Store opening checklist
A store opening checklist runs from arrival to first customer in six blocks: safe entry, cash and registers, the previous night's handover, the sales floor, staff, and a final walk before the doors open. Copy the table below and start it 45 minutes before your opening time.
The checklist
Times assume a 10:00 am opening. Shift them to your hours.
| Time | Task | Who | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block 1: entry | |||
| 9:15 | Walk around the outside: doors, windows, signs of forced entry. If anything looks wrong, do not go in; call the manager or police. | Opener | |
| 9:15 | Enter, disarm the alarm, lock the door behind you | Opener | |
| 9:20 | Lights on, check restrooms, back room and back door | Opener | |
| Block 2: cash and registers | |||
| 9:20 | Open the safe; check the deposit bag number against last night's reconciliation sheet | Opener | |
| 9:25 | Count each float before it goes in a register; sign the float record | Opener (second person if on shift) | |
| 9:30 | If last night's count was sealed for a morning comparison, compare it with the end-of-day report and fill in the result | Manager or opener | |
| 9:35 | Turn on registers, card terminals, receipt printers; run a test receipt | Opener | |
| 9:35 | Check change supply: order coin rolls or small bills if the float log shows a shortage | Opener | |
| Block 3: handover | |||
| 9:40 | Read the closer's handover note; act on variances, stock outs and repairs | Opener | |
| 9:40 | Take the deposit to the bank, or schedule who takes it and when | Manager | |
| Block 4: sales floor | |||
| 9:45 | Walk the floor: shelves faced, prices and signs correct, promotions up | Floor staff | |
| 9:45 | Fill gaps on top sellers from back stock | Floor staff | |
| 9:50 | Clear walkways and exits; check fitting rooms | Floor staff | |
| Block 5: staff | |||
| 9:50 | Check who is scheduled today against who has clocked in; call anyone missing | Opener | |
| 9:55 | Two-minute huddle: sales target, promotions, breaks, who is on which register | Opener | |
| Block 6: open | |||
| 9:58 | Music and displays on; final walk of the entrance | Opener | |
| 10:00 | Open the door, flip the sign | Opener | |
The float count at open
Every drawer check depends on the float being right: expected cash = float + cash sales − paid-outs. If a $150.00 float is actually $140.00 because a $10 bill went missing overnight, every count that day reads $10.00 short, and the closer gets the blame.
Example float count for a $150.00 float:
| Denomination | Quantity | Value |
|---|---|---|
| $10 | 3 | $30.00 |
| $5 | 10 | $50.00 |
| $1 | 40 | $40.00 |
| Quarters (2 rolls of 40) | 80 | $20.00 |
| Dimes (1 roll of 50) | 50 | $5.00 |
| Nickels (2 rolls of 40) | 80 | $4.00 |
| Pennies (2 rolls of 50) | 100 | $1.00 |
| Total | $150.00 |
Coins per roll are from the US Mint glossary. Sizing the float is covered in how much cash to keep in a register.
When something is wrong at open
| Finding | Do this |
|---|---|
| Signs of forced entry | Stay outside; call police, then the owner |
| Float does not match the float record | Recount with a second person; note it on the float record before any sale |
| Deposit bag number differs from the sheet | Do not open the bag; call the manager |
| Register or card terminal will not start | Open with the working registers; log the fault in the handover note |
| Scheduled employee missing | Call them; then follow your sick-call steps |
Records
Keep the signed float record with the day's count sheets and register tape. The IRS lists cash register tapes and deposit information among the records that support gross receipts, and says to keep records for 3 years in the basic case.
The closer's side is the store closing checklist. Assistlify holds each location's published weekly schedule and its clock-in records, which are the two lists the Block 5 check compares.
Questions
What should be on a store opening checklist?
An outside check before entering, alarm and lights, float count and register startup, the closer's handover note, a sales-floor walk, a staff check against the schedule, then opening the door.
How early should the opener arrive?
The template starts 45 minutes before opening; adjust it to how long your float counts and floor walk take.
Why count the float at opening?
Expected cash equals float plus cash sales minus paid-outs, so a float that is $10 short at open makes every count that day read $10 short.
What if the store looks broken into when I arrive?
Do not go in. Call the police from outside, then the owner or manager.
Sources
- US Mint Kids: Coin Glossary (entry: roll) (checked 2026-11-12)
- IRS: What kind of records should I keep (checked 2026-11-12)