Budgets & procurement
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What to Ask for in a Custom Company-Event Quote (So You Can Compare Apples to Apples)
Two event quotes rarely describe the same event. Use this checklist to normalize inclusions, options, taxes, deposits and buyout wording before you compare.
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Venue Deposit and Cancellation Schedule: What to Negotiate Before You Sign
Before you sign a venue contract, know how the deposit, payment due dates and cancellation ladder work, what a rebooking credit is, and which terms to negotiate so holding dates doesn't become a non-refundable trap.
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Service Charge vs Tip vs Resort Fee: The Surprise-Fee Glossary for Office Managers and EAs
A service charge is not always a tip. Decode service charges, gratuities, resort and destination fees, corkage, admin fees and AV markups — and get the questions to ask before you sign.
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Hotel Attrition, Release Dates and Right to Resell: What to Negotiate Before You Sign a Room Block
Before you sign a hotel room block, know courtesy vs contracted, how attrition is measured, when rooms release, and what to negotiate so late RSVPs don't become a surprise bill.
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How to Get Finance to Approve Your Company Retreat PO (What They Actually Need)
What Finance checks before approving a company retreat purchase order: the one-page packet, core vs options, contingency, firm quotes, PO fields and invoicing.
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The Company Offsite Budget Sheet Finance Will Actually Read
A one-page company offsite budget sheet: summary row, must-have line items, inclusions vs options, labeled contingency, deposit schedule and a named approver.
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When to Put the Deposit Down for a Company Offsite (and When to Wait)
Pay the deposit too early and you lock in the wrong venue; too late and the dates go. Here is how to time an offsite venue deposit around holds, Finance approval and refund terms.
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What is an F&B minimum? Food and beverage minimum and the catering guarantee count
What a food and beverage minimum is, how the final headcount guarantee works, and a fill-in worksheet so the F&B line stops surprising Finance.
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Multi-Vendor Deposit Tracker for Company Events: Who Holds What, and When It's Due
Track every event deposit in one place: venue, caterer, AV, transport and activities. A simple log of amounts, due dates, refund windows, payment methods and owners that Finance can reconcile.
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Event planner fees: how corporate event planners charge (and what to ask)
How corporate event planner fees work: flat, percent of budget, hourly and commission/markup, with public ranges and the questions Finance will ask.
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Corporate retreat cost: what you actually pay per person
What drives corporate retreat cost per person: lodging, F&B, program, transport and planning, with a simple way to compare quotes on the same basis.
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5 myths about corporate events (and why EAs keep them)
Five reasons executive assistants plan corporate events themselves, taken from a real EA conversation, and why a local planner can help without costing you control.
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Changing Dates After the Deposit: What to Ask Before You Move the Offsite
Need to move the offsite after paying the deposit? Learn the questions that decide whether your money becomes a credit or is forfeited, how to protect second-choice dates, and who must approve the move.
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Why leadership retreat budgets stall
A step-by-step method for an all-in leadership retreat estimate: line items, inclusions, options, contingency, comparable quotes and a written approval path.