I'm still trying to work out the best way to keep track of orders. I have a calendar on the fridge...and then a notebook-- but the problem is that I'm always running out of room to write cake description, pick up times, etc. when I've got a few on the same day. Ideally, I would get a calendar that had several pages for each day....but I don't think that they make those??
How do you keep orders organized?
I use my planner. It's one of those Franklin Covey planners. You can find them at Office Max, or places like that.
Each month has it's own tab. On that tab, is the "month in view"...looks the way a calendar does. I just pencil in "Elisa's wedding", or something like that.
After the month tab, is the "Day in view" Each day has two pages. the left side is for tasks, to do lists, appointment schedules, and the right side is just lined, for daily notes. I then go to the day and jot down everything I need to know in the daily notes section. Hope that helped!
Search for a post for Cakeboss...... It is in beta testing right now, and I love it.. It calendars for me and saves all of my contact information of my customers,it has truly been a godsend!
I use a 'week to an opening' diary. That means I can see what else is on that week and don't overbook because I couldn't see how many cake orders were either side! I usually just write in there Wedding Cake - "name of customer", then I have a seperate file that I go to so I can look up all the details of the order. I have a small file cabinet next to my computer, so its all organised!!
I too use Cake Boss. It is so nice to have everything in one place. I have material costs, customers, orders, everything on there. My business has picked up recently since I started working on my website, so I love this program. I will definately be a subscriber!!
Mine may sound a little complicated, but it works for me. There is no calendar big enough to write down the details I need for food and cake weddings.
I keep a paper calendar (book) with me at all times in which I've written down "Clark Wedding - 2:30" or "Sampling - Clark - 5:30 - F&C" ("F&C" is my code that they are shopping for food AND cake). This way, when I get a phone call, whether I'm home, work or in the car, I can see immediately if the date is available. It's also pretty easy to flip thru and see what next week or next month looks like.
I keep an excel spreadsheet on the computer with a listing (in date order) of every inquiry I've rec'd; every sampling I've done; and every event that's booked, and an estimated dollar value of each. I have 3 columns to designate the status of each one. This helps me know that if I've had 5 inquiries for a certain date, I can tell the bride "your date appears to be popular". As I am replying to email inquiries from The KNot and Respond.com, I can easily flip to this calendar to see if the date is available before I reply. When I talked to the bank, it was great to be able to show them my total dollars in outstanding quotes (potential business) and total dollars booked (actual business).
With doing food in addition to cakes, I have separate order forms that I created in Excel which details each food table .... a form for the buffet, a form for the cake, a form for the chocolate fountains. These forms are electronically stored in the computer, along with every email that has passed between me and the client to document their requests and changes. It's very common for me to have 5 of these detail sheets plus the sheet that is a summary of costs and monies due for one event.
As the event gets closer, I print everything off (about the time that all details have been locked down) and keep them in a bright green folder, in date order in an open, stand-up file. The bright color prevents it from getting lost in the shuffle at the wedding or in my bag when I'm buying supplies.
After the event, all paperwork is removed from the folders, stapled together and put in my dead-file for the year. Folders are recycled.
I am a little biased, but I love the calendar in CakeBoss. It was one feature I felt was very important. Please contact me by email at [email protected] if you're interested in trying out the Beta version!
I'm just starting to 'build' my business and my sister got me the perfect portfolio. It's a large planner from "Plan Ahead Now" that includes weekly calendar (with a month view at the beginning of each month) and a portfolio 'project' pad. It's perfect because each each on the pad is divided in three sections - where I include the cake details, design, and event/price details.
I tried to find the web site but couldn't.
i have a 6 foot board on the wall....i screwed heavy metal clips on it...
above each one ...monday...tuesday...etc...and a "future" clip for ones that are due after that week.
thats how the bakeries i was at did it.
CAKE BOSS!!!! My life has been transformed using it - I highly recommend you give it a try!
Ok, I'm probably pretty anal about it all, but here's my routine with an order.
1.Take the order and scribble the details on whatever sheet of paper is handy.
2. After the call/email/whatever, formally write out the order onto my order form (simple one I created).
3. Transfer the order details to my spreadsheet on the "order" page.
4. Copy a shortened version of the order to my "sales" page that details the income.
5. Add what cakes need to be baked onto my "baking list" sheet that I periodically print out when I'm ready to bake so I can cross off things when they are done and in the freezer.
6. Enter the customer's information and order into CakeBoss (excellent program!!!!).
7. And finally, log the order onto my PDA (time, name, price) for when I have an inquiry on the go I can see what I have scheduled for that day.
Is that tedious enough for you? I'm a geek when it comes to the bookkeeping, it's my favorite part!!!
Anyone who would like more CakeBoss information can check out Jackie's announcement thread here:
http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-70241.html
We have designed a simple cake order form for standard things like birthdays, showers etc... I have a wedding contract for the weddings. I have a large cork board with a 3x5 card with the month on it. All the orders go behind whatever month it is for. On the bottom of the board is my week I am in orders. I use a large desk calendar for my appts and weddings. I also keep a weekly journal for my actual work load, so I know that the week of whatever I need to bake 15 cakes, 5 dozen cookies, 3 dozen brownies etc... I just use a spiral notebook for that. This also helps me in my ordering of things I need.
I have a daily planner, but I also keep in my purse and by the phone those little office depot/office max customer order forms. (it basically has address, name, stuff like that. I pull it out when I get a call. (Most of the time its on my cell phone at my full time job)
I put the customer name and pickup time and cake "name" (I name all my cakes hahaha) in my day planner.
I then go into quickbooks and do my invoice and email it to the customer. On sunday, I pull up quickbooks and print out all my invoices for pickup that week and do all my baking on Sunday. I have these magnet clips on my fridge and i put all the invoices one by one (sometimes I have to double them) and on the fridge, along with a drawing printout/ or sample photo of the cake.
I then send out a reminder to the customer about their cake order, and what time we had agreed on pickup.
So far it has worked out well! It sure helps at tax time too, as I keep everything organized in quickbooks (products purchased, cakes paid for, invoicing, etc etc)
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