Opening Cash / Floats, an example...

[Andrew]

Someone asked about a common float/opening cash breakdown in chat and I missed it so I will post it here for anyone interested.

At the supermarket I work at this is our float breakdown (note this is in New Zealand dollars)...

10 x $5 notes = $50.00
10 x $2 coins = $20.00
20 x $1 coins = $20.00
20 x .50c coins = $10.00
25 x .20c coins = $5.00
30 x .10c coins = $3.00
40 x .05c coins = $2.00
TOTAL = $110.00

If more change is required during the day, cashier have to "order" it on Change Order forms which list each of the above, they write their name and lane number, tick each item they want to "buy" write the total and amount tendered, and send the form and cash with a supervisor to the service desk to be filled.

The supervisor then fulfils the order and sends it back (cashiers are to count it into their drawers as the machines in the cash office are not 100% accurate). Sometimes change may be delayed as it needs to come from the cash office upstairs if the service desk has run out.

If the cashier does not have sufficient money in their till to purchase change the service desk will "lend" it to them, keeping a record of the amount owing. Also, if the cashier tenders more than the total change requested, of course they receive change in whatever denominations the supervisor picks at the service desk.

During the day - at least one "pickup" is performed where the cash office gives out the numeric money bags to each cashier and they are to remove all of their large notes ($50/$100) and all of their $20 notes leaving only $100 worth of 20's in their till plus whatever else they may have.

Obviously this may not be necessary in some stores but in a supermarket situation it is quite easy for a till to contain a large number of $20 notes as these are the most common given out by ATM machines, this is of course a security risk, hence the pickups.