Teller Cash Drawer Balancing

Start with the largest bills and work your way down. Count each denomination twice - once facing up, once facing down. Use a counting machine if available, but always verify by hand. Sort bills by condition while you count. Worn bills go in one stack, crisp ones in another. Denominations to count: - $100 bills - $50 bills - $20 bills - $10 bills - $5 bills - $1 bills - Coins (rolled and loose) Write down each total before moving to the next denomination. Don't trust your memory.

Pull your transaction journal from the system. Add up all cash-in transactions (deposits, payments received). Subtract all cash-out transactions (withdrawals, check cashing). Your starting cash plus net transactions should equal what you just counted. Formula: Starting Cash + Deposits - Withdrawals = Expected Ending Cash If the numbers don't match, don't panic. Go through transactions one by one before escalating.

If your drawer is over or short, document it immediately. Small differences under $10 happen - they're annoying but normal. Anything over $25 needs supervisor attention right away. For each discrepancy, note: - Amount over or short - Possible cause (if known) - Any unusual transactions that day - Time discrepancy was discovered Don't try to fix shortages from your own pocket. That's against policy and makes everything worse.

Separate your drawer cash from the bank's operating cash. Your drawer gets reset to the standard starting amount (usually $3,000-$5,000 depending on your branch). Everything else goes to the vault. Bundle excess cash properly: - Strap $100 bills in bundles of 100 ($10,000) - Strap $20 bills in bundles of 100 ($2,000) - Use coin wrappers for loose change Double-count vault cash. The head teller will verify.

Lock your drawer with both the key and combination if applicable. Log out of all systems. Sign the daily cash balance sheet and get your supervisor's signature. Before you leave: - Drawer is locked - Keys are secured or turned in - Balance sheet is signed - Any discrepancy reports are filed - Transaction journal is printed and stored Never leave cash unsecured, even for a bathroom break.