Why This Matters

A shift is the work session that every sale is recorded against. Opening one starts the period; closing one ends it and reconciles the cash drawer. Because IdePOS will not let you take an order until a shift is open, and because closing a shift is where cash is counted and checked, the shift routine is the backbone of accurate daily takings.

Done consistently — open with the right float, record every cash movement, close with an honest count — the shift report gives a clean picture of sales, payments, and any cash difference. This guide walks through each step and the rules the app enforces.

What a Shift Is

A shift represents one work session on a specific store and device, opened by a member of staff. It captures everything that happens between opening and closing: sales, payments, refunds, voids, and cash paid in or out.

A shift is either open or closed. Only one shift is open on a device at a time, and each new shift is numbered automatically for the day. While a shift is open, the shift screen shows a live read of the figures below; once closed, the same figures form the final shift report.

The figures an operator sees include:

• Session details — Shift number, store, device, who opened it and when, and who closed it and when.
• Starting Cash — The opening float placed in the drawer when the shift began.
• Expected Cash Amount — What the drawer should hold — starting cash, plus cash payments, minus cash refunds, plus pay-ins, minus pay-outs.
• Actual Cash Amount — The cash you actually count at close.
• Difference — Actual minus expected — positive means over, negative means short.

Opening a Shift

Open a shift at the start of the day, or whenever no shift is currently open. It records the starting float and begins counting sales.

How to Open a Shift

1. On the Shift screen (or the “Shift Closed” message on the Sales screen), tap Open Shift.
   
2. Enter the Starting Cash Amount — the float already in the drawer.
3. Tap Continue. The shift opens and ordering is enabled.

• Starting cash is not mandatory — You can open with a zero float, but entering the real opening amount keeps the expected-cash figure and the close-of-shift difference accurate.
• No PIN needed to open — Opening a shift does not require a manager PIN.

Recording Cash In and Cash Out

During a shift you may need to add cash to the drawer or take some out — for example a change top-up, a supplier payment, or a petty-cash withdrawal. Use Cash Management so these movements are reflected in the expected-cash figure.

Pay In vs Pay Out

• Pay In — Money added to the drawer (for example a float top-up). It increases the expected cash.
• Pay Out — Money taken from the drawer (for example paying a supplier or petty cash). It decreases the expected cash.

How to Record a Cash Movement

1. On the Shift screen, tap Cash Management.
2. Enter the Amount.
3. Choose the type — Pay In or Pay Out.
4. Add a Note explaining the movement (recommended for your records).
   
5. Tap Save, or Save & Print to also print a slip. The cash drawer opens.
   

• Amount is required — The Save action stays disabled until an amount is entered.
• History is kept — Pay-ins and pay-outs are listed on the shift screen and in their history, and each appears in the shift report.

Reading the Shift Report

The shift report summarizes the session. While the shift is open, the Shift screen shows these figures as a live read; after closing, the same layout becomes the final report you can reprint at any time from Shift History.

What the Report Shows

• Session header — Shift number, store, device, opened/closed by and times, and duration.
• Cash Drawer — Starting Cash, Cash Payment, Cash Refund, Paid In, Paid Out, Expected Cash, Actual Cash, and the Difference.
• Sales Summary — Sales, special charges, service charges, tips, discounts, refunds, net sales, taxes, rounding, and amount received. Excluded sales appear when relevant.
• Tenders and Refunds — A breakdown by payment method — count and amount — for money taken and money refunded.
• Voids — The total count and value of voided orders.
• Sales by hour — Where enabled, a breakdown of pax and amounts across the day.

Printing

From the shift screen or a saved report you can print the shift report and itemised sales, and reprint a closed shift later:

• Print Shift / Print Sales Itemized — Print the summary report or an itemized sales list.
• Print Cancelled Itemized — Print a list of cancelled or voided items.
• Shift History — Reopen and reprint any earlier shift's report.

Closing a Shift

Close the shift at the end of the day or handover. Closing counts the drawer, records the difference, and finalizes the report.

How to Close a Shift

1. On the Shift screen, tap Close Shift.
2. Review the Expected Cash Amount shown (read-only).
3. Count the drawer and enter the Actual Cash Amount as a single total.
4. Check the Difference the app calculates (actual minus expected).
5. Tap Close Shift to confirm. A success message appears, and you can tap See Detail to view or print the report.

• Single total, not denominations — You enter one counted total for the drawer, not a note-by-note breakdown.
• No manager PIN required — Closing a shift does not need a manager PIN.
• Blind closing — With Blind closing on, you will not see the expected amount or difference — just count the drawer and enter the actual amount; the shift is reviewed after closing.

