How to close the register (without headaches)
Updated: October 13, 2026
Closing the register is the count that ends the day: you count the cash, compare it with what the system expected and record the difference. Done well, it takes minutes and leaves the day squared.
The day starts at the opening
The closing starts when you open: the register opens with its starting float and every movement of the day is recorded as it happens.
The starting float is the change you begin with to give change. From there on, every cash in and out is recorded with its amount and its reason: a courier expense, a withdrawal for a deposit, whatever it is. So at closing time, the system already knows how much there should be.
The count, step by step
The count is counting the cash and comparing it with what the system expected. The amount you declare is the one that closes the register.
- Count the cash: you can count by denominations (bills and coins) or enter the total directly.
- Record the counted amount: that is your declared amount.
- Look at the comparison: expected, declared and difference.
- Confirm the closing: the session is saved.
The difference: what to do with a mismatch
When what was counted does not match what was expected, there is a difference — and the right way to close it is to leave it written down.
A mismatch is not hidden: it is documented. If the difference is not zero, the system asks you for a note before closing: what happened, what was checked, who closes. That note stays in the closing and in the history, so it can be explained later. Before writing it, check the usual suspects: unrecorded movements, change and dollar payments.
Close and check the history
When you close, the session is saved with its expected amount, its declared amount, its difference and its notes — and it can be checked or printed later.
The register history and the reports show every closing and the reconciliation by payment method: sales, refunds and net per method. If you work in colones and dollars, each currency stays in its own column, with the exchange rate used. And if you need the report printed, it comes out from the same system.
Three mistakes that throw the register off
Almost every mismatch comes from three places: unrecorded movements, change and the exchange rate.
- Register expenses that were never recorded: the money left and the system does not know.
- Cash change from sales paid with another method, or the other way around.
- Dollars: using an exchange rate different from the day's.
In short
Closing the register is counting, comparing and noting: you count the cash, compare it with what was expected and document any difference. With the day's movements recorded, the closing takes minutes — and leaves the day squared and with history.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if my register does not add up?
It closes anyway: you write the reason in the notes and the difference stays documented in the history. A mismatch without a note does not close.
Can I close in dollars?
Yes: the register handles colones and dollars, with the day's exchange rate (BCCR reference) and the breakdown per currency.
Can I reprint the closing?
Yes: every closing stays in the history and its report can be printed from the system.
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