How to use the cash rounding calculator
- Enter one receipt total per line.
- Choose whether to round to the nearest 5 cents or the nearest 10 cents.
- Choose cash or card. Card payments are not rounded.
- Read the rounded amount for each receipt, the adjustment and the running balance.
Formula
5 cent rule: a last digit of 1 or 2 rounds down, 3 or 4 rounds up to 5, 6 or 7 rounds down to 5, 8 or 9 rounds up to 10
10 cent rule: a last digit of 1 to 4 rounds down and 5 to 9 rounds up
Rounding = amount paid - exact total, worked out in whole cents
A last digit of 0 (or 5 with the 5 cent rule) is already on the grid and does not change.
Six receipts rounded to 5 cents
The totals $1.02, $1.03, $1.07, $1.08, $12.45 and $19.99 are paid as $1.00, $1.05, $1.05, $1.10, $12.45 and $20.00. The adjustments are -$0.02, +$0.02, -$0.02, +$0.02, $0.00 and +$0.01, so the exact total of $36.64 becomes $36.65 and the balance is $0.01.
Ten receipts of $1.02 each lose 2 cents every time, so the running balance is -$0.20. With the 10 cent rule the same six receipts round to $1.00, $1.00, $1.10, $1.10, $12.50 and $20.00, and the balance is +$0.06.
How cash rounding works
In some countries the smallest coin has been withdrawn, so a cash payment is rounded to a multiple of 5 or 10 cents. The rounding is applied once to the total of the receipt and not to each item, which keeps the difference to at most 2 cents for the 5 cent rule. Card and other electronic payments are usually charged the exact amount.
Over many receipts the rounding up and rounding down roughly cancel out. The running balance shows whether they did, which is helpful for a shop that wants to check its till.
Notes on the rules
Shops apply their own rules, so a total that ends in exactly the half way point may be treated differently from the 10 cent rule used here, where a last digit of 5 rounds up. For general rounding use the Rounding Calculator, and for pricing endings the Price List Rounding Rule Applier. Work out the total first with the Sales Tax Calculator or add a tip with the Tip Calculator, then round the final amount.
Assumptions and limits
- Amounts have at most two decimals and are rounded as whole cents.
- The rounding is applied to the receipt total, not to separate items.
- The totals shown are examples. Use your own receipts.
- A negative total, such as a refund, is rounded by the same rule on its size.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a 5 cent rule never have a tie?
Totals are whole cents, and the distance to the two nearest multiples of 5 is never equal, so one is always closer.
Why does the 10 cent rule round 5 up?
A last digit of 5 is exactly half way between two multiples of 10, and the common convention is to round half up.
Is the rounding balance a gain or a loss?
A positive balance means customers paid more than the exact totals, and a negative one means they paid less.
Can I paste prices with a dollar sign?
Yes. Dollar signs and thousands commas are ignored, but a value with more than two decimals is refused.