Open and close the cash register

The cash register in AutoShop POS is a session: you open it with the cash in the drawer, take payments during the day, and close it with what you counted. The register report then shows exactly what came in by each payment method, who took it and whether the drawer balanced.

Before you start

• Give the person on the counter a login with permission to use the sell/POS screen and open and close the register; see add staff and roles.
• Set up the payment methods you accept. Cash, card and bank transfer are standard. Add custom methods, for example “JazzCash”, “Easypaisa” or “Fleet account”, in the payment settings of your business settings. The menu may be labelled slightly differently on your account.
• Decide on your opening float, the cash you leave in the drawer for change.
• If you print receipts, connect the printer first; see connect a printer and scanner.

Steps

1. Open the sell/POS screen. Click POS or Sell from the menu. If no register is open, you are asked to open one.
2. Pick the location. If you have more than one location, choose the shop you are at.
3. Enter the opening float. Count the cash in the drawer and type the amount. Click Open register.
4. Take a payment. Add the lines, or load a converted quotation, then click the payment button. Choose the method: cash (enter the amount received; the change is shown), card (after the customer pays on your terminal), bank transfer, or a custom method. Split payments across methods if the customer pays partly in cash and partly by card.
5. Print or send the receipt. Print the receipt or invoice from the screen after payment.
6. Record cash in or out during the day. If you take cash out for parts or add change, use the register’s cash in/out option if your account has it, or record it as an expense, so the closing count still makes sense.
7. Check the register mid-shift (optional). Open the register details from the POS screen to see the running totals by payment method.
8. Close the register. At the end of the shift, click Close register. Count the cash and enter the amount. Enter the number of card slips and the card total from your terminal’s end-of-day report. Add a note if anything is off.
9. Read the register report. Go to Reports → Register report. Open the session to see the opening float, sales by method, refunds, the expected cash and the amount counted.

Check it worked

• The register report shows your session with the right user, location, open time and close time.
• The card total matches your terminal’s settlement report for the same shift.
• Expected cash minus counted cash is zero, or the difference is explained in the note.

Common problems

• “Register is closed” when you try to sell. Open the register first. Each user needs their own open session.
• Card totals do not match the terminal. A card payment was recorded as cash, or a terminal payment was declined but recorded. Find the sale in the register details and edit the payment method.
• A sale shows on the wrong day. The time zone in business settings is wrong, or the register was left open overnight. Close registers at the end of every shift.
• You need a payment method that is not listed. Add it as a custom payment method. If you want card payments to go straight through the system rather than a separate terminal, ask support what is possible.