Ops · n8n

Lock Final Catering Headcounts 72 Hours Out — Automatically

Catering margins die between the estimated 80 and the actual 63. Chase the final headcount confirmation 72 hours out, and cook, staff and invoice to the real number.

difficulty Beginnersetup 20 minresult Every event locks its true headcount on schedule — food costs, staffing and invoices match reality.
  1. 1

    Track Every Event

    Log each booking with its estimated count and event date.

  2. 2

    Chase at 72 Hours

    Add a Schedule Trigger and Gmail node requesting the final number with the contract's cutoff terms.

  3. 3

    Escalate Silence

    Add a phone-call flag if no confirmation lands by 48 hours.

  4. 4

    Lock and Propagate

    Feed the final count to prep sheets, staffing and the invoice.

  5. 5

    Activate and Test

    Activate the workflow with a test event. Confirm the chase and lock work.

Frequently asked questions

What if they under-report?

Contract terms bill the confirmed number as minimum — the automation enforces what your contract already says.

Why 72 hours?

Late enough for real numbers, early enough to adjust purchasing — the industry-standard window.

About this recipe. Recipes on FlowRecipesHub are written for business owners, not developers, and are tested before publishing — how recipes get made. Some ingredient links are affiliate links that cost you nothing — full disclosure.