Balancing a cash drawer accurately is a fundamental skill for retail businesses and financial cashiers. Maintaining an exact count ensures accountability and prevents discrepancies.
Every shift should begin with a fixed amount of cash, known as the base till or starting bank. This typically consists of small bills and coins to ensure change can be given to early customers.
When a register accumulates too many large bills (like $50 or $100 notes), managers should perform a cash drop. This involves moving excess cash to a secure drop safe, which must be carefully documented on a log sheet.
At the end of the shift, separate the starting till amount from the final total. The remaining money represents your daily revenue, which must match the Z-report generated by your Point of Sale (POS) system.