Using the Cash Drawer

10 minutes

Tutorial 2.5: Using the Cash Drawer

Introduction

The cash drawer system tracks physical cash in your salon. This tutorial covers opening and closing cash drawer sessions, recording cash movements, and reconciling balances at the end of the day.

Who this is for: Owner, Admin, Manager What you'll learn:

Create and manage cash drawers
Open a cash drawer session with an opening float
Record top-ups, payouts, and safe drops
View session history
Close the drawer and reconcile variances

Time to complete: 10 minutes

Prerequisites

Manager, Admin, or Owner permissions
A cash drawer configured in the system

Understanding the Cash Drawer System

Term	Definition
Cash Drawer	A named till location in your salon
Session	The period when a drawer is open for business
Opening Float	The starting cash amount
Top Up	Adding cash to the drawer
Payout	Removing cash for expenses
Safe Drop	Removing excess cash to a safe
Expected Closing	Calculated balance based on activity
Variance	Difference between counted cash and expected

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access the Cash Drawer

Click Cash Drawers in the sidebar
The Cash Drawers page displays all configured drawers
Each drawer shows its name and current status

Drawer Status:

Active badge (green) - Drawer has an open session
Inactive badge - Drawer is closed or not in use

Step 2: Create a Cash Drawer (First Time Setup)

If no drawers exist:

Click Add Drawer in the top-right corner
In the Create Cash Drawer dialog, enter a Drawer Name (e.g., "Main Register", "Front Desk")
Click Create Drawer to save
Repeat for additional drawers if needed

Step 3: Open a Cash Drawer Session

At the start of each business day:

Find the drawer you want to open
Click Open Drawer
A dialog appears asking for the Opening Float

Opening Float Options:

If there's a previous closing balance, you'll see:

Last Closing Balance displayed (e.g., "£150.00")
A Use This button to apply the last balance as your opening float

Otherwise:

Enter the Opening Float amount manually
This is the cash you're starting with (your float for making change)
Click Open Drawer to confirm
The drawer status changes to Active

Step 4: View Open Session Details

When a drawer is open, the card displays:

Session Information:

Who opened the session
Current session statistics

Statistics Grid:

Stat	Description
Float	Opening balance
Sales	Total cash received from transactions
Payouts	Total cash removed
Expected	Calculated current balance

Available Actions:

Top Up - Add cash to the drawer
Payout - Remove cash for expenses
Safe Drop - Remove excess cash to a safe
History - View all session movements
Close Drawer - End the session

Step 5: Record a Top Up

When adding cash to the drawer (e.g., more change from the bank):

Click Top Up on the open drawer
Enter the Amount being added
Enter a Reason (optional) explaining why (e.g., "Change from safe")
Click Record Top Up to confirm
The Expected balance increases

Step 6: Record a Payout

When removing cash for expenses (e.g., petty cash for supplies):

Click Payout on the open drawer
Enter the Amount being removed
Enter a Reason explaining why (e.g., "Coffee for staff")
Click Record Payout to confirm
The Expected balance decreases

Step 7: Record a Safe Drop

When removing excess cash to a safe or for banking:

Click Safe Drop on the open drawer
Enter the Amount being removed
Enter a Reason (optional) (e.g., "Mid-day safe drop")
Click Record Drop to confirm
The Expected balance decreases

Step 8: View Movement History

To review all activity for the current session:

Click History on the open drawer
The Session Movements dialog appears showing a table with:
- Type - The movement type (e.g., Cash Sale, Payout, Safe Drop)
- Amount - The cash amount
- Reason - Notes about the movement
- Time - When the movement occurred

Step 9: Close the Cash Drawer Session

At the end of the day:

Count all cash in the drawer carefully
Click Close Drawer on the active session
A dialog appears showing:
- Opening Float
- Expected Closing (calculated balance)
Enter the Actual Cash Count (your counted total)

Variance Indicator: The system shows a colour-coded variance:

Green "Balanced" - Counted cash matches expected
Blue "Over" - More cash than expected (with amount)
Red "Short" - Less cash than expected (with amount)

Add any notes about the session
Click Close Drawer to confirm
The session is closed and recorded

Handling Variances

Perfect Balance (Variance = £0.00)

The drawer balances exactly. Close the session - great job!

Small Variance (Under £5)

Recount the cash to verify
If still showing variance, it may be:
- Change given incorrectly
- Rounding from multiple transactions
Record the variance and close
Note the discrepancy

Large Variance (Over £5)

Recount carefully
Review the day's transactions
Check movement records
Document findings in the notes
Report to management
Close session with variance recorded

Common Causes:

Issue	Effect	Prevention
Change miscounted	Short	Count change back to customer
Movement not recorded	Either	Record all movements immediately
Transaction error	Either	Verify totals before completing

Multi-Drawer Setup

If your salon has multiple till stations:

Managing Multiple Drawers

Each drawer operates independently
Open/close sessions separately
Cash payments are assigned to the selected till
Reconcile each drawer individually

Till Selection at POS

When processing transactions with multiple open drawers:

The POS prompts you to select a till
Your selection is remembered for the session
You can switch tills if needed

Common Pitfalls

"I forgot to open a session before taking cash"

Open the session now with the current cash amount. Cash payments made before opening won't be tracked in the session.

"Cash variance keeps appearing"

Small variances are normal. For consistent issues, review cash handling procedures with staff.

"Someone took cash without recording"

Enforce that all cash movements must be recorded immediately. Consider limiting drawer access.

"I closed with the wrong amount"

Contact an Admin or Owner who may be able to adjust the record.

"The drawer shows as inactive but I need it open"

Click Open Drawer to start a new session with your opening float.

Tips and Best Practices

Use consistent float amounts - Same opening balance each day makes verification easy
Record movements immediately - Don't wait until end of day
Count carefully at close - Take your time to avoid errors
Use the last balance feature - When cash stays overnight, use the "Use This" button
Add clear notes - Document reasons for all movements
Bank excess cash regularly - Don't keep large amounts in the drawer
Review history if unsure - Check movements if the balance seems wrong

Frequently Asked Questions

Can multiple people use the same drawer?

Yes, but accountability is harder. Consider closing and reopening at shift changes, or using separate drawers per station.

What if we don't accept cash?

If your salon is card-only, you don't need to use the cash drawer feature.

How do I handle petty cash?

Record a Payout from the drawer when taking petty cash. Keep a separate log for what the money was spent on.

What counts as an acceptable variance?

Range	Guidance
Under £1	Normal operational variance
£1-£5	Acceptable but document it
Over £5	Investigate and report

Can I have multiple drawers open at once?

Yes, each drawer can have its own open session. Useful for salons with multiple reception points.

Why use Safe Drop vs Payout?

Safe Drop - Removing excess cash for security (moving to safe)
Payout - Removing cash for expenses (petty cash, supplies)

Both reduce the expected balance, but the distinction helps with reporting.

Last Updated: January 2026