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Chapter 1: Fuel Dispensing Operations3 Topics1 Quiz
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Chapter 2: Basic Vehicle Maintenance Checks3 Topics1 Quiz
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Chapter 3: Forecourt Housekeeping3 Topics1 Quiz
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Chapter 4: Receiving Stock2 Topics1 Quiz
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Chapter 5: Recording Transactions and Processing Payments4 Topics1 Quiz
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Chapter 6: Interact with Customers4 Topics1 Quiz
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Chapter 7: Shift Procedures and Reporting4 Topics1 Quiz
By the end of this topic you will be able to:
- Perform a till reconciliation (cash-up) accurately at the end of a shift.
- Identify and explain a till short or over situation.
- Reconcile fuel sales against pump meter readings and dip readings.
- Complete the required financial reports at shift end.
What Is Cash-Up / Till Reconciliation?
Cash-up (or till reconciliation) is the process of counting all the cash in the till at the end of a shift and comparing it to the expected total based on all recorded transactions. It ensures every rand is accounted for and identifies any shortages or surpluses.
Step-by-Step Cash-Up Procedure
- Print the Z-read (end-of-day report) from the POS system — this shows total sales, card totals, refunds and the expected cash amount.
- Remove the float — set aside the opening float amount. You are counting only the takings.
- Count all cash — sort notes by denomination; count coins separately. Recount once to confirm.
- Record the totals — write down the total cash counted on the cash-up sheet.
- Deduct the float — subtract the float from total cash counted = net cash takings.
- Compare to POS Z-read — net cash should equal the Z-read cash sales total.
- Calculate variance — if different, note the amount as either “short” (less than expected) or “over” (more than expected).
- Hand over to supervisor — place cash in the deposit bag or safe; hand the completed cash-up sheet to the manager for sign-off.
Understanding Till Short and Till Over
| Situation | What It Means | Common Causes |
|---|---|---|
| Till short | Less cash in the till than expected | Incorrect change given; theft; voided transaction not recorded; customer overpaid in error |
| Till over | More cash in the till than expected | Incorrect change given (too little returned); double-charged customer; cash received but not rung up |
Both short and over situations must be reported to the supervisor. A pattern of shortages may trigger an investigation. Never attempt to correct a discrepancy by adding your own money — this masks the real problem.
Fuel Reconciliation
In addition to the cash-up, a fuel reconciliation is performed to verify that the fuel physically dispensed matches the sales recorded.
- Record the closing meter reading from each pump (total litres dispensed).
- Subtract the opening meter reading to get litres dispensed this shift.
- Compare against the fuel sales on the POS system and the tank dip readings.
- Any significant variance (called wet stock loss) must be reported and investigated — causes include meter calibration errors, pilferage, or underground leaks.
Z-Read vs X-Read
| Report Type | When Used | Effect on Totals |
|---|---|---|
| X-Read | Mid-shift check — see totals so far without resetting | Does NOT reset the totals; just a snapshot |
| Z-Read | End-of-shift / end-of-day final report | RESETS all totals to zero for the next shift — use only at actual shift end |
- What is the difference between an X-read and a Z-read on a POS system?
- If your till is short by R50 at the end of a shift, what should you do?
- What is “wet stock loss” and why is it significant?
📚 Additional Resources
📖 Further Reading
🎬 Watch: End-of-Day Cash Count & Till Reconciliation
This video walks through the full end-of-day cash counting and till reconciliation process, including how to balance totals and identify discrepancies.
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