What is a blind cash count?
A blind cash count is a drawer count done by someone who has not been told how much cash the register says should be there; a manager compares the written count with the expected figure afterward. Because the counter cannot see the target, they cannot stop counting when the number "looks right" or adjust the total to match.
How a blind count works
| Step | Who | Sees expected cash? |
|---|---|---|
| 1. End sales on the register | Manager | No |
| 2. Count the drawer and write the total on the slip | Cashier or closer | No |
| 3. Sign the slip and hand it over with the drawer | Cashier or closer | No |
| 4. Run the register's end-of-shift report | Manager | Yes |
| 5. Compute over/short and recount if it exceeds the threshold | Manager (with cashier present for the recount) | Yes |
| 6. Log the result | Manager | Yes |
If your register shows expected cash on the close screen, the manager runs that screen only after step 3. If it can be hidden for cashier logins, hide it.
Worked example
Example: the cashier counts the drawer and writes $588.40 on the slip without seeing any report. The manager then pulls the report: float $150.00, cash sales $441.20, no paid-outs. Expected cash = 150.00 + 441.20 = $591.20. Over/short = 588.40 − 591.20 = −$2.80. The store's written threshold is $5.00, so the manager logs a $2.80 short with no recount.
In an open count the cashier would have known the target was $591.20. A cashier who found $588.40 could recount until the stack "found" another $2.80, or stop counting once the total reached $591.20 even if more cash was in the drawer. A blind count removes both options; the counted number is the number.
Blind count vs open count
| Blind count | Open count | |
|---|---|---|
| Counter knows the target | No | Yes |
| Counting errors show up as variances | Yes | Can be "corrected" toward the target |
| Needs a second person | Yes, to compare (can be the next morning) | No |
| Time at close | Same count, plus the comparison | Count only |
| Over/short log is trustworthy by cashier | Yes | Less so |
Blind count slip (template)
| Field | Filled by |
|---|---|
| Date, store, register, shift | Counter |
| Bills by denomination (quantity) | Counter |
| Coins: rolls and loose, by denomination | Counter |
| Total counted | Counter |
| Checks and slips (listed, not totaled with cash) | Counter |
| Counter signature and time | Counter |
| Expected cash (float + cash sales − paid-outs) | Manager |
| Over/short and recount result | Manager |
| Manager signature | Manager |
The counting steps are in how to count a cash drawer, and the cash drawer calculator totals the denominations.
Blind counts with one person closing
- The closer counts, fills in the top half of the slip, signs it and seals it in the deposit bag with the cash.
- The closer does not run the end-of-day report, or runs it and seals it unread in a separate envelope.
- The opener or manager compares the next morning, before the bag goes to the bank, and fills in the bottom half.
What a blind count does not catch
- Cash from a sale that was never rung: it never enters expected cash, so the drawer balances. Stock counts catch this, not drawer counts.
- Errors in the float: if the float was miscounted at open, every count that day carries the error. Count the float at open with initials.
- Card sales keyed as cash: compare the POS card total with the processor batch (see end-of-day cash reconciliation).
After a variance
A blind count gives you a clean number per cashier; what you do with it has limits. The US Department of Labor's Fact Sheet #16 (revised July 2009) lists a minimum wage cashier being required to reimburse a cash drawer shortage as an example of an illegal practice, because a deduction may not bring pay below the $7.25 federal minimum wage or cut into overtime. State rules can be stricter. This is general information, not legal advice. Check your state labor department for current rules.
Keep signed slips with the register tapes. The IRS lists cash register tapes and deposit information as records that support gross receipts.
Questions
What is the purpose of a blind cash count?
It stops the counter from adjusting the count toward the expected amount, because they write the total before seeing what the register says should be there.
Who should do a blind count?
The cashier or closer counts and signs; a manager who did not count compares the total with float plus cash sales minus paid-outs.
Can one person do a blind count?
Yes, if the closer seals the signed count with the cash and a manager compares it with the register report the next morning before the deposit goes out.
Does a blind count catch unrung sales?
No. Cash from a sale never rung is not in expected cash, so the drawer still balances; stock counts catch that loss.
Sources
- US DOL Wage and Hour Division, Fact Sheet #16: Deductions From Wages (revised July 2009) (checked 2026-11-12)
- IRS: What kind of records should I keep (checked 2026-11-12)