How to cash up a till: a step-by-step guide with a free printable cash-up sheet
Updated 19 October 2026
To cash up a till, print the Z report, count the cash, take out tomorrow's float, and check the rest matches the Z report's cash total. Then match card sales to the card machine's end-of-day report, note online and app sales, and record any difference with a reason. Keep tips apart from takings. Bag the cash, sign the sheet and file the Z report.
Free printable sheet: the end-of-day cash-up sheet is on this page. Print it, or copy the tables into a spreadsheet.
X report vs Z report
| Report | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| X report | Shows sales so far. Doesn't reset the totals | Mid-shift checks, shift handovers |
| Z report | Shows the day's final totals and resets the counter to zero | Once, at close |
Only print the Z report once you've stopped trading. If you print it early, later sales land on tomorrow.
How to cash up a till in 7 steps
- Stop trading and print the Z report. File it. It's part of your sales records.
- Count the cash drawer. Sort notes and coins by value. Count twice, or have a second person check.
- Take out the float. Put tomorrow's float (for example £150 in set coins and notes) in a bag and label it.
- Compare cash. Cash counted − float = cash takings. Check it against the Z report's cash total.
- Check card sales. Run the card machine's end-of-day (or "banking") report. Card sales on the Z report should match, once you take out any card tips.
- Record other sales. Online orders, delivery-app orders, gift vouchers and accounts. Note them separately so your bookkeeping is easy.
- Record any difference, bag and safe the takings. Write down overs or shorts and the likely reason. Sign and date the sheet.
Worked example
| Line | £ |
|---|---|
| Z report: total sales | 1,842.50 |
| – of which cash | 386.20 |
| – of which card | 1,201.30 |
| – of which online (pre-paid) | 255.00 |
| Cash counted in drawer | 540.70 |
| Less float for tomorrow | −150.00 |
| Cash takings | 390.70 |
| Difference vs Z report cash | +4.50 over |
| Card machine end-of-day total | 1,213.30 |
| Less card tips | −12.00 |
| Card sales | 1,201.30 (matches) |
| Cash tips in the tips jar (counted apart) | 32.00 |
What to do with the £4.50 over: note it. Common causes are change given short, a sale rung in at the wrong price, or a refund not recorded. Small overs and shorts happen. A pattern needs looking into.
Keep tips out of the till total
Tips aren't takings. Count cash tips separately, and take card tips out of the card total. Since October 2024, all tips and service charge must reach staff in full, by the end of the following month, with records kept for 3 years. Split them fairly with our free tronc calculator.
Printable end-of-day cash-up sheet
Print this section, or copy the tables into a spreadsheet. Use one sheet per till, per day.
Date: ____________ Till: ______ Cashed up by: ______________ Checked by: ______________
1. Z report totals
| Line | £ |
|---|---|
| Cash | |
| Card | |
| Online (pre-paid) | |
| Delivery apps | |
| Gift vouchers and accounts | |
| Total sales |
2. Cash count
| Note or coin | Quantity | Value (£) |
|---|---|---|
| £50 | ||
| £20 | ||
| £10 | ||
| £5 | ||
| £2 | ||
| £1 | ||
| 50p | ||
| 20p | ||
| 10p | ||
| 5p | ||
| 2p | ||
| 1p | ||
| Total cash counted |
3. Reconcile
| Line | £ |
|---|---|
| Total cash counted | |
| Less float for tomorrow | − |
| Cash takings | |
| Z report cash total | |
| Difference (over + / short −) | |
| Reason for any difference | |
| Card machine end-of-day total | |
| Less card tips | − |
| Card sales (should match Z report card) |
4. Tips, petty cash and banking
| Line | £ |
|---|---|
| Cash tips (counted apart) | |
| Card tips | |
| Petty cash paid out (receipts attached ☐) | |
| Banking bag number | |
| Amount banked |
Signatures: cashier ______________ checker ______________
How to use a till: the basics for new staff
- Log in under your own name. Never use someone else's login. It protects you if the drawer is short.
- Ring every sale through the till. No "I'll put it through later".
- Use the right button for cash, card and voucher payments.
- Refunds and voids need a manager's approval and a reason.
- Count change back to the customer, and keep large notes on top of the drawer until the sale is done.
- Cash drops: move cash over a set limit to the safe during busy shifts.
Tips for a faster, safer cash-up
- Same float every day. It makes the maths simple.
- Use coin and note counting trays or a cash counter for busy sites.
- Two people, one counts. The second checks and signs.
- Never cash up in view of the public.
- Bank regularly. Don't build up cash in the safe.
- Keep the paperwork. Z reports and till rolls are business records HMRC expects you to keep. See our restaurant bookkeeping guide.
Fewer cash differences with pre-paid online orders
Every order a customer pays for online is one less cash sale to count. With Menuthere, customers order and pay through your own online ordering page or QR code, using your Stripe account (Lite and above). You can still offer cash on collection on the Free plan. Menuthere's Analytics screen (every plan, Free included) shows today's sales, broken down by order type and how customers paid, so you have a separate online total to match at cash-up. On Lite and above you can also download an Excel report for any period.
Take more orders pre-paid, with 0% commission.
The rest of the end-of-day routine is in our opening and closing checklists.
FAQs
What is cashing up?
Counting the money in the till at the end of the day and checking it against the till's sales report, so you know the takings are right.
What's the difference between an X read and a Z read?
An X read shows sales so far and doesn't reset the till. A Z read is the final end-of-day report and resets the totals to zero.
How much should a till float be?
Enough change for a normal opening rush. Many small cafés and takeaways use £100–£200 in coins and small notes. Keep the same amount every day.
What should I do if the till is short?
Recount, check refunds and voids, and compare card totals. Record the shortfall and the reason. Small, random differences are normal. Regular shortfalls need investigating.
Can I deduct till shortages from staff wages?
Only if the employment contract or a written agreement allows it. For retail work, such as a till, a shortage deduction can't be more than 10% of gross pay on any pay day, except the final one. Get advice first.
How long should I keep Z reports?
With your other business records: at least 5 years after the 31 January filing deadline for sole traders, and 6 years for limited companies.
Sources (4)
- GOV.UK, Running a limited company: company and accounting records (till rolls are supporting records). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/running-a-limited-company/company-and-accounting-records
- GOV.UK, Business records if you're self-employed: how long to keep your records. Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/self-employed-records/how-long-to-keep-your-records
- DBT, Distributing tips fairly: statutory code of practice (paras 33, 43). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/distributing-tips-fairly-statutory-code-of-practice/code-of-practice-on-fair-and-transparent-distribution-of-tips-html-version
- GOV.UK, Deductions from pay and wages (retail cash shortages). Accessed 11 Oct 2026. https://www.gov.uk/understanding-your-pay/deductions-from-your-pay