findings, and corrective action. The organization tips here are our practical recommendations.