A banquet event order (BEO) gives your team one working document for an event’s schedule, setup, food, staffing, and other details. Set up reusable sections and layouts once, then open an event’s invoice to prepare its BEO. You can make changes for that event without changing the invoice or the layout used for future events.
Choose where to make a change
BEO Settings controls the section names and order available to your business.
A BEO layout controls which details appear and how the BEO looks. Changes to an account layout apply to future BEOs.
Edit this BEO changes the sections, item wording, and instructions for one invoice’s BEO. It does not change invoice prices, quantities, or your account layout.
Set up your BEO sections
Use these settings when your team needs a standard section such as Bar Service or Room Reset. You need access to invoice settings and BEO management.
Open Settings. Under Invoices & payments, expand Invoice Settings, then click BEO Settings.
On the BEO Sections page, click Add at the bottom of the list, enter a Name, and click Save.
To rename a section, click Edit beside it, change the Name, and click Save. Click Cancel if you do not want to keep the change.
To change the default order, click Reorder Sections, drag a section by its handle to the new position, then click Close.
To remove a section you added, click Edit beside it, click Remove, and confirm. Built-in sections cannot be removed.
Create or update a reusable BEO layout
A layout decides what the finished BEO includes. Create one from an invoice so you can preview it with real event details.
Open an event, click its Invoices tab, and find the invoice card. Click Open, then click BEO in the invoice editor. On the event’s invoice card, you can also click the View BEO icon to go straight to the BEO panel.
In BEO Management, click the plus button beside Choose a BEO layout. The Add BEO Layout window opens.
Enter a Layout Name. Add a Layout Description if it will help your team choose the right layout.
Under BEO Style, choose Classic, Branded, or Banner. Classic has a compact header; Branded gives the logo more space; Banner uses your portal image and falls back to a logo header if there is no image. Use the sample cards or View full sample pages to compare them. Turn Use this style’s heading colors off if you want your business’s invoice colors instead.
In General Settings, choose item spacing, column layout, and text alignment. Select the details to show, such as the event schedule, guest counts, room details, setup notes, inventory, prices, subtotals, and totals. Select Add E-Signature if this layout should include a place for the client to sign. Include All selects every available item; review the selections before saving, especially pricing and internal notes.
Click Create Layout. Back in BEO Management, choose the new layout from Choose a BEO layout and review its preview.
To revise an account layout, choose it in BEO Management, click BEO Template Settings (the gear icon), then Edit account template for future BEOs. Make the changes and click Update Layout. Existing invoice BEOs keep their saved layout.
Prepare the BEO for a particular invoice
Use the invoice editor for event-specific changes. The BEO editor shows sections and items on the left and the selected item or section’s controls on the right.
Open the event’s Invoices tab, click Open on the invoice card, and click BEO. In BEO Management, choose the layout you want. Click Edit this BEO.
To change a section, click its name in the left preview. Change Section name if needed. Use Show in this BEO to show or hide it; click Move up or Move down to set its position. Enter Section instructions when this event needs different directions.
To add a section for this invoice only, click Add section above the preview, type its name, and click Add section in the dialog.
To move or rewrite an item, click it in the preview. Choose its BEO section, then edit Item heading on BEO or BEO description. Open Setup and kitchen instructions to add setup or back-of-house notes. Check the layout’s display settings before sharing: these notes may appear in a client-visible BEO.
Click Save BEO. Wait for the “BEO saved” notice, then click View saved PDF to check the complete document. Click Close when finished.
Prices, quantities, and the original invoice item remain connected to the invoice. To change them, edit the invoice itself, then review the BEO again. Wording you have customized for the BEO stays in place if the invoice wording later changes. For an item, click Restore invoice wording and confirm to use the current invoice text. For a section with custom text, click Restore connected section details and confirm to use its connected details again.
Share, sign, or download the BEO
In BEO Management, choose the layout and check the preview or print view. If you chose a different layout from the one already shared, click the Swap shared BEO button before continuing.
To let the client see the BEO, click Share with Client, then Share BEO with Client. The invoice must have a client. This setting makes the BEO available to the client; it does not send a message by itself.
If the client needs to sign, click BEO E-Signature Settings, then Request E-Signature. Check the BEO’s status for a pending or completed signature.
To save a copy, click Download at the bottom of BEO Management or use Print BEO. After editing, View saved PDF in the editor lets you check the latest saved version.
Saving an invoice-specific BEO updates the BEO that is shared with the client, if sharing is on; it does not send a message. To stop client access, choose Stop Sharing BEO with Client from Share with Client.
A signed BEO is locked for editing. If it must change, use Remove Signed BEO only after deciding to replace the signed version: that removal cannot be undone, and the revised BEO will need a new signature.
If you cannot see the BEO controls
BEO controls are available for venue accounts with BEO management enabled and the needed invoice access. Ask your account owner to check your access if BEO Settings or the BEO button is missing.