Purpose and Scope
This procedure sets the requirements for managing cash receipts, floats, register operations, refunds, safe storage, and bank deposits at [Organisation Name] location [Location]. It applies to anyone operating point-of-sale (POS) registers or managing funds.
Cash handling rests on strict accountability: one operator per drawer, dual control for counts whenever possible, and written tracking for every cash movement.
This procedure aligns with internal financial controls, robbery prevention guidelines, statutory wage rules on register shortages, and payment card security standards.
Working through related paperwork at the same time? See also our UK Cash Handling Procedure Template, Customer Complaint Handling Procedure Template and US Customer Complaint Handling Procedure Template.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Register Operators: Maintain assigned drawers from float pickup through the closing count. Keep drawers locked and attended at all times.
- Manager on Duty ([Role]): Issues floats, approves refunds and voids over $[Amount], witnesses cash counts, and completes daily reconciliations.
- Designated Financial Administrator ([Role]): Controls safe access, manages bank deposits and change orders, and investigates discrepancies above the authorized threshold.
Floats and Shift Start
- Pick up the $[Amount] float from the Manager on Duty ([Role]) and count it before ringing up transactions.
- Report float discrepancies to the Manager on Duty ([Role]) immediately before opening the till.
- Sign the float log to confirm the exact amount, then lock the drawer.
- Get change only from the Manager on Duty ([Role]). Never swap change with another active register.
- If transferring a drawer mid-shift, count and log the balance together at handover.
Register Discipline During Service
- Assign one operator per drawer per shift when the system allows. Staff must log in with their own credentials.
- Close the drawer immediately after every transaction. Never process sales with an open drawer.
- Get manager approval for all no-sales, voids, and refunds over $[Amount]. Log the reason for every exception.
- Check high-denomination bills using [Verification Method]. Make a safe drop once the drawer holds more than $[Amount].
- If a bill fails verification, decline it politely, follow the counterfeit steps at [Location], and log the incident for [Role].
- Never count cash in customer view or leave an unlocked drawer unattended.
Closing Counts and Reconciliation
- Count all drawers out of public view in a secure area at [Location]. Use two staff members whenever shifts allow.
- Count the cash, pull the $[Amount] float back out, and record total cash sales against the POS report.
- Log card, gift card, and other non-cash totals separately. Reconcile each tender against the POS report.
- Record any variance on the reconciliation sheet. Never adjust numbers to force a balance.
- Place reconciled funds into [Bags/Pouches]. Both counters must sign across the seal before dropping the package in the safe.
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Safe Management and Bank Deposits
- Safe Controls: Keep the safe locked. Limit access to [Role]. Check safe contents against the log whenever opening or closing it. Change combinations or keys as soon as an authorized holder leaves the organization.
- Bank Deposits: Make deposit runs [Frequency]. Vary the departure times and routes, using [Number] staff members when possible. Carry cash discreetly in [Bag Type].
- Reconciliation: Log every deposit on the deposit sheet. [Role] must match bank deposit slips against the deposit log within [Number] days.
Discrepancy Management
- Minor Variances: Log variances up to $[Amount] and track them for patterns.
- Major Variances: Report any variance over $[Amount], or recurring losses on a specific till or shift, to [Role] the same day for investigation.
- Investigation Scope: Investigations cover POS reports, refund and void logs, available security footage, and shift records.
- Wage Deductions: Do not deduct shortages from employee pay without [Role] first verifying federal, state, and local labor laws.
Robbery Response Protocol
- During a robbery, comply with all demands immediately. Stay calm and keep your distance. Never risk physical harm to protect cash.
- Once the robber leaves, call emergency services ([Emergency Phone Number]).
- Lock down the area, preserve evidence, assist affected staff, and document everything you remember.
Records and Document Review
- Record Keeping: File float logs, reconciliation sheets, safe logs, deposit slips, and authorization logs at [System/Location] for [Period] for audits and insurance claims.
- Review Schedule: Review this procedure [Frequency], after any security incident (robbery, burglary, or confirmed theft), or when payment systems and deposit workflows change.
- Document Owner: [Role]
- Next Review Date: [Date]
FAQs on a cash handling procedure
What is a cash handling procedure?
A cash handling procedure sets the requirements for managing cash receipts, floats, register operations, refunds, safe storage, and bank deposits at your organisation location your site. It applies to anyone operating point-of-sale (POS) registers or managing funds.
Having it written down means the same rules apply to everyone, so managers are not making judgement calls case by case under pressure.
What does a cash handling procedure include?
This template covers floats and shift start, register discipline during service, closing counts and reconciliation and safe management and bank deposits.
Every section is written to be filled in. The bracketed placeholders mark the decisions that are yours to make, such as timescales, approval owners and retention periods.
How to implement a cash handling procedure with Whale
Copy this template into Whale and work through the bracketed placeholders so it reflects how your organisation actually operates.
Assign it to the teams it applies to so it sits where people work rather than in a shared drive, and set a review date so it gets revisited on schedule instead of quietly going out of date.
Use our templates to fast-track your documentation
Customize this template and 100s of others for free in Whale, the fastest way to get your team aligned.
