Cash Handling Checklist

Daily cash-handling routine for a retail store — opening floats, mid-day drops, closing reconciliation, deposit prep, and variance investigation. Run by the manager-on-duty with cashier sign-off at each handoff.

Use this workflow
1

Opening Float and Drawer Setup

  1. Pull the AM float from the safe
  2. Count each drawer to the start-of-shift float
  3. Capture cashier sign-off on the drawer count

    • Cashier signs accepting custody of the counted float. Dual control: both the manager-on-duty and the assigned cashier verify the count and sign before the drawer leaves the office. Disputes after this step become the cashier's variance.

    Collects signature
  4. Verify the change order for today's denominations

    • Confirm singles, fives, and quarters are sufficient for the day's expected traffic. Weekend or sale-day traffic typically needs a doubled singles allocation. Submit a change order to the bank if any denomination is below the par level on the safe log.

2

Mid-Day Drops and Spot Checks

  1. Run the X-report at the mid-day shift change

    • The X-report is a read-only snapshot — it does not zero out the drawer. Use it to compare register-recorded cash sales against the till before the afternoon cashier takes over.

  2. Drop cash above the $300 till threshold

    • Cashier alerts the manager-on-duty when the drawer exceeds $300 in twenties and fifties. Drop into the safe in tamper-evident bag, log the drop number on the safe sheet. A held-up till at $800 is a full loss; the policy only works if the drops actually happen.

    Collects text
  3. Spot-check one drawer against the X-report

    • Pick one drawer at random; recount cash and tie to the X-report cash-in-drawer figure. Variance over $5 gets investigated the same shift, not deferred to close. Pattern of small shorts on one cashier is the early signal for sweethearting or refund fraud.

    Collects number
  4. Replenish drawer change from the safe

    • Cashier requests change; manager pulls from the safe and logs the breakdown on the safe sheet. Never pull from another active drawer — that contaminates both reconciliations.

3

Closing Reconciliation

  1. Run the Z-report on each register

    • The Z-report closes the POS day and zeroes the running totals. Print two copies — one to the deposit bag, one to the closing binder. Once the Z is run, mid-day transactions cannot be re-attributed to today.

  2. Count each drawer down to the float

    • Each cashier counts their own drawer in the office under camera; manager recounts independently. Pull the float back to the standard start amount and bag the remainder as the day's cash sales. Coin sorters are fine; eyeballing rolled coin is not.

  3. Record the variance against the Z-report

    • Counted cash minus expected cash from the Z-report equals the variance. Log over/short by cashier in the closing report. Variance over $20 or 1% of cash sales — whichever is lower — triggers the investigation step.

    Collects number Collects list Collects paragraph
4

Variance Investigation

  1. Recount the drawer with a second manager

    • Most variance over $20 is a counting error, not theft. Second manager recounts in front of the original cashier before any escalation. Document each denomination on the recount sheet.

  2. Pull the void and refund log for the shift

    • Run the POS exception report: voids, post-voids, no-sales, refunds without receipt, manager-overridden refunds. A short drawer paired with unusual refund activity from one cashier is the classic sweethearting pattern.

    Collects file
  3. Pull CCTV for the affected register window

    • Identify the timestamps of the suspicious transactions from the exception report and pull register-camera footage for those windows. Save clips per the loss-prevention retention SOP — overwriting the DVR before the LP review is a common avoidable mistake.

  4. File the loss-prevention incident report

    • Submit the LP incident report to the district manager and loss-prevention lead within 24 hours. Include recount sheet, exception report, CCTV clip references, and cashier statement. Do not confront the cashier independently — LP runs the interview.

    Collects file
5

Deposit Preparation and Drop

  1. Prepare the deposit under dual control

    • Two managers count the deposit independently; both initial the deposit slip. Cash, checks, and any large-denomination drops go in the tamper-evident bag with the bag number recorded in the deposit log.

    Collects number
  2. Drop the deposit at the bank night-drop

    • Use the route and timing on file with the bank — varying timing reduces predictability for would-be thieves. Two staff travel together; do not stop between store and bank. Photograph the bag in the night-drop chute as proof of deposit.

    Collects image
  3. File the closing packet in the binder

    • Closing packet: Z-reports, drawer count sheets, variance log, deposit slip copy, night-drop photo. Retained 7 years per the accounting SOP — also the audit trail if a card-network or sales-tax audit comes back to this day.