01 / CONFIRM THE VERSION
Start with the current approved event
Copy the event reference, date, venue, current approved quote reference and revision onto the sheet. Include the guest count and the quantity basis for each dish. Keep the reference on both pages so a detached packing page can still be matched to its event.
Label the service time and any agreed drop-off time separately. If a drop-off time has not been supplied, leave it as “not set.” A service time does not establish a dispatch time or delivery route.
Have the kitchen record who read the current plan and when. That acknowledgment confirms which revision the team is using. Preparation and packing each need their own checks.
Copy only kitchen-relevant service and dietary instructions from the approved plan. Keep quote prices, costs, margins and private client or payment details out of the operational copy. If you are still preparing the customer quote, start with the catering quote template.
02 / PREPARE BY DISH
Keep the recipe basis beside the quantity
Give each dish its own section. Record its output quantity and unit, then list the ingredients with their approved recipe rates and totals. Keep the original units and say whether each rate is per guest, item or package.
For the fictional dish below, the recipe uses 180 g of chicken and 25 ml of dressing per guest. Those are the demonstration’s own rates, not a recommendation for your menu. Use your business’s approved recipes; do not infer yields or convert units on this sheet.
Record the staff member and time against each preparation check. Keep any unfinished work visible. When a recipe is missing, confirm it with your kitchen rather than treating an empty ingredient list as complete.
03 / CHECK WHAT LEAVES THE KITCHEN
Pack food and equipment separately
The food list records finished menu quantities, such as 60 portions of lemon herb chicken. The equipment list records serving pans, tongs and other approved packing items. Checking an ingredient as prepared does not check either packing list.
Use a separate row for each food or equipment item, with its quantity, unit, packed check, responsible staff member and time. Before handoff, confirm the event and revision with the receiving team and record who handed it over, who received it and when.
In CaterScale, all food and equipment packing rows must be checked before marking a delivery Ready. Preparation ticks do not add another Ready requirement. Acknowledgment, packing and delivery progress remain separate, and Delivered does not automatically complete the event.
The downloaded checklist is a manual record. It does not enforce these app rules, update inventory or plan a route.
04 / FICTIONAL WORKED EXAMPLE
The lunch changes from 40 guests to 60
This is the Northwood team lunch from our kitchen walkthrough: November 2, 2026, service at 12:30, Northwood Studio, 123 Example Street. Drop-off time is not set. The dish is lemon herb chicken, with one portion per guest.
While the 60-guest edit awaits approval, the kitchen keeps the approved 40-guest plan. Once revision 2 is approved, the new sheet uses the quantities below. The old revision remains available as history.
| Item | Revision 1 40 guests | Revision 2 60 guests |
|---|---|---|
| Lemon herb chicken | 40 portions | 60 portions |
| Chicken 180 g per guest | 7,200 g | 10,800 g |
| Lemon dressing 25 ml per guest | 1,000 ml | 1,500 ml |
| Item | 40 guests | 60 guests |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken serving pan 4 per 100 guests | 2 each | 3 each |
| Serving tongs 2 per 100 guests | 1 each | 2 each |
For 60 guests, 4 × 60 ÷ 100 gives 2.4 pans, rounded up to 3. For tongs, 2 × 60 ÷ 100 gives 1.2, rounded up to 2. When combining events, add their already-rounded equipment counts. Do not round a pooled guest total.
The filled example matches the point shown in the kitchen screenshot: revision 2 approved; awaiting acknowledgment; 0 of 2 prepared; 0 of 3 packed. No Ready, dispatch or delivery has been recorded. The download’s NORTHWOOD-R2 label is an illustrative paper reference, not an application quote ID.
05 / WHEN THE PLAN CHANGES
Replace the sheet, not its history
Keep pending changes off the active sheet
Continue using the current approved revision while the replacement awaits customer approval. Keep proposed changes clearly labelled and separate.
Retire the superseded paper copy
After replacement approval, mark the old sheet SUPERSEDED, add the replacement reference and retain it with its original checks. Remove it from the active prep and packing area.
Issue and acknowledge a fresh sheet
Write the newly approved quote reference and revision on both pages. Confirm the kitchen has received and read it, then record a new acknowledgment.
Start new prep and packing checks
Review each item against the new plan, even when its name or quantity is unchanged. Do not carry old checkmarks forward. Keep previous checks labelled with the revision they belonged to.
CaterScale keeps preparation and packing progress tied to the approved revision. A newly approved revision starts fresh checks and needs a fresh kitchen acknowledgment. Paper sheets depend on your team following the replacement process.
FROM WORKING SHEET TO SHARED PLAN
Keep the kitchen on the approved version.
See how CaterScale connects the quote, customer approval and kitchen sheet. Or use the free quote template to prepare the customer-facing part of the booking.
Planning your first bookings? Read the guide for new catering businesses to connect your first quote, customer approval and kitchen plan.
Up to five team members. Unlimited venues.
US$49/month, or US$39.99/month billed annually at US$479.88/year.
For a separate quantity estimate, use the catering food quantity calculator. Keep the working checklist tied to the event's approved menu and revision.