1. Purpose and Scope
This Standard Operating Procedure outlines how to manage cash handling across [Organisation Name] at [Location]. It covers float management, payment processing, refunds, cashing up, safe operations, and banking runs.
This procedure applies to all staff, contractors, and managers who operate tills or handle cash.
Our core principle is complete accountability. Assign one operator per drawer per shift, use dual counting whenever staffing permits, and record every cash movement.
These controls manage financial risk and protect our people. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, our legal duty to keep staff safe includes reducing robbery risks, which must feature in site risk assessments. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, strict rules govern wage deductions for till shortages, especially in retail. Never deduct till shortages from employee pay without prior legal confirmation.
Working through related paperwork at the same time? See also our US Cash Handling Procedure Template, Customer Complaint Handling Procedure Template and US Customer Complaint Handling Procedure Template.
2. Roles and Responsibilities
- Till Operators: Own their assigned cash drawer from float sign-off to cash-up. They must lock drawers when stepping away and keep login credentials private.
- Duty Manager ([Role]): Issues floats, authorises refunds and voids over [Amount], witnesses cash counts, and completes daily reconciliations.
- Designated Manager ([Role]): Controls safe access, manages banking runs, orders change, and investigates cash variances above defined limits.
3. Floats and Start of Shift
- Collect the assigned [Amount] float from the [Role] and count it before opening for transactions.
- Report float discrepancies immediately to the [Role]. Do not start trading until the variance is resolved.
- Sign the float log to confirm receipt.
- Lock the cash drawer whenever stepping away from the till.
- Get change only from the [Role]. Never swap change directly between tills.
4. Till Discipline During Service
- Log into the point-of-sale system using your own credentials. Never use someone else’s login.
- Keep cash drawers assigned to one operator per shift whenever the system allows.
- Close the drawer immediately after every transaction. Never process sales with an open drawer.
- Get authorisation from the [Role] for all no-sales, voids, and refunds exceeding [Amount]. Log the reason for each.
- Verify high-value banknotes using approved tools like detector pens or ultraviolet lights.
- Transfer excess cash to the safe whenever drawer contents exceed [Amount].
- Never count cash in view of customers, and never leave an unlocked drawer unattended.
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5. Cashing Up
- Move cash drawers to [Location] to cash up out of public view. Use two staff members whenever staffing allows.
- Count the cash, reset the float to [Amount], and log total takings against the till report.
- Count card, voucher, and electronic payments separately, balancing each tender type against the system report.
- Record any variance clearly on the reconciliation sheet. Never adjust figures to force a cash-up to balance.
- Seal reconciled takings into tamper-evident bags, sign across the seal (both counters), and deposit them into the safe.
6. Safe Management and Banking
- Safe Management:
- Keep the safe locked at all times. Restrict access strictly to [Role].
- Audit safe contents against the log during every opening and closing shift check.
- Change safe combinations or update physical key assignments immediately when an authorised keyholder leaves their role or the organisation.
- Banking Procedures:
- Carry out banking runs on a [Frequency] schedule, varying departure times and travel routes each time.
- Use [Number] staff members for banking runs whenever possible.
- Carry cash discreetly using a [Bag Type].
- If confronted or robbed, surrender the cash immediately. Do not resist.
7. Discrepancies and Investigations
- Log and track minor variances up to [Amount] to monitor ongoing trends.
- Escalate any variance over [Amount], or any recurring discrepancy pattern on a specific till or shift, to [Role] on the day it happens.
- Investigate variances objectively by reviewing system reports, void/refund logs, CCTV footage (where available), and staff statements.
- Treat initial investigations as reviews of process errors. If evidence points to intentional theft, move straight to the formal disciplinary procedure.
- Check all legal and contractual terms with [Role] before taking action regarding wage deductions for shortages.
8. Records and Review
- Records Management:
- Store all float logs, reconciliation sheets, safe logs, banking receipts, and authorisation records in [Location / System] for [Period].
- Review Cycle:
- [Role] owns this procedure and reviews it every [Frequency].
- Review this procedure immediately following any robbery, burglary, or confirmed theft, or whenever till systems, payment methods, or banking routines change.
- Next review date: [Date].
FAQs on a cash handling procedure
What is a cash handling procedure?
A cash handling procedure outlines how to manage cash handling across your organisation at your site. It covers float management, payment processing, refunds, cashing up, safe operations, and banking runs.
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 start of shift, till discipline during service, cashing up and safe management and banking.
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.
