I'm starting now to get multiple orders in a day - this weekend I have 7 cakes due at different times, etc...

What's your system for keeping them all straight? Do you have a book, a file cabinet??

On Ace of Cakes - Duff has those clip boards on the wall. Right now I have a little appt book that I keep, but it's not working so well.

I have cake boss and that's great, but I need something else.

For me, it is CakeBoss all the way. Why is that not working for you?? Before, I bought it, I had an appt book like my hairdresser uses and I would write it all in there, but then I would have little pieces of paper here and there. Now it all goes right into CakeBoss and there is no question at all! At the beginning of the week, I print off my invoices for the coming week, put them all in a notebook, and I have my orders planned out for the whole week.

Ohhh, see, now I didn't even think to print the invoices for the week and keep it that way.

I had CakeBoss, but also had my book and it was getting a little annoying having to refer to my computer.

I'm definitely not the best in the organization dept.

I use Cake Boss, then print off all the invoices and stick them in a ring binder using tab folders for each month. I like to be able to look something up quickly too, or have it by my side for spellings of names etc, but I would never give up my Cake Boss!

Thank you OP for posting this!! I have always wanted to know how people organize their orders...especially orders that need to be done over several days, like if stuff has to dry.
For any more posters...how do you schedule an order that has several different tasks, to all be ready by the due date along with other orders?

Hmm, I am starting to think I should get cakeboss.

I have a file for each customer that has everything that has ever happened regarding their cak, emails, notes from phone convos, dates and times of meetings, etc.

One thing I do is always send an email to a customer following a ohone convo just to put it in print everything we talked about, that way you don't forget little details.

I have a production schedule that details amount and flavors and what day I need to make batter, filling, frosting. and also a schedule for thinks like making flowers and gp pieces.

It works for now.

On a cake that has a lot of gp pieces or flowers I make a list of all the pieces and the sizes, for example I would list 4 wheels for a car cake and then cjeck it off when it's done.

I always draw upa sketch of a cake and keep it current so when I am actually making the cake I don't have to think b/c all the thinking was dome in advance.

I also use MS outlook calendar to keep track of when payments are due and such.

HTH

I love Cake Boss for keeping track of my orders. I also have a large dry erase board mounted to my "cake closet". That way I can glance up quickly and see what's coming up. I write the days of the week and what is due for each day.

i made order sheets on a print program i have and it has due date, phone #, ect and lots of space for all the details. i have a corkboard just by my computer (and cake area) that i post them on in order of due date (when i have orders for upcoming months i place them together on a clip). i'm small time for now but as i get busier i think i'll look into getting cakeboss

The binder idea is definitely a great one... I'm fairly small myself, but I don't want to get my orders lost, etc. Not to mention when I go shopping I'd like to know a week ahead to know what I have to get.

Gee- all of you are so much more organized and computer savvy that I ever was! Here is how this "old fogey" did things for 18 years....

My organization consisted of a file folder for each month, as well as my datebook calendar that listed the brides name/location/time.

The week's order forms were posted on a bulletin board, sorted by date/day of the week. Wedding cakes were sorted by delivery times. I also worked from daily work lists. My world would have screeched to a halt without my calendar and lists!!

I'd gather all plates, pillars,boards,etc for each wedding cake and put it in a bag/box with the brides name. I had a special cabinet where I kept the Brides' toppers and cake knives stored until the week of the wedding.

Perhaps a very "old school" system....but it worked for me.
If I was still in business, I'd definately change over to a computer system!

Southerncake - I like the binder idea! I was thinking about getting a plastic carrying file folder thingy-ma-do. I like the binder idea better!

I printed order sheets from here on cc. It has worked much much better than trying to put everything in an appt book. I never had a problem with cakes except delivering on the wrong date, but I really could not keep up with small orders like cookies and cake balls.

Since I started using order sheets, I've had no problems.

Cake Boss rocks! I love that I can see how much each cake costs to make, especially since I'm a hobbiest at this point. A friend will ask me for a cake and I'll tell her that ingredients alone cost x and that it will take me this many hours to get it all done. I then usually get brought ingredients and they'll watch the kids for a couple of hours while I do their cake work. It's hard to argue with the print out or take advantage of me when I let them see exactly how much it would cost them at a bakery.

What!?! Noone but me uses post it notes and scraps of paper for their notes and information!! Plus I say a prayer every night when I finally get to bed ''to not let me forget anyone's order".

I am going to read up on CakeBoss again. I looked at it very seriously a few months ago. My only issue is I work full time at my 'real' job and decorate on the side (with the hopes of when the boss retires in a few years I can be established enough to open my own cake shop). Anyhow - small town usual -- I get just as many orders - if not more - while at work than I do at home.

Then once I get home I'm in a dead run to get things mixing, baking, iced, etc -- and I'm afraid I would never transfer my orders from work to my home computer with CakeBoss. Even now I find myself just sticking the sticky notes and paper scraps in my appointment book on the day they are ordered for instead of rewriting the information properly.

