First Custom Cake Order Checklist
A checklist for the first few custom cake orders that need real pricing, deposit, and pickup workflow.
Use this as practical business workflow guidance, then adjust it for your bakery policies, availability, and local requirements. It is not legal, tax, accounting, or licensing advice.
Use this checklist for the first few custom cake orders that need a real inquiry, quote, deposit, and pickup/delivery workflow.
Before You Quote
- Confirm the event date.
- Confirm pickup or delivery.
- Confirm servings needed.
- Confirm flavor, filling, and frosting.
- Ask for design notes or inspiration photos.
- Ask about allergy or dietary notes.
- Confirm whether the timeline is a rush order.
- Check your availability.
Price The Order
- Estimate ingredient cost.
- Estimate supplies and packaging.
- Estimate labor hours.
- Add overhead.
- Add design complexity.
- Add delivery/setup, if needed.
- Add profit.
- Round to a clean customer-facing price.
Send The Quote
- List what is included.
- State the total price.
- State deposit amount.
- State balance due amount and date.
- State pickup/delivery details.
- Add quote expiration.
- Save the quote somewhere you can find it later.
Book The Order
- Send deposit invoice or payment request.
- Confirm deposit received.
- Mark the date reserved.
- Save final order details.
- Record final balance due date.
- Record final design deadline, if needed.
Finish The Order
- Buy ingredients and supplies.
- Block production time.
- Confirm pickup/delivery window.
- Confirm final balance is paid before pickup/delivery.
- Save notes after the order for pricing improvements.
When this gets repetitive, move it into CakePricr.
Printable templates are useful for starting clean. CakePricr is the upgrade when you want to price the cake, save the quote, track deposits and balances, and keep the order organized after the client says yes.