About Register Cash Management

Overview

Store registers must be carefully managed to maintain the proper cash levels, and to ensure system-generated totals match actual tender amounts.

Setting Up and Closing Down the Register

The Float Amount

Each register must begin each business day (or shift) with a certain amount of cash which is referred to as the float amount. The float amount is specified by the prevailing Register Policy. At the start of each day, or shift, you are required to confirm the correct float amount is actually in the register by counting the cash and then entering the amount into the system via a float transaction. The system will not let you perform any other POS Front Office transactions without first performing a float.

Note
If you enter the wrong float amount, you can correct the mistake with a Float Correction transaction.

Reconciling

At the end of a business day (or shift, or as needed) the Reconcile transaction lets you compare actual tender amounts in the register with expected amounts as entered through register transactions. This requires you to count the actual amounts for each tender type and enter those amounts in the Reconcile wizard. The wizard compares the counted amounts with the expected amounts, taking into account the starting (float) amount, and all sales, return, add, and skim transactions. The wizard presents you with a summary of actual (counted) and expected totals for each tender type as well as a grand total.

Note
You can hide expected amounts to prevent store associates from adjusting actual amounts to match expected amounts. If you choose this option (in the Register Policy) overages and shortages are indicated with text: Exact, Within Variance, or Outside Variance rather than as actual amounts (+/-).

You can also use the Register Policy to specify:

whether to require exact amounts or allow reconciliation to be completed when overages or shortages are within the specified variance.
the allowed variance for overage and shortage if variance is allowed.
You can configure the system to force daily reconcile transactions. Whether you enable or disable daily reconciliations, you can always perform a manual reconciliation as needed. In either case, a float transaction is required following any reconcile transaction. If a daily reconcile is required, you will not be permitted to perform the float transaction until the reconcile has been completed.

Maintaining Cash Levels Throughout the Day

As sales and return transactions occur throughout the day it may be necessary to add or skim (remove) cash from the register to avoid having too little or too much cash on hand.

Add Cash and Skim Cash transactions are provided for this purpose.
You may configure Add Cash and Skim Cash alerts in the Register Policy. When the alerts are enabled and alert levels specified, the system automatically displays the corresponding dialog when an add or skim transaction is required. This lets you complete the add or skim transaction immediately, or postpone until a more convenient time. The system will continue to alert you each time a new transaction is attempted until the add or skim transaction is completed.
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Add Cash and Skim Cash transactions may also be completed on demand as required.
The Petty Cash transaction may be used to remove small amounts of cash, for example to pay a store expense.
The Open Drawer transaction lets you open the drawer without actually adjusting drawer cash levels. For example, you may need to open the register if you forgot to put a check in during a sales transaction.

All POS transactions are processed through a register. This requires you to be logged into a register via Applications > POS Front Office My Location.

Set-up Requirements

Registers need to be configured for each store and register policies must be set up on a global, region or individual store basis. Also, permissions must be configured to grant access to certain register activities, and transaction reasons must be defined for the various register transactions.

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Permissions

All register transactions are permission-based. Permissions are configured in the Admin Console. See Permission Profiles.

Transaction Reasons

You are required to specify a reason any time you perform a transaction (other than reconcile or float). Reasons are user-defined and are configured in the POS Back Office (Applications > POS back Office > Setup > Transaction Reasons).

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Transaction reasons are explanations for a register drawer being opened without making a sale. These reason have a system-generated Reason ID as well as an editable Description. They are accessed and managed in POS Back Office Setup.

UG template for Help

Transaction Reasons are managed on a Transaction Type basis as selected from the drop-down menu

UG template for Help

To add or edit a Transaction Reason:

Select the Transaction Type.
Right-click in the Transactions Reasons window and select New to create a new Transaction Reason
OR
To edit a Transaction Reason, double-click its row to display the Add/Edit Transaction Reasons form.
Add or change the Description.
Click Save to keep your changes.
To delete a Transaction Reason:
Right-click the Transaction Reason you want to remove and select Delete.

Configuring Registers

Using and Maintaining Registers

Access Register Cash Management transactions via the POS Front Office > Register menu. This includes register management activities, on-demand register transactions, and reconciliation. See Register Operation and Management Procedures.

Setting Time Zone for Register Reconciliation Reports

A setting in the Add/Edit Store dialog (POS Back Office > Location) lets you set the time zone/offset for Register Reconciliation reports to match your Payment Gateway’s reports. See the topics for Adding or Editing a Store.