A cash discrepancy is the difference between what the POS says was collected and what is actually in the till at closing. A one-off discrepancy is normal; one that keeps repeating is a sign worth checking as soon as possible.
Why they happen
- Mistakes when giving change or recording the payment method.
- Checks voided or modified after payment.
- Tips mixed with takings.
- Procedure failures at shift changes.
Overs and shorts
Look at both directions. An over also means something is not being recorded correctly, and offsetting overs against shorts in a single total can hide the problem.
How to spot them in time
- By outlet: which outlets build up the most differences in the period.
- By shift and day: whether they concentrate at a specific moment.
- By staff member: not to point fingers, but to see where training or a change of procedure is needed.
- By trend: if discrepancies grow week after week, the problem is not a one-off.
From detection to action
What matters is that the information arrives in time: reviewing discrepancies at the end of the month leaves little room to correct. A daily dashboard lets every manager see theirs the next day and lets management compare outlets without waiting for the close.
In Keymets
Keymets F&B has two dedicated reports: cash discrepancies by outlet and cash discrepancies by staff member, with overs and shorts shown separately. See also when to move beyond POS reports.