How to Open and Close Shifts and Track Cash Variance in Xduka POS

At the end of a long day, the drawer is short by a few hundred shillings. Who was on the till? When did it happen? Without shifts, these questions are almost impossible to answer. With shifts, each cashier's responsibility has a clear start and end, and any difference shows up straight away.

In this guide we explain how to use shifts in Xduka POS.

What a shift records

We built shifts in Xduka POS to track shift start and end and cash variance for follow-up. Each shift records:

• When the shift started.
• The opening cash in the drawer.
• The closing cash counted at the end.
• Optional notes.

Shift activity is also tied to sales and refunds, and past shifts appear in Shift History.

Step 1: Count the float

Before starting, count the cash in the drawer (the float). Do it with the cashier present, so both of you agree on the starting amount.

Step 2: Start the shift

1. Open Shifts in the Sales section of the menu.
2. Enter the Opening Cash amount.
3. Click Start Shift.

The Current Shift panel shows the shift as Active, with the time it started at.

Step 3: Sell as normal

The cashier sells on the register under their own login. Sales and refunds during the shift are linked to it. Mobile payments started from the register, such as STK push through our sister platform Paysasa, carry their own references, which keeps cash and non-cash payments clearly separated.

Step 4: End the shift

At the end of the shift:

1. Count the cash in the drawer.
2. In Shifts, enter the Closing Cash amount.
3. Add Notes if anything unusual happened ("Gave KES 500 change float to next shift", "Customer returned item").
4. Click End Shift.

The shift moves into Shift History.

Step 5: Review the variance

The variance is the difference between the cash you expected to have and the cash actually counted. Review it soon after the shift, while everyone still remembers the day.

Small variances

Small differences happen: a coin dropped, change miscounted. Note them and move on, but watch for patterns.

Larger or repeated variances

Investigate calmly:

• Was a mobile payment recorded as cash, or the other way round?
• Were there cash refunds?
• Was cash taken out for an expense without being recorded? (Use Expenses to record operating costs.)
• Did someone else use the till during the shift?

Good shift habits

1. One cashier, one shift, one login. No sharing tills mid-shift without closing.
2. Count with a witness at the start and end.
3. Keep the float consistent each day.
4. Bank excess cash regularly instead of letting it build up.
5. Review variances daily, not monthly.
6. Thank staff when their shifts balance consistently.

Who can use shifts

Users with register permissions, which includes cashiers, managers and owners, can open and close the register. Owners and managers can review shift activity as part of their oversight.

Screens and labels may change slightly as we update Xduka POS; if something looks different, contact our support team.

Quick checklist

• Count the float with the cashier present.
• Start the shift with the opening cash.
• Sell under the cashier's own login.
• Count, record closing cash and add notes.
• Review variances the same day or next morning.

Where shifts fit in your day

Opening a shift is the first thing a cashier does; ending it is the last. Build both into your opening and closing checklists so they never get skipped.

A quick example

For example, say a supermarket in Thika has two cashiers per day. The morning cashier starts a shift with a KES 3,000 float, sells until 2 pm, counts the drawer, records the closing cash and ends the shift. The afternoon cashier then starts their own shift with their own float. When the manager reviews shift history the next morning, each shift's opening and closing cash is clear, and any difference belongs to one shift, not to "the day". (The figures are only an example.)

Frequently asked questions

Can two cashiers share one shift?

It is better not to. One cashier per shift keeps accountability clear.

What should go in the notes?

Anything that explains the numbers: cash handed to a manager, a float top-up or an unusual refund.

Cash differences, made visible

Shifts are one of the simplest and most effective controls in any shop. With opening cash, closing cash and notes recorded for every shift in Xduka POS, cash differences become visible, explainable and much rarer.

Learn more about our staff and operations features at www.xduka.com/features, or start at www.xduka.com.

#shifts#cash management#cash variance#cashiers#how-to