Use this end-of-day cash count checklist to close the register the same way every time, with clear steps, totals, and quick checks for new staff.
Most register closes go wrong for one simple reason: the steps live in someone’s head. The experienced cashier knows the usual routine, but a new staff member fills in gaps with guesses. Even small differences in order (count first vs. pull the deposit first) can change the result, especially when the drawer is busy and everyone wants to leave.
Tiny misses add up fast. A paid-out slip that never made it into the packet, a refund that wasn’t noted, or tips tossed into the wrong spot can turn into an over or short that looks like a mystery. When that happens, people often recount the same cash three times and still don’t know what to fix because the problem is the process, not the math.
A consistent close means you do the same steps, in the same order, every time. The goal isn’t speed. It’s repeatability: two different people should be able to close the same drawer and get the same answer.
This kind of checklist helps anywhere that takes cash: retail stores, cafes, salons, front desks, and pop-up events. It’s also useful for managers who only jump in to close once in a while.
By the time you’re done, you should have three things: a clear cash total, a match (or a documented over/short) against the expected amount, and short notes that explain anything unusual so the next shift isn’t guessing.
A clean setup is what makes the close consistent, especially when a newer staff member is counting.
Move the drawer and paperwork away from customers and noise. Pick a spot with a clear counter, good light, and no traffic. Silence notifications and pause side tasks so the count doesn’t get interrupted.
Before you touch the cash, gather what you need: a calculator, a pen and count sheet (or standard form), a deposit bag or envelope (plus tamper seal if you use one), the POS close report (printed or on-screen), and something to sort money (a small tray or an empty till insert).
Pull your POS closing info before counting. Print the close report or open the totals screen that shows expected cash, card totals, refunds, payouts, and any tip or cash drop entries. That gives you a target number to reconcile to later and stops you from guessing what the system thinks should be in the drawer.
Set one clear rule for who touches the money. If you have two people, it’s simplest when one person counts and the other verifies and signs. If you’re alone, do two separate counts and compare the totals.
Finally, confirm the starting cash (float) and the target float. If the drawer should always start tomorrow with $200, write that at the top of the sheet now. This is how you avoid accidentally depositing part of the float or leaving extra cash behind.
Start the close the same way every time. Freeze the day’s numbers first, then touch the cash. When you do it in the opposite order, it’s easy to miss a late sale, a refund, or a payout.
Before you open the drawer, stop new transactions on that register. Depending on your setup, that might mean logging out, putting the lane in closed mode, or pausing sales so nobody can ring while you count.
Next, run the POS end-of-day summary (or shift close) for that register and print it or save it where your store keeps closing paperwork. This report becomes your expected total later, even if the drawer is already messy.
A simple flow most stores follow:
Remove all cash and cash-like items. Don’t leave coins in the tray for later. An empty drawer makes it harder to double-count or miss something.
As you sort, separate bills, coins, checks, and receipts. Gift cards and coupons should be separated too. They can look like money, but they don’t reconcile the same way.
Keep exceptions in one spot for review. If you see a refund slip, a void receipt, or a paid-out note (like “$40 cleaning supplies”), clip them together so you can confirm they match what the POS recorded.
A reliable count starts with one habit: count the same way every time, and write it down as you go. Don’t trust “I’m pretty sure it was right.” The paper trail is what makes the close repeatable.
Count bills first, then coins. With bills, start from the largest denomination and work down to the smallest. It keeps the math cleaner and reduces the chance you miss a stack.
Here’s a simple way to record it so anyone can check it later:
BILLS
$100 x ____ = $____
$50 x ____ = $____
$20 x ____ = $____
$10 x ____ = $____
$5 x ____ = $____
$1 x ____ = $____
Bill subtotal = $____
COINS
Quarters: rolled ____ ($10 each) + loose $____ = $____
Dimes: rolled ____ ($5 each) + loose $____ = $____
Nickels: rolled ____ ($2 each) + loose $____ = $____
Pennies: rolled ____ ($0.50 each) + loose $____ = $____
Coin subtotal = $____
TOTAL CASH IN DRAWER = $____
Separate rolled coins from loose coins. Rolled totals are predictable and fast to verify. For loose coins, use a tray method (count in groups) or count twice if you don’t handle coins often.
When you finish, do a second pass, but don’t recount everything. Recount the denominations that usually cause mistakes: $20s and $1s (bills stick), loose coins, and any stack where the subtotal looks off compared to a normal day.
Write one clear grand total for cash in the drawer. That’s the number you’ll reconcile against the expected amount next.
Pull the POS cash summary (or end-of-day report) and write down the expected cash for the drawer. The common approach is: cash sales minus cash payouts that came out of the drawer (paid-outs, cash refunds, petty cash).