How easy is CakeBoss? How much actual time does it take to insert your orders and print out the weekly invoices? I would love the expense/income features of CakeBoss as well -- but I just don't think I could take the time right now to input all of the debits and credits. I've just been keeping a very crude debit/credit list going too see where I am making (or losing) the most money.

Thanks for starting this thread - I think it is going to be very helpful to me!

Suze

For Cakeboss to really be an advantage, how much business are you doing per month? I just do cakes on the side while till working full time.

I am so not the most organized, but I keep a regular notebook w/me at all times and as soon as someone calls I start taking notes - even if they are just inquiring. Ever since I started doing this it's been great! I can easily flip through the notebook and see the original inquiry and then I'll highlight it if I booked it.

Sundays are supposed to be my day to catch up on all the paperwork - including invoicing and all that good stuff.

If I have three or more orders in a weekend, then I use this Excel spreadsheet I created to keep me organized

Right above the main table I do all of my decorating, I have 7 small clipboards (5x7) with the days of the week above them. All the cakes for that day go in the order of time on the clipboard. I then have a small desk holder for future orders. Each week they go up to the clipboards when they are due for that day of the week.

I have Cake Boss (love it), but I also need to flip through pages and see things. I'll die if they ever stop printing magazines and newspapers because I need to hold it in my hand, highlight and circle things, and dog-ear pages. I also like having it on Cake Boss, but I have to use both in order to feel organized. It's just the way I am, I guess.

Everything is on my laptop, which is ALWAYS with me!! I also have a standard book-calendar where I just notate bride's name ("Smith Wedding 4:30 delv"), so I can do a quick flip to see if that date is booked. All conversations, orders, details, etc., are confirmed via email, so all records are electronic.

As it gets closer and I start working on the wedding, I print off my order forms from the computer and put them in a clear plastic folder that is a bright green..... easy to find this brightly colored folder in the paper clutter, in the equipment at the reception, etc.

Mine is virtually just like Indydebi's. I make a file in Excel of the contract and then print it off and place it in a slash pocket colored folder and in a date ordered binder. It is also placed in a datebook with the name of the bride, her cell phone, venue and delivery time.

I also place it on yahoo's calender and it reminds me via an email.

For small orders they go into my datebook with the same info as a bride.

does this stuff work with multiple orders in one day?

i have like 20 orders every saturday...i (think) i need something to "hold on to" that i can put with every cake...or how can you keep em straight, with all the info on the computer?

I'm adding the "binder for each Bride" idea - thank you! And I'm going to purchase the Cake Boss soon! Currently though, incase it helps anyone, I have individual e-mail folders & put everything in there, titled with the date & then the name & description of the cake. So, I know everything's there if I need it - but on Monday's, I print-out a spreadsheet which I created to keep myself on task. I tape this to my wall, so I can keep track of my progress visually. The first column is for the cake description/flavors/due date/ph#/price. The following columns are the most important for me though: "special decorations created"/"baked"/"assembled/crumb coated"/"final coated"/"decorated"... and I check them off as I go. This really helps me to have a visual incentive, either to get working, or that my work for the week is almost done. Each week has become a marathon now that Summer has started! It's too crazy & I can't wait to get Cake Boss in order to organize even further. Thank you to everyone who posted, because I got great ideas or affirmations from all of you! =)

I use the carbonless Sales order books. I buy them at Sam's Club. I have a cork board hanging in the kitchen, when I take an order I just tear out the yellow copy, write the day it's due on top with a red sharpie & hang it up. I put them in order of delivery date & time. Then just take the one down that I'm working on to reference the order, when that order is done I tape the yellow copy to the box for the customer.

I work full time and do orders on the side, apparently compared to a lot of people I don't have a lot of orders but 8 cakes just on a weekend is tough when working full time for me!

Anywho....CakeBoss isn't that time comsuming to me once I have all of the ingredient and recipe information in there. The orders are super simple and take minutes to put in there.

Kelley - if you read this (and I'll email you as well) I'm wondering if there were a slideshow or powerpoint tutorial that you could do to show people how to use CakeBoss?? Some people (me, me, me) are very visual and for some reason I'm still not getting the pricing part - price/cost, etc. I make it work, but it's strange sometimes because I don't always price per slice if I have added costs in there.

I would say even with the smallest amout of cakes, it's worth it to keep organized and also know exactly how much I'm making for when I do make this a full time gig!

Ohh, orders completed binder - good idea. Although CakeBoss does have a way to seperate out the completed orders from new.

[quote="jessieb578"]........................for some reason I'm still not getting the pricing part - price/cost, etc. I make it work, but it's strange sometimes because I don't always price per slice if I have added costs in there. "


I just wanted to reply to this, that I charge by the slice, however if they add something extra which isn't something I normally include (such as if I have to purchase sugar flowers, which I don't make yet), then I charge what I paid & no more. I could charge a bit more for those things, but I figure that I pick them up when I'm at the supplier & it keeps my customers more happy to know that I only charge actual costs.