AIBU to think when dealing with cash, mistakes will happen?

[Cussler]

In my job as a receptionist, I have to take card payments, cheques and sometimes a small amount of cash. And, we keep a small float for change, but we don't use a till.

I am well educated, but don't have a good head for numbers at all. I easily make mistakes, even when I double check.

Twice now, the float has been down by £10. I know I haven't stolen it, and there's very little opportunity for anyone else to steal it. I know it's probably that I have made a simple mistake while adding up the float, because while I'm cashing up I've often got people asking me questions, or the phone ringing etc.

But I have a horrible feeling my Boss suspects me of stealing He doesn't believe that I can make mistakes handling only small amounts of cash, when I am well educated.

I feel really upset that I've obviously made a mistake, when it's only something very simple. I mean I do have GCSE Maths FFS, and I can actually add up. My DH insists that even very numerate people can make mistakes when dealing with cash, and that no one will get it 100% right 100% of the time.

But not sure how to solve the situation at work

Do you note down all the cash transactions that go in and out of petty cash. You need to note down everything I feel that this isn't a mistake at all and as someone else has said, you need to cover yourself. Could the tin be lockedin a safe during lunchtime/ quiet periods?

I'd say somebody was taking the money. Who else has the key to the float.

It REALLY doesn't sound like it's you.

I was once made redundant from a smallish business because they were losing money and I was the cheapest member of staff who also happened to be a bit crap at the job

About 6 months later it emerged that they were losing money because of massive (but subtle, and slow, spread out) theft from my old deputy manager.

He was a young guy, fresh from education, been in the job a couple of years, excellent references, organised everyone for nights out/socials, pillar of the community, real team player etcetc

You. Just. Never. Know.

Wickety thank you, that's good advice.

I know I'm easily distracted, and that I easily make mistakes when quickly adding/subtracting etc. And, after the first time the float was down £10, I've made an extra effort to double check when counting out change etc.

This has just really upset me, because even when I think I'm being really careful I can obviously still fuck it up

Don't blame yourself, necessarily. Put some procedures in place to protect yourself.

When someone gives you notes, put them on the desk, maybe with a little weight on, while you sort the change. Then check the notes again, before handing over the change. Do a little running commentary, if it would help. 'You've given me 4 ten pound notes, here's 2 pounds change' etc.

I think I'd probably be writing down the serial numbers of the notes too.

Before you go to lunch, can you check the money again, agreed with the other receptionist, write down the total and both initial it?
Check again after lunch?

I think someone's nicking a tenner at a time/outside chance someone's being forgetful and you're seen as a convenient patsy.

Agree totally Heath.

LRD I'm going to email my Boss now and suggest that someone double checks my cashing up, or that someone else does it entirely?

The other receptionist can't do it at the end of the day, because she leaves an hour before me. But maybe leave it for her to do the following morning?

This has totally knocked my confidence, and I just don't feel I could give accurate change at all, for any amount

mistakes happen every where - folk get particularly antzy when it's involving money

A float should be checked at the becoming and end of every shift. Is it?

Heath thinking about it, I think you might be right

I genuinely can't believe it's the other receptionist. I hate pointing the finger. But if I had to point it, it would be at the girl who doesn't work on reception, but she is there over lunch, when both we receptionists go home for ours.

She's only a teen, and I know from little things she says she struggles for money.

This is horrible, though. Horrible. She's a lovely girl and I can't bear to think she'd steal or even worse let me take the implied blame

ps - by being proactive and devising a control point where you have identified a process weakness your boss will probably be more favourable towards you

In a previous life one of my reponsibilities was looking after the petty cash float of £10k. Everything, down to cash for a stamp, was written in the cash book and balanced at the end of the week. I remember once a discrepancy of £40 which had me panicking for a while until I found a cheque hadn't been entered in the book.
Just make a note of everything paid in and out and you should fine.

Do not hand over tge box to anyone else to cover without it being counted. If more than one person has access they cannt hold you responsiable

Cussler, I'm assuming the other receptionist does transactions involving money too. I don't see why you think it is you just because you are the one cashing up at the end of the day.

Does the lunchtime girl need access to the cash for payments too, or is reception effectively closed then? If it is closed I would suggest locking the tin as a firstport of call.

Whenever I've worked with cash handling, I've had a 2nd person double check the float at the start of the day and if we've had to change any money, usuallybecause our till has too many notes and not enough coins, we've both counted the money out together. If there are two of you who mainly do this job, could you instigate that at the start and end of the day?

Whole amounts like £10 are generally stolen. Mistakes are odd pence here and there.

Protect yourself. Cashing up should be done away from customers, and witnessed. If the other receptionist isnt there, the boss will have to do it - bollocks to "too busy", so are you if the phone's going and you're being asked stuff!

Is there any chance the note slipped under something else and was ovetlooked?

But right now you're taking the blame and I agree that 2x £10 going missing is a bit suspect

If you are in charge of the cash box and responsible for cashing up at the end of the day, you need to lock it when you don't have access to it.

Oh, and have a set amount as float, put everything else in the safe for banking. If the float is £20 every day it makes it much eadier to spot discrepancies

your employer /manager needs to support you to put proper procedures in place to minimise mistakes - a cash register would seem like a bare minimum these days, they can be programmed to enter the correct price for specific items and will calculate the change. (as suggested in many of the posts above)
mistakes will happen and IMHO some members of the public are past masters at distracting /confusing you to ensure you make mistakes in their favour, that is why many shops have really strict procedures setting out what you do when taking cash - so you don't get distracted / confused. Even so, mistakes will still occasionally happen - but they should be the exception rather than the rule.

You can't have multiple people able to access a float and then try and point the finger at just one if something goes missing. You either need to jointly count the float with a proper handover each time responsibility changes or have a float each.

I agree with others that the most likely scenario is that someone is helping themselves to tenners when you are not there. :(

You really do need to get a formal procedure in place. It should be only you two receptionists have access to the cash tin and the lunchtime cover doesn't. If access is needed while you're at lunch then she goes to your manager to sign off the money. You really do have to have trust where money is concerned and you need a lot of procedures in place to ensure this trust.

As others have said £10 is likely to be stolen. I'd be questionning the lunch time cover if you have complete trust in the other receptionist.

Don't doubt yourself, it sounds like you're doing everything you can within the procedures your department has in place, now they need to work with you to find out where the money is going.

I've just emailed my Boss suggesting I don't do the cashing-up, and that the other receptionist does it the following morning, instead.

But, then again, I will still be taking some cash payments, and obviously have access to the petty cash tin, so if mistakes occur I could still, in theory, be held responsible?

I think only ever having a set, specific amount left in the float at the end of the day is a really good idea. And, then banking everything else. Even silver and loose change.

I think because it would never occur to me to steal, I wouldn't ever think anyone else would either

At lunch time the petty cash tin is just left in the desk drawer, not locked or anything. I am off the premises, and 2 others have access to it. I totally trust the other receptionist, so think if it's not me making an error, it must be the teenage girl

I too think someone is stealing.

You have the job of cashing up, but you are not the only one who has access so don't beat yourself up. You must however go to your boss with a solution before he comes to you.

How long have you been cashing up? Months, years, weeks? When did the first 'discrepancy' appear, before or after the teenager started covering reception?

If it makes you feel better, I once 'lost' half a million pounds. I didn't get much sleep that weekend I can tell you.
I also once swopped some notes for a customer. He had 20's and wanted 10's. I gave him £1k too much!!! It's easily done!