Store Manager Daily Routine Checklist

Note any signs of forced entry, alarm trips overnight, water leaks, HVAC issues, or items found out of place. If anything is flagged, the loss-prevention follow-up step is unlocked below.

Pull CCTV (Verkada / Solink / Sensormatic) for the relevant window, photograph the area, and submit the incident through the LP form. Notify the District Manager same-day if the loss exceeds the LP reporting threshold.

Count every till to the posted starting float (commonly $150 or $200 per drawer). Two-person verification on any drawer that doesn't reconcile on the first count — do not adjust silently.

Check the prior night's Z-report, no-sales, voids, and post-voids before adjusting. Common causes: missed cash drop, miscounted float at close, refund processed without manager approval. Document the variance and the cashier on the till.

In Lightspeed / Shopify POS / Square, run yesterday's Z-report and scan for: voids over $50, post-voids, manual price overrides, refunds without receipt, and no-sale events. Flag any cashier with three or more exceptions for the monthly LP audit.

Check ones, fives, and quarters against the day's expected traffic. Order from the bank now if you'll run short before close — last-minute change orders cost a runner shift.

Pull the morning replenishment list staged by last night's closer. Prioritize promo items from the current week's circular — empty pegs on advertised SKUs are the most common lost-sale driver.

Compare each end-cap, four-way, and feature table to the current POG. Photograph any drift and correct on the spot. Drift compounds quickly — by week three the end-cap rarely matches the ad.

Pick 10 SKUs from a high-shrink category (small electronics, fragrance, denim — whatever your store's shrink heat-map shows). Count physical against on-hand in the POS. Variance over $50 or 5% triggers a follow-up investigation, not a silent adjustment.

Before adjusting on-hand, check: receiving error on the last PO, mis-scan at checkout, mis-labeled stock in the back, or possible internal/external theft. Loop in the District Manager if the variance pattern repeats on the same category.

Five minutes max. Cover yesterday's comp, today's sales target, the UPT and ATV goals, the current promo and any expiring offers, and the one product to lead with. End with a recognition shout-out.

Pick one associate, observe two customer interactions, and give one specific piece of feedback within the hour. Generic "good job" coaching doesn't move conversion — name the behavior (greeting cadence, add-on suggestion, fitting-room follow-up).

Pull the mid-day X-report. Compare sales, traffic, and conversion to the daily plan. If conversion is off, get on the floor — staffing, greeting, or fitting-room coverage is usually the lever.

Check the entry mat, fitting-room floor, stockroom ladders, and any spill-prone aisles. Top boxes on overhead shelves should be within reach with the kick-step, not a chair. The leading OSHA citation in retail is overhead reaching and ladder misuse.

Confirm federal and state labor posters, minimum-wage update, and the OSHA 300A summary (posted Feb 1 – Apr 30 if 10+ employees) are visible in the break area. Easy citation if missed during a corporate or agency walk-through.

Check the kit against the posted contents list. Replace anything expired or missing today — don't note it for later. Confirm the AED status light is green if your store carries one.

PA announcements at T-30, T-15, and T-5 minutes. Do not lock the front door until the last customer has left and fitting rooms, restrooms, and back-of-house have been swept for stragglers.

Check fitting rooms for left-behind items, empty hangers, and detached EAS tags — all common shoplifting indicators. Reset go-backs to the floor or stockroom queue.

Each cashier counts down to the starting float. Manager verifies and signs off. Run the Z-report to close the POS day. Bag, seal, and log the deposit; reset tomorrow's floats.

Sealed bag goes in the safe (or bank night-drop per store policy). Two-person rule for any drop over the policy threshold — never solo to the parking lot after dark.

Confirm back doors are locked from inside, CCTV is recording, and the burglar alarm arms cleanly with no zone faults. Sign the closing log and submit the closing report (sales totals, headcount, incidents).