When to use this
Use every week and any time your forecast, pricing, or staffing changes. Run the plan Sunday, then tighten mid-week as sales shift.
Inputs — what goes where
- Target Labor % — weekly goal as % of sales (e.g., 28%).
- Forecasted Sales — by day; adjust for events/weather.
- Roles — FOH, BOH, and Managers on separate lines.
- Wage — blended hourly rate per role.
- Scheduled Hours — by day and role.
- Actual Hours — fill during the week; OT flagged automatically.
How the workbook calculates
- Labor $ = Hours × Wage (+ OT premium when triggered).
- Daily & Weekly Labor % = Labor $ ÷ Sales.
- Variance = Actual − Forecast in dollars and points.
- What-if tools to hit the weekly % target.
OT handling
OT adds 0.5× wage premium to hours beyond the threshold; the sheet rolls that into Labor $ so your percentage stays honest.
Example (quick math)
Weekly sales forecast $62,000, target labor 28% → budget $17,360. If Wednesday spikes +12%, move prep to Thu AM and trim one PM expo to stay on target.
Mini-formulas
- Budgeted Labor $ = Weekly Sales × Target %
- Daily Labor % = Daily Labor ÷ Daily Sales
- OT Premium = (OT Hours × Wage × 0.5)
Tip: Separate FOH/BOH/Managers. It speeds decisions when you’re heavy on one side and light on the other.