Catering Event Change Log
A one-page change log to keep with every banquet event order, recording what changed, who approved it, whether it affects the price, who was told, and which BEO version carries it.
Reviewed for 2026, updated September 8, 2026.
Change is the normal condition of catering, not the exception. Counts move, menus get tweaked after tastings, a keynote speaker turns out to be gluten-free, the venue moves the room. None of that is a problem as long as every change lands in one place and everyone can see which copy of the order is current. This worksheet is that place. Each row records one change with the date, what changed, who on the client side asked for it, the price impact, the departments that were notified, the new BEO version number, and who logged it. The example rows below show the kinds of entries a typical event collects; replace them with your own.
Keep the log attached to the BEO, on paper or in the same file, and bump the version number every time a row is added so the kitchen, the staffing lead, and the rental company can tell at a glance whether they are reading the latest copy. Our article on managing headcount and menu changes explains the final-count deadline and buffer that most of these rows depend on, and the piece on avoiding the rekeying trap makes the case for keeping one live order instead of several that need reconciling. When a change affects price, the Catering Quote per Guest Calculator in our Tools section will show you the new per-guest figure before you confirm it with the client.
| Date and time | What changed | Requested by | Price impact | Departments notified | New BEO version | Logged by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your date and time | Guaranteed count raised from the proposal figure to the confirmed figure | Client contact name | Yes: per-guest total recalculated | Kitchen, staffing, rentals, office | v2 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Two vegan entrees added and moved from a free-text note into the dietary count | Client contact name | No: within the menu price | Kitchen, service captain | v3 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Nut allergy flagged for one guest, seat and table noted, plate marker assigned | Client contact name | No | Kitchen, service captain | v4 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Main course service changed from buffet to plated | Client contact name | Yes: staffing hours and rentals revised | Kitchen, staffing, rentals, transport | v5 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Venue moved the load-in window earlier; whole timeline shifted to match | Venue coordinator name | No | Kitchen, service, transport, rentals | v6 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Signature cocktail added to the bar package | Client contact name | Yes: bar line item updated | Bar lead, office | v7 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Additional tables and linens added for the revised count | Client contact name | Yes: rental line item updated | Rentals, service captain, transport | v8 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Final count confirmed at the deadline; count locked, kitchen buys against the guarantee plus the stated buffer | Client contact name | Final invoice figure set | All departments | v9 | Your name |
| Your date and time | Late-night snack station requested; pending client approval, not on the BEO until confirmed | Client contact name | To be quoted | Sales only until confirmed | Unchanged | Your name |
| Your date and time | Your entry | Client contact name | Yes, No, or To be quoted | Your list | Your version | Your name |
https://caterloom.com/templates/catering-event-change-log/Use it in your business, share it with your team, or link to it from your own site.
Also from CaterLoom
- Pre-Event BEO Review Checklist: A review checklist for the sales lead, chef, and service captain to run through a banquet event order together a few days before the event, so what was sold matches what the team will execute.
- Free calculators