Why is my till always short?
A till that keeps coming up light is one of the most common owner gut-checks on the floor. Before you assume the worst — or ignore it — treat shortages as an ops signal: process first, then pattern, then people.
Short answer
Most recurring till shortages come from sloppy cash handling, rushed change, uncleared voids/no-sales, or shared drawers — not always theft. Start by tightening how cash is counted and who owns the drawer. If the float is solid and shortages still cluster on the same shifts or POS events, then dig into those moments with your register reports and camera clips together.
Rule out process before you leap to theft
- One float, one owner. Shared drawers blur accountability. If multiple people use the same till, shortages become everyone’s problem and nobody’s.
- Count in and count out. Opening float signed, closing count with a second person when you can. Dual control on drops and large notes.
- Watch voids, no-sales, and refunds. These are normal tools — and common cover for cash walking out. Review them by shift, not only by day totals.
- Check change discipline. Fast service + messy change = honest errors that look like theft on paper.
When the pattern points at people
If process is tight and shortages still land on the same staff windows, the next move is evidence with context — not a confrontation based on vibes. Match POS timestamps (void, no-sale, cash sale) to the corresponding camera clip. Look for what actually happened at the drawer, not a hunch from a weekly total.
For the suspicion side, see signs of employee theft and how to catch employee theft. For prevention, use how to stop staff stealing from the till.
What not to do
- Don’t accuse from a single short night with a shared drawer.
- Don’t “set a trap” with hidden cameras as your first public move — tighten process and review known angles first.
- Don’t invent industry averages. Your baseline is your own float history and your own POS event log.
See till moments with your existing cameras
If you already run cameras over the counter and a POS that logs voids and cash sales, floor analytics can help you line those moments up — so you coach the shift with context, not guesswork. Soft look at what you already have; no new hardware pitch required.