Cash Drawer
Also called: till, cash till
What is Cash Drawer?
A cash drawer is the lockable drawer at a counter holding notes and coins, usually triggered to open by the billing system when a cash payment is recorded.
Why Cash Drawer matters
Linking the drawer to the POS creates a record of every opening. Drawers that open freely, without a corresponding bill, are the oldest form of counter leakage there is.
Cash Drawer formula
Expected cash = Opening float + Cash sales − Cash payouts
The difference against the counted amount is the shift variance.
How Cash Drawer works in practice
Count the float at open and close of each shift, record it, and investigate differences the same day. Reconciling by shift makes a discrepancy traceable to a person and a period.
Frequently asked questions
Enough for change through a peak period, and no more — usually a small fixed amount agreed per counter.