If your store keeps a fixed float in the drawer overnight, separate that amount first. Count it and set it aside, then reconcile the remaining cash to the POS expected cash. If you remove the float nightly, include it in the count and make sure your expected total matches that process.
Compare your counted cash to the expected cash and calculate the difference:
Expected cash - Counted cash = Over/Short (a negative number means you are short).
Example: Expected cash is $842.50. You counted $840.50. You are short $2.00.
When the numbers don’t match, check the common exceptions before you recount everything. Most over/short issues come from one of these:
If you find the cause, write a plain note right on the sheet: what happened, when it happened, and who was involved. For example: “$20 cash drop at 6:10 pm by Sam, not entered in POS. Entered after close.” Short, clear notes protect the next shift and make patterns easier to spot.
The goal is simple: leave the same starting cash (float) for the next shift, and send the rest out as the deposit. This is where a checklist prevents “we usually just eyeball it” decisions that create repeat problems.
Decide your float rule and stick to it. For example, you might always leave $200 made up of specific bills (like 10x $10, 10x $5, and 50x $1). Once the float is set, everything above that amount becomes deposit cash.
Build the deposit neatly so it’s fast to verify later. Keep denominations together, face bills the same direction, count by denomination, then add to a deposit total. Recount the deposit one more time before sealing. If your store keeps checks separate, keep them separate here too.
Write the date, register number, and deposit amount on the bag or slip.
Example: your drawer totals $463. Your standard float is $200. That means $263 should go into the deposit. Pull the $200 float first (using your standard mix), then count the remaining cash as the deposit. If you build the deposit first, it’s easy to accidentally deposit part of tomorrow’s change.
Document the handoff. Record who counted, who sealed the bag, and where it was stored (safe slot number, drop box, or manager safe). If the deposit is missing later, this one line prevents guesswork and finger-pointing.
Exceptions are where a clean close turns into an over or short. The rule is simple: every time cash leaves the drawer (or should have entered it), there’s a matching paper trail and a matching line on the POS reports.
Start with cash payouts. When someone buys supplies, pays a courier, or makes a petty-cash run, record it right when it happens: amount, reason, who approved it, and a receipt if there is one. At close, those payouts should match what the POS labels as paid out, drawer payout, or cash drop. If they don’t match, treat it like missing cash until you can prove otherwise.
Refunds and voids are next. Compare each cash refund and void to the close report. A quick sanity check: if the POS shows three cash refunds, you should be able to point to three receipts or refund slips.
Tips are often where teams get tripped up. Make sure everyone knows the rules for cash tips (stay in the drawer vs. moved to a tip jar), card tips (paid out in cash vs. handled on payroll later), and tip payouts. If staff are paid cash at close, record it as a payout with names and amounts.
Remember that gift card redemptions are not cash, and coupons or discounts reduce what customers owe, so they reduce expected cash too.
Example: A customer returns a $20 item and gets a $20 cash refund. If that refund isn’t entered correctly (or is entered as a void without a refund), the drawer will look $20 short at close. It’s easy to catch when the receipt, the POS refund line, and your note all match.
Most over/short problems aren’t math mistakes. They’re small process slips that happen when the close is rushed, distracted, or handled differently by each person.
One big trap is “fixing” the count to match what the POS says should be there. If you change the numbers to make them look right, you lose the only clue that helps you find the real issue (a missed refund, a cash drop not logged, a bill stuck under the till). Record the real count first, then investigate.
Another common issue is mixing money that has different jobs. The float is not the deposit. If you grab a handful of bills to round out the deposit, the next opener starts short and the problem repeats.
Distractions also create errors. Counting while a customer is nearby, while a coworker asks questions, or with a transaction still open leads to double-counting or missed bills. Close the lane, finish any pending sale, and count in a quiet spot.
Mistakes that show up again and again:
Small differences deserve one recount because they often point to a simple, fixable cause: bills stuck together, a wrong denomination stack, or a receipt that was never entered. Recount once, then check exceptions (refunds, paid-outs, drops) before you accept the final over/short number.
The last half minute is where you prevent most over/short problems. Use the same quick check every time, even when you’re tired or training someone new.
Verify these five things:
Then do a final hands-and-eyes check. Look inside the drawer and under the till for stuck or folded bills. Make sure paid-out slips, refund receipts, or tip-out notes are in the same packet as the close report.
If your policy requires it, get a manager sign-off or a second count. The goal isn’t to question the cashier. It’s to catch simple mistakes early, while the details are still fresh.
If something doesn’t match, stop and fix it now. Once the deposit is sealed and the drawer is back in service, small mismatches get harder to explain and easier to repeat tomorrow.
Here’s a realistic example with clean numbers you can use in training.
