Managing register sessions from the Shopify POS app

This page is for the Shopify POS app, not the Shopify admin.

Register sessions help you monitor the cash that moves in and out of your cash drawer during a shift. You can use register sessions to record the float at the start and end of a shift, make sure that staff are accountable for the cash they handle, and identify any discrepancies between expected and actual cash amounts.

You can manage register sessions directly from the Shopify POS app to make cash drawer reconciliation easier and maintain accurate records for your business.

After you start a register session, you can also monitor sales by other payment types, such as credit cards.

Considerations for managing register sessions

Before you use register sessions, review the following considerations:

• A register session must be closed at regular intervals, such as when your store opens and closes, or when staff start and end their shift.
• Register sessions aren't for long term reporting. If you leave a register session open for too long, then the Expected cash and Descrepencies reports might become innacurate. For long term payments reports, refer to the Finance reports and Order reports in your Shopify admin.
• You can have only one register session open at a time on each device.

Limitations for register sessions

Review the following limitations for register sessions:

• Devices store register sessions when they're created. Sessions created on one device aren't visible on other devices. If you need special customizations for register sessions, then refer to the POS UI Extension guides and learn about the new API.
• If you reset or reinstall the Shopify POS app, then register sessions might not display. If your location is on Shopify POS Pro, then you can access all sessions from the Shopify admin.
• The cash counting tool supports only the following currencies: AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, JPY, NZD, PLN, SGD, and USD.

Activate register sessions in the Shopify POS app

To track sales by cash and other payment types, activate a register session. Activating register sessions lets you start a new register session either manually or automatically.

Steps

1. From Shopify POS, tap the icon.

2. Tap Settings.

3. Optional: To require a cash count at the start and end of each session, activate Require cash counting at session start and end. If this is deactivated, then sessions still track payment data, but won't explicitly track cash amounts.

4. Optional: To automatically open the cash drawer during every cash transaction, activate Drawer auto-open.

Opening a new register session in the Shopify POS app

When you start a new register session, you need to decide how to manage the cash starting amount. The starting amount is the cash that's in the register at the start of the register session so that staff can make change for cash payments.

You can start a register session in the Shopify POS app in either of the following ways:

• If you want to specify the initial cash starting amount for the register session, then start the register session manually.
• If you want to use the expected amount in the cash drawer from the previous session as the starting amount, then start the register session automatically.

Open a register session manually in the Shopify POS app

If you open a new register session manually, then you can enter a starting amount.

Steps:

1. From Shopify POS, tap the icon.

2. Tap Open session.

3. In the Current amount in drawer field, enter the starting amount. If you need to count the cash to confirm the starting amount, then tap Count cash, and then use the - and + icons to adjust the amounts in the Bills and Coins sections.

4. Optional: Enter a note.

5. Tap Done.

The register session stays open until you manually close it. For accurate reporting, make sure that you train your staff members to close register sessions as part of the store closing procedures.

Open a register session automatically in the Shopify POS app

The Shopify POS app opens a new register session automatically if you've ended a register session and you don't manually open another before processing the next order.

The calculated cash balance at the end of the previous register session becomes the starting amount. If this is the first register session for your store, then the starting amount is set to 0.

Adjust the starting amount of a register session in the Shopify POS app

An adjustment to the starting amount of a register session involves the addition or removal of cash. Adjustments might be necessary in any of the following situations:

• Staff can't make the right change with the cash in the drawer.
• The cash in the drawer exceeds your preferred limit.
• Staff needs to temporarily remove cash from the drawer.

Steps:

1. From Shopify POS, tap the icon.

2. Tap Open session.

3. Tap either Add cash or Remove cash, depending on the type of transaction that you want to make.

4. Enter the amount of cash that you add or remove.

5. If reason codes are active, then select the reason for adding or removing cash.

6. Tap Save.

Adjustments to a register display in the cash activity section on the session's details page.

Close a register session in the Shopify POS app

You can close your register session directly from the Shopify POS app or close the session remotely from your Shopify admin. After a register session is closed, it can't be reopened or edited.

After you close a register session, you can view the details of the session history.

Steps:

1. From Shopify POS, tap the icon.

2. Tap Close session.

3. Enter the amount of cash in the cash drawer.

4. Optional: Add a note.

5. Tap the icon, and then enter a desired float amount.

6. If applicable, remove the amount of cash that leaves the desired float amount in the register.

7. Review the totals on the Session complete screen. The amount of cash in the cash drawer and the expected balance should be the same.

8. Optional: Add a note.

9. Optional: Tap Print. This prints the cash details for this register session and a summary that has all payment types.

Viewing register session details in the Shopify POS app

You can view either the open register session or the history of a closed register session. The session details provide an overview of the register session start and end times, the net payments for all payment types, and the cash activity and adjustments.

View the open register session in the Shopify POS app

1. From Shopify POS, tap the icon.

2. Tap View open session.

View the details of a closed register session in the Shopify POS app

1. From Shopify POS, tap the icon.

2. Tap Session history.

3. Tap the register session that you want to view.

4. Optional: Tap Payment types to view a breakdown of payment types used in the session.

5. Optional: Tap Print to print payment type information.

Selecting a reason code when the cash drawer opens

If you've activated reason codes in the Cash management section of the Point of Sale channel in your Shopify admin, then when a staff member opens the cash drawer, an Open drawer dialogue displays that prompts staff to select the reason they opened the drawer. If their reason doesn't display, then they can select Other, and then write a note to explain the reason they opened the drawer.

Reason codes display when you view an open or closed register session in the Shopify POS app and when you select View activity for the cash tracking session in the Shopify admin.