How to use the cash reconciliation sheet
- Type how many of each bill and coin are in the drawer. Leave a field blank to leave it out.
- Optionally enter the opening float, the cash that stays in the drawer, and the cash sales expected from your register report.
- Read the total counted, the expected cash (float plus sales), the amount over or short, and the deposit (counted minus float).
- Print the sheet. If every count is blank, you get an empty sheet to count by hand.
Formula
Amount for a denomination = count x face value
Total counted = bills total + coins total
Expected in drawer = opening float + cash sales
Over or short = total counted - expected in drawer
Deposit = total counted - opening float
All arithmetic is done in whole cents, so the totals are exact.
Three twenties and four ones
Three $20 bills are $60.00 and four $1 bills are $4.00, so the total counted is $64.00. With an opening float of $50.00 and expected cash sales of $10.00, the drawer should hold $60.00.
The count is $64.00 minus $60.00 expected, so the drawer is over by $4.00. The deposit is $64.00 minus the $50.00 float, which is $14.00.
How the sheet works
The sheet lists bills from $100 down to $1 and coins from $1 down to a penny. Each line shows the count you entered and the amount. Bills and coins have their own totals, and a box at the bottom compares the count with what you expected. Blank counts print as empty cells so you can fill them in with a pen.
Over or short is the counted total minus the expected total. A positive number means more cash than expected, and a negative one means less. A difference of zero shows as balanced.
What the sheet cannot tell you
A difference does not say why it happened. Mistakes in making change, a missed sale, a payout without a note or a miscount can all produce one. The sheet gives you the number to investigate and leaves the rest to your own procedures.
The expected sales figure comes from your register or sales record, and the tool does not read it for you. For a log of small cash expenses, use the petty cash log, and for a statement of income and costs, the profit and loss statement generator. Everything is made in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded or stored on a server.
Assumptions and limits
- Counts are whole numbers from 0 to 99,999.
- The float and sales are dollars and cents, and both are optional.
- Over or short compares the count with the float plus the cash sales you enter.
- Checks, card payments and other non cash tender are not included.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count a cash drawer?
Count each denomination, multiply by its face value, and add the amounts. Compare the total with the opening float plus the cash sales for the period.
What does over or short mean?
It is the counted cash minus the expected cash. Over means more cash than expected, and short means less.
What is the deposit amount?
It is the counted total minus the opening float, which is the cash you would take out of the drawer and leave the float behind.
Can I print a blank count sheet?
Yes. Leave every count blank and the sheet prints with empty cells to fill in by hand.