You close Register 1. The fixed float is $200.00 (this stays in the drawer for tomorrow). The POS summary shows:
Expected cash in the drawer before pulling the deposit:
$200.00 + $1,145.20 - $20.00 - $60.00 = $1,265.20
You count by denomination and the actual cash comes to $1,230.20. That looks short by $35.00.
Before you panic, recount the largest bills and re-add the subtotals. It still lands at $1,230.20. Now check exceptions: refunds, voids, paid-outs, tips paid from the drawer, and any no-sale opens.
You find the issue: there was a $35.00 paid-out to buy cleaning supplies, but it was written on a sticky note and never entered on the paid-out screen. Once you record that paid-out, the expected total becomes:
$1,265.20 - $35.00 = $1,230.20 (over/short = $0.00)
Notes should be short and factual:
Recount when the difference is more than a few dollars or the math looks odd. Escalate to a manager if the variance stays after two counts, if a receipt is missing, or if the same shift keeps showing shorts.
A checklist only works when it looks the same every night. Turn this into a one-page close form that fits on a clipboard or prints on a single sheet. Aim for one place to write each number, plus one clear final total box that no one misses.
Keep the layout in the same order your staff closes. A good form usually includes: opening float and closing cash total, cash by denomination with a cash subtotal, non-cash totals (cards, gift cards, tips, paid-outs, refunds), expected vs. actual with over/short and notes, and deposit prep (deposit amount, cash left as float, bag or slip number).
Add small training cues right on the form instead of burying them in a handbook. Examples: “Write coin total here (not the count of coins)” and “If you had a payout or refund, fill it in before you calculate over/short.” Reserve one clearly labeled box for exceptions so they don’t get buried in general notes.
Decide who signs and who verifies. Many stores use a closer signature plus a manager check on any over/short above a set amount. Also decide where records live (binder, POS report folder, or shared drive) and how long to keep them based on local rules and your accountant’s advice.
If you want a simple app version, you can build a basic closing form in Koder.ai (koder.ai) by describing the fields and calculations in chat. Auto-totals and a required exception note when over/short isn’t zero are usually enough to keep closes consistent without adding extra work.
Run a one-week trial with real closers, then adjust based on what actually gets missed. Make one change at a time, rename confusing fields, move the most-missed totals closer to the final check area, add short prompts for common issues (refund, tip payout, safe drop), then lock the final version so the process stays stable.
Use the same steps in the same order every close. First “freeze” the numbers by locking the register and pulling the POS close report, then empty the drawer, sort, and count by denomination with written subtotals.
Consistency matters more than speed because it makes results repeatable across different employees.
Run the POS shift close or end-of-day summary before you touch the cash. That report gives you the expected cash target and captures late sales, refunds, and payouts that can change the math.
If you count first, it’s easy to reconcile to the wrong expectation and waste time recounting.
Count all cash in the drawer first, then separate your fixed float (starting cash) if you keep it overnight. Reconcile the remaining cash to the POS expected cash, and only then build the deposit.
This prevents accidentally depositing tomorrow’s change or leaving extra cash behind.
Write the real counted amount first, then calculate the difference against expected cash. Do one targeted recount of the denominations that commonly cause mistakes (often $20s, $1s, and loose coins), then review exceptions like refunds, paid-outs, tips, and cash drops.
If it still doesn’t match after two counts and an exceptions check, document the variance and escalate to a manager.
Start by confirming every cash movement has a matching record: cash refunds should have a receipt or slip, paid-outs should have approval and a receipt if possible, and cash drops should be entered once and only once.
Most “mystery” shorts are really a missing entry or a slip that never made it into the closing packet.
Use one person to count while a second person verifies the totals and signs, if possible. If you’re alone, do two separate counts and compare results before you seal the deposit.
The goal is to reduce simple counting errors and create a clear trail of who checked what.
Keep all exception paperwork together in one place during the count, then match it to the POS report before you finalize over/short. If the POS shows three cash refunds, you should be able to find three corresponding slips or receipts.
If something is missing, note it immediately so the next shift isn’t guessing.
Decide and document one rule for each type: cash tips (stay in drawer or separate jar), card tips (paid out in cash or handled later), and tip payouts (always recorded with names and amounts). If cash is paid out at close, treat it like a paid-out so it shows on the POS report.
Clear rules prevent tips from silently changing what “expected cash” should be.
Count the deposit by denomination, write the deposit total on the bag or slip, then recount the deposit once more right before sealing. Include the date and register ID so it can be verified later.
A deposit that’s neat and clearly labeled is faster to audit and harder to dispute.
Yes, if it’s simpler for your team and it still follows the same steps. A digital form should mirror your paper flow: denomination totals, expected vs. counted, over/short, deposit amount, and a required note when the variance isn’t zero.
You can build a basic closing form app in Koder.ai by describing the fields and calculations in chat, then locking the form so the process stays consistent.