The function sheet (also banquet event order, BEO) is the central working document of an event: it bundles all agreements — schedule, guest count, seating, food, drinks, tech, contacts, payment terms — in ONE sheet for all departments. It translates the sales agreement into operating instructions: what the client discussed with sales, kitchen, service and tech must know on day X — without queries, without hallway hearsay.
Tick eight mandatory building blocks — the gap analysis appears instantly.
Rule of thumb: everything that could trigger ONE query on event day belongs in the sheet. The countersigned version doubles as your protection against "but we agreed otherwise".
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| At contract signing | Create the rough sheet from the quote (key data, package, terms from the event contract) |
| 14 days before | Detail call with the client: timeline, special requests, tech — finalise the sheet |
| 7 days before | Obtain the guaranteed guest count, client countersigns, distribute to kitchen/service/tech |
| Day −1 | Short briefing of everyone involved on the sheet (10 minutes) — questions NOW, not tomorrow |
| Day +1 | Post-calculation against the sheet (extra consumption, extra hours) and note the learnings |
No — the contract governs the legal side (prices, cancellation, liability), the sheet the operational side (who does what when). Contract without sheet produces correct invoices for chaotic evenings.
Maintain digitally (one source, versioning, distribution), additionally printed at the pass and stations on event day — if the Wi-Fi jams, the wedding doesn't.
Exactly one person — the banquet/event manager. They maintain changes, distribute versions and brief the departments. Shared responsibility in banqueting is none.
A one-page version (key data, timeline, menu, allergies, contact) costs 15 minutes — and prevents the same mishaps as the big one. From 20 guests or external occasions: always.