SalevaWhat this counter does
Counting the drawer is the last job of the day and the one most likely to be done tired. This counter does the adding for you. Type how many of each note and coin you have, and it shows the total. If you also enter the cash your records say should be there, it shows whether the drawer is over or short, and by how much.
How to use it
- Choose your currency. The notes and coins on the page change to match.
- Sort the cash into piles by value, largest first.
- Count each pile and type the number of pieces, not the amount.
- Enter the cash you expect, if you know it, to see the difference.
- Print the count, or write the total in your daily record, before you put the cash away.
A worked example
At closing a shop has 6 notes of Rs 5,000, 14 of Rs 1,000, 9 of Rs 500, 23 of Rs 100, 11 of Rs 50, 8 of Rs 20 and 15 of Rs 10, with Rs 85 in coins.
| Note | Count | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 | 6 | 30,000 |
| 1,000 | 14 | 14,000 |
| 500 | 9 | 4,500 |
| 100 | 23 | 2,300 |
| 50 | 11 | 550 |
| 20 | 8 | 160 |
| 10 | 15 | 150 |
| Coins | 85 |
The total is Rs 51,745. The day's record says there should be Rs 51,900. The drawer is Rs 155 short, which is worth five minutes of looking before the shop is locked.
Working out the cash you expect
The count only tells you what is there. To know whether it is right, you need the figure it should match.
expected cash = opening float + cash sales + udhaar received in cash − cash paid out
Cash paid out covers anything that left the drawer during the day: a supplier paid at the door, a staff advance, the tea, a refund. Sales paid by card, bank transfer or mobile wallet are not in the drawer and must be left out. Most differences come from a pay-out that was not written down, so check those first.
Counting without mistakes
- Count out of the customers' sight and, if you can, with the door closed.
- Sort before you count. A mixed pile is where a 500 gets counted as a 5,000.
- Count each pile twice. If the two counts differ, count a third time.
- Bundle large notes in fixed numbers, tens or twenties, so that tomorrow's count starts faster.
- Count before you look at the expected figure. Knowing the answer makes it easy to count towards it.
- Leave the same float every night. A fixed opening amount removes one thing to remember.
When the drawer is over or short
A small difference now and then is normal in a busy shop that gives change all day. What matters is the pattern. Write the difference down every day, even when it is zero. A drawer that is short by a similar amount several days a week, or always on the same person's shift, is telling you something. A drawer that is regularly over usually means sales are being taken without being recorded, which is a records problem even though the cash looks fine.
Questions
Should I count damaged or torn notes?
Count them at their value, but keep them apart so that they are not given to customers as change. Exchange them at a bank when you can.
My currency has a note that is not listed.
Use the "Anything else" box and type the amount. Commemorative and rarely used notes are left off the list to keep it short.
How big a difference should worry me?
There is no fixed figure. Decide your own limit, for example the price of a few small items, and look into anything above it the same evening while the day is still fresh.
Is the count saved?
No. It stays on this page until you close it or press Clear. Print it or write the total down if you need a record.
Related reading
- Closing the day: a 15-minute cash count routine for a small shop
- Profit vs cash: why a profitable shop can still run out of money
- Returns and exchanges in a small shop: a policy that is fair and does not lose money
- Sales history, expenses and reading your reports
Saleva works out the cash you should have at closing from the day's sales, pay-outs and udhaar received. Get the free Android app.