Blind Closing

Blind closing — is a setting that hides cash figures from the operator while a shift is open. Staff count the drawer without seeing what the system expects, which keeps the count independent and honest. It is turned on by an administrator at the account or store level; it is not something the operator switches on from the POS.

When It Applies

• While the shift is open — Cash figures are hidden and a banner reads “Cash information is restricted to Manager Preview access only.”
  
• Once the shift is closed — The full report — including all cash figures and the difference — is shown again and can be printed or reprinted.

Blind closing only restricts the live view during an open shift; it does not apply on every device template.

What Is Hidden While the Shift Is Open

With blind closing on, the shift screen still shows the basics but hides anything that would reveal the expected cash:

• In the Cash Drawer section, only Starting Cash and Paid In stay visible. Cash Payment, Cash Refund, Paid Out, Expected Cash, Actual Cash, the Difference, and the detailed pay-out list are hidden.
• The Sales Summary section is hidden.
• The Cash row in the Tenders breakdown is hidden.
• The Void total is hidden.

Closing Under Blind Closing

When you close a shift with blind closing on, the Close Shift dialog does not show the expected cash or the difference. You simply count the drawer and enter the Actual Cash Amount. A note reminds you: “Please count the cash in your drawer and enter the actual amount. Your shift will be reviewed after closing.”

Why It Is Used

• Honest counts — Operators cannot “count to match” a figure they are not shown.
• Clear accountability — Any over or short is reviewed by a manager after the shift closes, rather than adjusted on the spot.

Reminders and Logout

IdePOS helps make sure shifts are not left open by accident:

• 24-hour reminder — If a shift has been open for more than 24 hours, the app asks whether to continue it or close it first.
• Staff switch reminder — When switching staff, a reminder appears if the shift is still open.
• Close before logout — You cannot log out while a shift is open — a “Close Your Shift First” message prompts you to close it so sales data stays accurate.

Limits and Important Notes

• A shift must be open to sell — Ordering is blocked until a shift is opened.
• One open shift per device — Only one shift is open at a time; shift numbers increment automatically each day.
• Opening needs synced data — If shift data is not synced, open is blocked until you Re-Sync.
• Unpaid orders are not hard-blocked at close — You are warned about them, but if you close anyway they are excluded from the shift.
• Offline is supported — Open, close, and cash movements work offline and sync when connectivity returns; allow time for sync before relying on reports.
• Reports print, not email — The shift report is printed to the receipt printer; there is no email option.
• Close before logging out — Logout is blocked while a shift is open.

Best Practices

• Open with the real float — Enter the true starting cash so the expected amount and closing difference are meaningful.
• Record every cash movement — Use Pay In / Pay Out for any cash added or removed, with a clear note — never adjust the drawer silently.
• Re-sync at the start — If prompted, Re-Sync before opening so the device has the latest data.
• Settle open bills before closing — Complete outstanding orders first so they are counted in the shift.
• Count carefully and investigate differences — A large over or short is worth checking before you finalise — recount and review pay-ins/pay-outs.
• Close before handover or logout — Always close the shift at the end of a session so the next person starts clean.

Common Pitfalls

• Opening with a zero float by habit — If there is real cash in the drawer, enter it — a zero float distorts the expected amount and the difference.
• Adjusting the drawer without recording it — Cash added or removed outside Pay In / Pay Out will show up as an unexplained difference at close.
• Closing with unpaid orders still open — Settle them first, or accept that they are excluded from this shift's report.
• Ignoring the difference — A difference is a signal, not just a number — recount and check cash movements before finalizing.
• Trying to log out with a shift open — Close the shift first; logout is blocked until you do.
• Forgetting to Re-Sync — If opening is blocked, sync the device rather than assuming the feature is broken.

Quick Reference

At a Glance

• Open a shift — Shift screen → Open Shift → enter Starting Cash → Continue. No PIN.
• Cash in / out — Shift screen → Cash Management → Amount + type (Pay In / Pay Out) + note → Save.
• Close a shift — Shift screen → Close Shift → count drawer → enter Actual Cash → check Difference → Close Shift.
• Report — Live read while open; final report after close; reprint from Shift History.

Glossary

• Shift — A work session on a store and device that all sales are recorded against; must be open to sell.
• Starting cash (float) — The opening cash placed in the drawer when the shift begins.
• Pay In / Pay Out — Cash added to, or removed from, the drawer during the shift.
• Expected cash — What the drawer should hold, calculated from the float and all cash activity.
• Actual cash — The counted cash in the drawer at close.
• Difference — Actual minus expected cash — over if positive, short if negative.
• Blind closing— A setting that hides cash figures until the shift is closed.