Catering Estimate

Create specialized cost estimates for catering and food service jobs

Overview

The Catering Estimate module enables catering companies to build detailed cost estimates for food service contracts. It covers the entire costing workflow from menu planning and headcount forecasting through to manpower, transport, equipment, and overhead calculations.

A catering estimate is built on top of a standard JobNext enquiry. When an enquiry is converted to a catering job, the system adds specialized screens for menu planning, PAX (headcount) forecasting, and operational cost entry. The output is a fully costed estimate that feeds into the standard quote and contract pipeline.

Catering Estimate Workflow

The catering estimate follows a structured 9-step workflow from initial prospect creation through to a signed contract:

Converting to a Catering Job

After creating a standard enquiry, you convert it into a catering job to unlock the specialized catering screens. This is done from the View Enquiry page.

1. Open the Enquiry

   Navigate to Preconstruction → Prospects, select the prospect, then open the enquiry.

2. Click the Catering Button

   On the View Enquiry page, click the yellow Catering button. A confirmation dialog appears — click OK to proceed.

3. Set Contract Dates and Options

   A form appears with the following fields. Enter the job contract period and supply responsibility flags, then save.

Adding Menus (BOQs)

Each BOQ in a catering job represents a Menu — a distinct meal category such as "Omani Breakfast", "Expat Lunch", or "Senior Management Dinner". Navigate to the Requirements (BOQ) tab to add menus.

1. Open the Requirements (BOQ) Tab

   Click the Requirements (BOQ) tab on the View Enquiry page.

2. Add BOQ Items

   Click Add BOQ, search for meal types (e.g., "MEALS"), and select the ones relevant to this contract.

3. Configure Each Menu

   Use the action buttons in each BOQ row to set up menu details, PAX forecasts, and dish plans.

Menu Details

Click the fork/knife icon (🍴) next to a BOQ row to open the Menu Details popup. This defines the meal type and validity period for this menu.

Monthly PAX Forecast

Click the people icon (👥) next to a BOQ row to open the PAX Histogram. This is where you enter the expected headcount (number of people to serve) for each month of the menu's validity period.

The grid shows one row per month between the menu start and end dates. Enter the expected PAX for each month. A bar chart at the top visualizes the distribution.

Weekly Menu Plan

Click the pizza icon (🍕) next to a BOQ row to open the Weekly Menu Planner. This defines which dishes are served on each day of the week.

The planner displays a 7-column grid (Monday through Sunday). Add dishes to each day by selecting from the catering scope library. Each dish has an editable weightage that controls how many servings are prepared per person.

Catering Tab (Overheads & Operations)

The Catering tab on the View Enquiry page contains operational cost inputs that apply to the entire job (not per-menu). These costs are allocated across all menus proportionally by BOQ quantity during estimate generation.

Catering Locations

Define the sites or locations where food will be served. This is a free-text entry for recording the physical locations covered by the contract (e.g., "Main Camp Kitchen", "Site Office Canteen").

Supply Responsibility

For each operational supply type, assign responsibility between the customer and your company. This determines who bears the cost for each category.

Manpower Lines

Enter the staff deployed for the catering operation. Each line represents a role category (cadre) with the number of people and their monthly cost.

Plant & Machinery

Enter equipment used in the catering operation. Costs are calculated based on asset value and depreciation period.

Transport Lines

Enter vehicles and transportation services needed for the operation (food transport, staff transport, etc.).

Overheads & Other Costs

Enter additional overhead and operational costs. Each item has a basis that determines how the cost is calculated.

Cost Summary

The Cost Summary screen provides a complete financial overview of the catering estimate. Access it by clicking the Summary button on the View Enquiry page.

The summary displays costs organized into these sections:

Each cost line shows three columns:

• Direct Cost — The raw calculated cost
• % of Revenue — Cost as a percentage of monthly revenue
• Adjusted — Cost after applying the efficiency percentage

Approval & Estimate Generation

Once the cost summary is reviewed and all inputs are complete, the estimate must go through an approval workflow before it can be used for quoting.

1. Request Approval

   On the Summary screen or View Enquiry page, click Request Approval. The estimate status changes to Pending.

2. Approve the Estimate

   The approver finds the item in the My Approvals section on the Homepage (document type CTGEST). Clicking the green checkmark triggers the approval process.

3. Estimate Generated

   Upon approval, the system automatically generates a full Job Estimate with all cost detail lines (food materials, manpower, transport, equipment, overheads). A revision snapshot is also created for audit purposes.

4. Approve for Quote

   Navigate to Operations → Jobs → Estimates, find the approved estimate, and use the pull-down menu to select Approve for Quote. The status changes to "Approved and Ready for Quote".

Creating Quote & Contract

After the estimate is approved for quoting, follow the standard JobNext quoting and contracting process.

1. Create a Quote

   On the View Enquiry page, go to the Quotes tab and click Add Quote. Select Easy Quote = No, choose the approved estimate, and save. Add an additional markup percentage if needed.

2. Submit & Approve

   Submit the quote for approval. Once approved, it becomes available for pricing.

3. Set Price

   Set the BOQ selling rates (price per PAX for each menu). This determines the contract revenue.

4. Create Contract

   Convert the accepted quote into a customer contract. In the Edit Contract screen, link the catering job to finalize all BOQs as contracted.

For detailed information on quoting and contracts, see Estimate-based Quote and Contracts.

Best Practices

• Set accurate contract dates first — the start and end dates determine all PAX month generation and affect every cost calculation. Getting dates right early prevents rework.
• Use Copy Forward for PAX — if headcount is expected to remain stable, enter the first month's PAX and use Copy Forward to fill all remaining months quickly.
• Review dish weightages carefully — the default weightage of 1.0 means one full serving per person. Adjust for items like beverages (0.5) or high-demand dishes (1.5) to reflect real consumption patterns.
• Check cost per head per day — the Summary screen shows the average food cost per person per day. Compare this against industry benchmarks and historical data from similar contracts.
• Use efficiency percentages conservatively — efficiency adjustments reduce costs in the estimate. Set them based on realistic operational improvements, not aspirational targets.
• Include all overhead categories — ensure items like disposables, laundry, pest control, and insurance are accounted for in the Overheads section. Missing cost items lead to underquoting.
• Review the profitability breakdown per menu — the Summary includes a per-BOQ profitability table. Identify menus that are unprofitable and adjust pricing or costs accordingly.
• Create revisions when re-estimating — each approval creates a new immutable revision. If assumptions change, update the inputs and request a new approval rather than editing the old estimate.

Troubleshooting