What are a float, expected cash and a variance?
Float
A float is the fixed amount of small notes and coins placed in the drawer at the start of a shift so the cashier can give change.
Variance
A variance is the difference between the cash actually counted in the drawer at close and the cash the till says should be there.
| Line | Example (RM) |
|---|---|
| Opening float | 200.00 |
| Plus cash sales | 1,486.50 |
| Minus cash refunds | 12.00 |
| Minus payouts from the drawer | 40.00 |
| Expected cash | 1,634.50 |
| Counted cash | 1,629.50 |
| Variance | 5.00 short |
How do you close a shift, step by step?
- Stop selling on that drawer and print or view the shift summary.
- Count the cash by denomination, notes first, then coins.
- Enter the counted amount yourself; never copy the expected figure.
- Check the variance the till shows before you commit.
- If it is large, recount once before accepting it.
- Record a reason for any variance and commit the close.
- Take the takings out, leave the next float, and lock the drawer.
What should you do when the drawer is short?
Recount first: most variances are miscounts. Then check for a refund or payout that was handed over but not recorded, a card or DuitNow payment rung up as cash, or change given wrongly. Record what you find. A pattern of small shortages on one person's shifts is worth a quiet conversation, not a public one.
How does Orbit POS handle the shift close?
Orbit POS opens each shift with a float, stamps every sale with the shift it belongs to, and asks for the counted cash at close. It shows the variance before you commit and only ever uses figures a person entered. If you use Orbit Finance, the end-of-day report sends only the cash variance across, because the takings are already in the books from the individual sales.