Billing discrepancy · Guarantees
Check guaranteed attendance charges against your BEO.
Every banquet check is a number of guests times a price per person. The price rarely changes. The number does, several times, between the first BEO and the final guarantee, and billing doesn't always pick up the last one.
The short answer
Hotels bill banquet functions at the greater of the final guarantee and the actual count served. To check a charge, find the final guaranteed number on the latest approved BEO for that function, compare it with the actual count if you have it, and confirm the invoice uses the higher of the two, multiplied by the agreed per-person price.
The common difference is a function billed at the preliminary count or an earlier BEO revision after the guarantee was lowered.
What to check
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Final guarantee
The count on the last approved BEO revision, submitted by the guarantee deadline.
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Guarantee deadline
Usually 72 hours before. A reduction after the deadline may not be accepted.
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Actual count
If more guests were served than guaranteed, billing at the actual count is normal. Captain's count sheets confirm it.
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Per-person price
From the BEO menu or the agreement's menu pricing. Check it didn't change between revisions.
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Minimum guarantees
Some menus require a minimum number of guests, with a surcharge below it.
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Overset
Hotels often prepare 3–5% above the guarantee at no charge. Overset shouldn't be billed unless it was served.
How FolioMatch checks it
FolioMatch groups every BEO revision for each function, identifies the latest approved one, and records how the count changed. It then compares the billed count and price with that revision and with any actual counts supplied.
If it isn't clear which revision was final, the finding is marked needs review, and the version history shows every count so you can confirm.
- 01
Hotel or event agreement
The signed contract and its schedules set the base terms: rates, percentages, minimums, formulas and concessions.
- 02
Amendments and signed changes
A signed addendum or change order replaces the contract term it amends, and only that term.
- 03
BEOs and revised BEOs
Banquet event orders set the operational detail: counts, times, staffing and menus. The latest approved revision is used, and earlier revisions are kept for comparison.
- 04
Supporting documents
Rooming lists, pickup reports, AV orders, staffing sheets and invoice exports, where you supply them.
- 05
Final invoice or master bill
Each billed line is compared with the terms above. Where the documents don't explain a charge, it becomes a finding with the pages behind it.
Findings are labelled as a possible discrepancy, needs review, matches the agreement or insufficient evidence. FolioMatch doesn't make legal determinations; it shows what the supplied documents do and don't support.
Sample finding: dinner billed at the preliminary count
Illustrative example — sample data
Agreement
- Final guarantee due 72 hrs prior
- Billed at guarantee or actual, whichever is greater
Final BEO
- Closing dinner, rev. 3
- Preliminary 350 → guarantee 310
- $92 per person
Final bill
- Closing dinner
- 350 guests × $92 = $32,200
- Actual served: 296
FolioMatch finding
Possible $3,680 discrepancy
BEO revision 3 lowers the guarantee from 350 to 310 before the deadline. Actual attendance of 296 is below the guarantee, so the expected charge is 310 × $92 = $28,520.
The invoice bills 350 guests, the preliminary count. Review recommended.
- Final guarantee 310 × $92
- $28,520.00
- Invoiced 350 × $92
- $32,200.00
- Difference (40 × $92)
- $3,680.00
Evidence
- Agreement · Banquet Guarantees · page 8
- BEO rev. 3 · Closing Dinner · page 4
- Final Invoice · Banquet check 5120 · page 6
Guarantees affect more than the food line
Service charge and tax are percentages of the food line, so an inflated count inflates both. Staffing ratios usually follow the guarantee too; see banquet labor charges. And a lower guarantee reduces qualifying spend, which can create or increase a food and beverage minimum shortfall.
For comparing BEO revisions across a whole event, see BEO invoice reconciliation.
Questions
Can I lower the guarantee after the deadline?
Hotels usually don't have to accept it. FolioMatch checks whether the revision's date falls before the deadline where both are documented.
We served more than guaranteed. Is the higher bill right?
Usually, yes: billing is at the greater of guarantee and actual. The finding would show the count sheets supporting it.
What if I don't have actual counts?
FolioMatch compares with the final guarantee and notes that actual attendance wasn't supplied.
Related
Food and beverage minimum
Qualifying spend, the shortfall calculation and rental waivers tied to the minimum.
Banquet labor charges
Roles, minimum call periods, staffing ratios and unapproved additions.
Bartender overtime charges
Bartender count, included hours, overtime rates and BEO timing.
Back to all hotel billing discrepancies or the hotel master bill audit guide.
You negotiated the deal. Make sure you got it.
Upload the agreement, BEOs and final bill. FolioMatch checks what you negotiated against what you were charged and shows the evidence behind every finding.