What melt-and-pour actually is
Melt-and-pour ("M&P") base is soap that's already been saponified at a factory. You buy it in 2-pound or 5-pound blocks, melt at 130-140°F in a microwave or double boiler, add color, fragrance, and any embedded design elements, then pour into molds. Bars are usable as soon as they set — typically 4-6 hours.
The tradeoff: you lose recipe flexibility. The base is what it is. You can't change the oil profile, the lather, the hardness, or the long-term feel of the bar. But you skip the lye handling, the cure time, and most of the math.
When melt-and-pour is the right choice
Selling at upcoming events. Wedding/event favors. Children's bars (clear bases with embedded toys). Detailed designs that cold-process can't reliably produce. Testing a fragrance line before committing to a cold-process recipe.