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Tourism Home > Meeting Planners > Plan > Meeting Planner Checklist > Managing Your Budget

Managing Your Budget

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Planning ahead will make managing your budget and keeping accurate expense accounting easier. Building good working relationships with the staff at hotels and rental facilities is key. Be sure to set your budget early and make all necessary arrangements to ensure proper billing.

Follow these general guidelines to keep your budget in the black:

Six Months Prior

  • Advise hotel, in writing, of any special billing requirements and instructions as prescribed by the planner, including a request for meeting with hotel controller.
  • Copy key hotel departments.

Three Months Prior

  • Advise hotel controller, in writing, the date of three-month review of arrangements and need to present and discuss Billing Instruction Sheet.
  • Discuss room and master folio requirements and secure samples of the forms they'll be using.

One Month Prior

  • Communicate rate, other charges, billing procedure and sample room bill to attendees.
  • Copy key hotel departments.

Three Days Prior

  • Meet and review master account requirements with hotel comptroller, head front office cashier, front office manager, and accounts receivable supervisor.
  • Verify previously communicated accounting requirements.
  • Inspect: early arrival room folios for accuracy of set-up.
  • "Master Account" and "Incidental Folio identification and/or splits.
  • Arrange for a periodic review of master account charges with supporting detail.
  • Establish a date, time, place and hotel staff identification for a post event review of master account.

1-2 Days After

  • Review master account bill and original or copies of charges. Approve correct charges.
  • Attempt to settle disputes.
  • Identify and list missing or delayed charges.

Budget Planning Template

Printing/Graphics/Photocopying    

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  Registration Brochure Design/Layout    
  Brochure Printing    
  Proceedings/Program    
  Workshop Notes    
  Name Badge Inserts (Printed)    
  Labels or Printing for Folders    
  Signs, Posters    
  Participant Lists    
  Evaluation Forms    
  Confirmation Letters    
  Misc. Registration Materials    
  Misc. Photocopying    
  Call for Papers    
  Exhibitor Solicitation    
  
 
Subtotal    


Mailing    

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  Call for Papers    
  Registration Brochure Mailing    
  Exhibitor Solicitation    
  Mailing Service Labor    
  Confirmation Postage    
  Post Conference Material    
  Miscellaneous    
 
 
Subtotal    


Food and Beverage 

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  Breakfasts    
  Luncheons    
  Dinners/Banquets    
  Refreshments Breaks    
  Hospitality Functions    
  % Gratuity/Service Charge Tax    
  Tax    
   
 
Subtotal    


Travel and Per Diem Speakers    

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  Speakers    
  Travel    
  Lodging    
  Per Diem    
  Staff    
  Travel    
  Lodging    
  Per Diem    
  
 
Subtotal    

Audio-Visual    

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  Slide Projector    
  Overhead Projector    
  VCR and Monitor    
  LCD Display Panel for Overhead    
  Microphones/Mixers    
  AV Carts    
  Screen    
  Miscellaneous    
   
 
Subtotal    

Meeting Room Rental  

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  General Session    
  Breakouts    
  Other    
   
 
Subtotal    

Transportation  

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  Bus/Van Rental    
  Other    
  
 
Subtotal    

Registration Materials     

Qty. Item Costs Fixed Costs Variable
  Envelope/Folder    
  Name Badge (with insert)    
   
 
Subtotal    

Miscellaneous Expenses

Qty. Item CostsFixed CostsVariable
  Complimentary Registrations    
  Honorariums, Speaker Fees    
  Misc. Office Supplies    
  Specialty Items    
  Telephone Charges    
  Equipment Rental    
  Temporary Help    
  Administration Charge    
   
 
Subtotal    
Fixed Cost Subtotal    
10% Contingency    
Net Profit Desired    
Total    


 

Projected Non-Registration Revenue

Qty. Item CostsFixed CostsVariable
  Grants    
  Sponsorships    
  Other    
   
 
Subtotal    
Net Fixed Expenses(Total Fixed Expenses-Non Reg Revenue)    
Net Variable Expenses    

 

 

  1. Enter your estimated BREAKEVEN ATTENDANCE
  2. Divide the NET FIXED EXPENSES by the estimated attendance to obtain your FIXED COST PER PERSON
  3. Enter NET VARIABLE EXPENSES (this is the VARIABLE COST PER PERSON)

Add lines 2 and 3 to obtain the TOTAL COST PER PERSON
 
Your registration fee should equal or exceed the TOTAL COST PER PERSON. The TOTAL COST PER PERSON will vary depending on the estimated BREAKEVEN ATTENDANCE, because a lower breakeven attendance will result in a higher FIXED COST PER PERSON, and vice versa.


Adapted from the presentation "Develop Meeting Budgets That Make Dollars and Sense" by Steven D. Hilberg.