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Use the arrows in the upper left hand corner of the calendar to navigate to different dates. The single arrows will move forward or back a month; the double arrows will move forward or back by year.
The color of the Event corresponds to the Event’s current Event Status, or another option is to have the color correspond to the Event Type. In order to access the Event Details page, double click on the desired Event. Or, hover over the Event on the calendar for basic information.
Batch Generate Documents
Documents, such as Event Orders, can be Batch Generated from this page by clicking on the Batch Generate Documents button. Filter and select your events and then select a document. Your batch will be sent to the bottom of your home page in the Background Activities section.
Calendar View
The Week View of the calendar initially displays the current week. The single arrow buttons can be used to move forward or back by week; the double arrows will move to the past year’s corresponding week or the following year’s corresponding week. The color of the event denotes its current Event Status.
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When an event is booked from the contact’s page, the contact is added to the event as the primary contact. All other required fields must be entered.
Event Details
Once the new event’s required information has been entered, click the “Save” button. There are two “Save” buttons located on the screen. There is one in the upper left corner and one in the lower left corner. Clicking the “Save” button will create the event/function and direct to the Event Details page of the event.
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Click Send Email when ready.
The email will be logged and the email status updated as it is delivered and opened.
View Financial Details
If changes need to be made to an event’s financial information, like adding a discount percentage, scheduling deposits, or recording payments, this can be accomplished under the Event Financial Details Screen. In order to access this screen, click on the “View Financial Details” button at the top of the screen under the Event title bar.
FAQs
Q: How do I move an event to a different date or time?
A: When in the calendar view, you can drag and drop the event to the new day. When in the event, you can click on Move Event and follow the provided steps.
Best Practices
Add your contacts in Office and let them sync over to Banquets.
Make sure the owner for the contact says GATEWAY_AGENT, if it doesn’t the information won’t come into Office.
Downloadable Guide
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Dollar amount Adjustments, if needed, are added at the Function Level and can be accessed by clicking on the function name link, from within the Event Financial Details page, or from the Function Page by clicking the on View Financial Details button.
Event Lifecycle
Banquets is designed around the stages of a typical event’s lifecycle and allows you to automate your practices. The stages in the event’s lifecycle are listed on the Event Details page.
Inquiry - Process Inquiry when a Contact is “just shopping” for information but you’d like to put them on your calendar as an Inquiry, send out information, and follow up with them later. Contact is not quite ready to be sent a contract.
Proposal - Send Proposal after services have been added and you want to send out a document with the proposed services.
Tentative - Process Tentative when you want to get confirmation of an event by sending out a document requesting a deposit and/or signature.
Definite - Confirm the event when a deposit and/or a signed contract or confirmation letter has been received.
Complete Event Order - Complete Event Order when the service details of your event have been entered, such as food menus, beverage menus, and setup and service requirements, and you are ready to preview or send an Event Order to confirm these details with/to the contact or internal staff. (Changes are still possible after all steps!)
Guarantee - Guarantee your event when the guaranteed attendance figure has been received. This will update all of the quantities for your event. (May be dependent on ‘Auto Quantity’ being turned on for your specific menu(s).
Actualize - Actualize to enter actual attendance and consumption numbers, typically done with the event is over.
Send Thank You - Send a Thank You email or letter after the event has taken place.
Close - Close the event once it has been executed and all outstanding balances have been collected.
Lost Business - Used when the event has been canceled. Banquets will retain its information along with the reason it was canceled, but it will be removed from the Event Calendar.
Using the Event Lifecycle
Clicking an event Lifecycle button navigates to a screen that will allow input of relevant event information like recording payments, printing or e-mailing documents, assigning follow-up tasks, and verifying attendance counts. These automated tasks ensure that no information is accidentally forgotten, provide quick access to required information, and build consistent business practices among users.
The lifecycle steps do not have to be completed sequentially. To move ahead and skip stages, simply click on the desired Lifecycle button to perform the tasks associated with that stage in the Lifecycle. If desired, the Lifecycle can be customized to include fewer steps.
Banquets does not allow an event to move backwards in the lifecycle. However, if an action associated with an earlier stage in the lifecycle needs to be completed, such as printing another document or recording a deposit, this can be done from other areas on the Event Details page, such as Communication History and View Financial Details.
Creating Leads
It is now possible to create “Leads” in Banquets. Leads are intended to be used as a tool to keep track of potential business when the contact might not have a set date. Leads can be created by clicking on the Lead icon from the Navigation Bar and then selecting the “New” button.
Leads can also be created from a contact’s page by clicking on the “New Lead” button under the Leads section header.
If a lead turns into a booked event, the “Convert to Event” button can be used to convert the lead to a new event.
FAQs
Q: How do I add all items at once in a menu?
A: In order to add all items in the service menus, click the “Check All Items” button.
Q: When using the Lifecycle do we have to follow the steps in order?
A: The lifecycle steps do not have to be completed sequentially.
Best Practices
Begin the day by reviewing pertinent information on the Home screen, to ensure you have addressed items that need timely attention. Utilize Navigation shortcuts, such as the Breadcrumb trail and the search feature to navigate quickly to desired information. Improve operational efficiencies by tracking leads, setting tasks, following up, and successfully tracking pertinent life cycle steps once the Leads are converted to Events.
Downloadable Guide
Banquets - Events & Event Lifecycles Guide