About the Cash Drawer Count Calculator
This cash drawer count calculator replaces the paper count sheet at closing. Enter how many of each bill and coin are in the till, the starting float (opening bank), the cash sales your POS reports and any cash paid out during the shift. It totals the drawer, splits bills from coins, shows how much to put in the deposit after leaving the float, and tells you whether the drawer is over or short and by how much.
It is built for cashiers, shift leads and store managers in retail shops, restaurants, bars, cafés and market stalls — anyone who has to balance a cash register at the end of a shift. The denomination table doubles as a printable record of the count.
Denominations are US currency, including the rarely seen $2 bill and $1 coin. Count rolled coins as loose coins (a standard roll holds 40 quarters, 50 dimes, 40 nickels or 50 pennies). Expected cash in the drawer is the starting float plus cash sales minus paid-outs; refunds given in cash should be included in paid-outs if your POS does not already net them out.
With the default inputs, the total cash counted is $1,215.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the cash drawer count calculator
- 1Count each bill and coin denomination and enter the counts.
- 2Enter the starting float you opened the drawer with.
- 3Enter cash sales from your POS report and any cash paid outs or refunds.
- 4Check the over/short result and recount if the drawer does not balance.
- 5Leave the float in the drawer and record the deposit amount.
Formula and method
Each denomination count is multiplied by its face value and summed to give the total cash in the drawer, split into bills and coins. Amounts are rounded to whole cents at each step so the result matches a hand count exactly.
The deposit is everything above the starting float, which stays in the drawer for the next shift. To reconcile, the expected drawer is the starting float plus cash sales reported by the POS, minus any cash taken out for paid-outs or refunds. The difference between what you counted and what was expected is the over or short amount; a positive number means extra cash, a negative number means cash is missing.
- Float
- Starting cash (opening bank) placed in the drawer
- Cash sales
- Cash takings recorded by the POS for the shift
- Paid outs
- Cash removed for expenses or refunds
Worked examples
Closing count, $2 over
Bills total $200 + $150 + $560 + $150 + $90 + $47 = $1,197 and coins $10 + $5 + $2 + $1 = $18, for $1,215. Expected cash is $200 + $1,025 − $12 = $1,213, so the drawer is $2.00 over and $1,015 goes in the deposit.
Small café till that is short
Bills are $50 + $180 + $60 + $55 + $38 = $383 and coins $5.50 + $1.50 + $0.45 + $0.31 = $7.76, totaling $390.76. Expected was $150 + $252.40 = $402.40, so the till is $11.64 short.
Balanced drawer
Bills total $100 + $100 + $400 + $100 + $50 + $50 = $800 and quarters $10, for $810. With a $300 float and $510 of cash sales, expected cash is $810, so the drawer balances and the $510 of sales is deposited.
Frequently asked questions
How do you balance a cash drawer?+
Count every bill and coin, total them, and compare the total with the starting float plus cash sales minus any paid-outs or cash refunds. If the two match the drawer is balanced; any difference is recorded as over or short.
What is a cash drawer float?+
The float, or opening bank, is a fixed amount of change placed in the register at the start of a shift — often $100 to $300 in small bills and coins — so cashiers can make change. It stays in the drawer and is not part of the deposit.
What causes a cash drawer to be short?+
Common causes are giving incorrect change, unrecorded paid-outs or refunds, voided or miskeyed transactions, counting errors, and theft. Recount first, then compare the POS journal with receipts before recording a shortage.
How many coins are in a standard roll?+
US bank coin rolls hold 50 pennies ($0.50), 40 nickels ($2), 50 dimes ($5) and 40 quarters ($10). Enter rolled coins as individual coins so the calculator totals them correctly.
How much over or short is acceptable?+
Policies vary, but many businesses treat a variance of a dollar or two as acceptable and investigate anything larger or any repeated pattern. Record every variance so trends by cashier or shift become visible.