How to set the default configuration of the Food & Beverage Minimum

The Food & Beverage Minimum is a line that can live in the billing widget of your documents. Not only does this communicate a minimum spend to your guest, but it also factors into how the Grand Total tallies up for events. This article reviews how to set more advanced customizations on how the Food & Beverage Minimum calculates and how to set that as your default preference in Settings.

Some people set the default configuration of the F&B Minimum in order to:

1. Limit what Menu Item Categories count towards the minimum.
2. Add the unmet minimum to the cost of the Grand Total of the event.
3. Apply taxes and fees to the unmet minimum amount.

This article walks through how to customize the F&B Minimum in Settings to achieve points 1, 2, and 3 listed above.

*Before you can set more advanced configurations, you will first need to ensure that the F&B Minimum lives in the billing widget of your document template. If it does not already, please see THIS article about adding the F&B Minimum line to the billing widget of your document template.

Limit what Menu Item Categories Count towards the Minimum
This option allows you to define what type of picklist items count against the F&B Minimum. For instance, perhaps picklist items with the category Food, Beverage, and Alcoholic Beverage should count towards the minimum defined for an event, but picklist items that belong to the Room Rental, Labor, and Misc. categories should not. These instructions would allow you to set the default preference around what items apply towards the defined minimum.

1. Go to Settings> Docs> Contract & Event Order (Edit Template Content).
   
   
   
   
2. Scroll to the billing widget.
   
   
3. Click on the three dots to the right of F&B Minimum. That will expand the field.
   
   
4. Under 'Restrict to Categories,' check off what categories should count towards the minimum.
   
   
   
   
5. Click 'Save Template' in the upper left.
   
   

Add the Unmet Minimum to the Cost of the Event.

If your venue has a strict policy where your guest must meet the F&B minimum, this could be a good option for you. This can also be a good way to quote the potential cost to your guest before you know the specific picklist items they are purchasing from you. The following steps will add the unmet minimum to the Grand Total of your event. 

1. Go to Settings> Docs> Contract & Event Order (Edit Template Content).
   
   
   
   
2. Scroll to the billing widget.
   
   
3. Click on the three dots to the right of F&B Minimum. That will expand the field.
   
   
4. Make sure 'Exclude from Totals' is unchecked.
   
   
   
5. Click 'Save Template.'
   
   

Apply Taxes and Fees to the Unmet Minimum

This is a great option for folks with a strict policy around the Food & Beverage Minimum, or for folks who want to provide an event quote before they know the specific picklist items their guest is purchasing. Not only will these steps add the unmet minimum to the Grand Total, they will also allow you to apply taxes and fees to the unmet amount.  

1. Go to Settings> Docs> Contract & Event Order (Edit Template Content).
   
   
2. Scroll to the billing widget.
   
   
3. Click on the three dots to the right of F&B Minimum. That will expand the field.
   
   
4. Make sure 'Exclude from Totals' is unchecked. That will add the unmet minimum to the cost of the event.
   
   
5. Under 'Apply Following Fees,' check off any taxes or fees that should apply on top of the unmet amount.
   
   
   
   
6. Click 'Save Template' in the upper left.