Alec Dickey, Exposition Manager for the Helicopter Association International, has some 150 line items. Budget line items differ from one organization to another, depending on individual needs. For Dickey, whose association has worked with the same decorating contractor for over a decade, all decor comprises a single line item. For Stephan Phelps, President of American Expositions Group, decor is a general budget category, with separate lines for pipe and drape, carpeting, opening ceremony, etc. Once a preliminary budget is prepared, pick up the phone and call your suppliers.
Some contractors lump together various services.
For example, some exhibit halls not only provide space but also handle registration, security, and so forth, then bill it all together. Ask them to itemize, both up-front and at the time of invoicing. Most show expenses occur between 30 days before and 45 days after the event. Thus, it is important to do a cash-flow forecast at the outset of the budget process, and to put anticipated expenses on the books. When you sign a contract with the florist, for example, the amount of that contract should be recorded as an expense.