> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.ofatoura.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Opening and Closing Shifts on the ePOS App

> Learn how to open a shift with starting cash, record cash movements, and close out with the denomination wizard on the oFatoura waiter app.

Shifts let you track your cash drawer from the moment it opens to the moment it closes. When shift management is turned on for your branch, staff must open a shift before taking orders. At end of day — or end of a turn — you count the cash by entering individual denomination values, and the app calculates whether the drawer matches what it expects.

<Note>
  The Shifts section is only visible on your device if your branch administrator has enabled shift management. If you see a "shift management disabled" message, contact your manager or check [Waiter App (ePOS) Settings](/settings/waiter-app-settings).
</Note>

## Permissions

You need the **Manage Shifts** permission to open, close, and record cash transactions. Accepting a shift that has a cash variance also requires a manager's authorization.

***

## Opening a shift

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to the Shifts tab">
    From the bottom navigation bar on your device, tap **Shift**. If no shift is currently open, you will see the open-shift form.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the starting cash">
    Type the amount of cash already in the drawer before any sales take place. This figure must be zero or greater.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Tap Open Shift">
    The shift starts immediately. You are taken to the active shift summary, and the POS is now ready to accept orders.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Viewing the active shift summary

While a shift is open, the **Shift** tab shows a live summary so you can monitor the cash position at any time.

| Summary field        | What it shows                                                               |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Opened at / by       | Date, time, and name of the person who opened the shift                     |
| Starting cash        | The amount entered when the shift was opened                                |
| Total sales          | Cumulative sales collected during the shift                                 |
| Cash in / Cash out   | Manual cash movements recorded during the shift                             |
| Expected cash        | What the drawer should contain (starting cash + sales + cash-in − cash-out) |
| Net cash flow        | Movement in the drawer since opening                                        |
| Session elapsed time | How long the current shift has been running                                 |

***

## Recording cash movements

During a shift you can log money going into or out of the drawer for reasons other than sales — for example, petty cash or a till float top-up.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Tap Cash In or Cash Out">
    On the active shift screen, tap the **Cash In** or **Cash Out** button.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the amount and reason">
    Type the cash amount and an optional reason (for example, "petty cash — cleaning supplies"). The reason appears in the shift detail and on the closing report.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm">
    Tap **Confirm**. The summary totals update immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Recording a reason — even a brief one — makes it much easier to reconcile the drawer at the end of the shift and to answer manager questions later.
</Tip>

***

## Closing a shift

Closing a shift walks you through a denomination-entry wizard so the app can calculate whether your physical cash matches the expected amount.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Tap Close Shift">
    On the active shift screen, tap **Close Shift**. The denomination wizard opens.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Count and enter denominations">
    For each bill and coin denomination listed, enter how many you have in the drawer. The wizard shows denominations appropriate for your branch currency (for example, 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.1, 0.05). The wizard calculates a running total as you type.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the variance">
    After you have entered all denominations, the app compares your counted total against the expected cash figure and shows the variance — the difference between the two.

    * **No variance** — you can close the shift immediately.
    * **Variance exists** — you must get a manager to authorize the close (see below).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a variance note (if needed)">
    If there is a discrepancy, you can type an optional note explaining it before requesting authorization.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm or get manager authorization">
    If there is no variance, tap **Close Shift** to finalize. If a variance exists, a manager authorization prompt appears — a manager or supervisor enters their PIN to approve and close the shift.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Once a shift is closed it cannot be reopened. Make sure your denomination counts are correct before confirming.
</Warning>

### Manager authorization for variance

When your counted cash does not match the expected amount, the app blocks the close until a manager approves it. A manager or supervisor taps the authorization prompt and enters their PIN. The override token is valid for 60 seconds — enough time to complete the close. The variance and any note you entered are saved in the shift record.

***

## Viewing shift history

The **History** tab on the Shifts screen lists all past shifts for your branch.

* **Filter by status** — show only open or closed shifts.
* **Filter by date range** — narrow results to a specific period.

Tap any shift in the list to open the detail view, which shows the full summary, all payments taken during that shift, and every cash transaction recorded.

<Tip>
  For a higher-level view of shift performance and cash approval workflows, your manager can review shifts from the web dashboard under [Shifts and Cash Register Overview](/operations/index).
</Tip>

***

## Related

* [ePOS Home Dashboard](/epos-app/home-dashboard)
* [ePOS App Settings and Manager Overrides](/epos-app/settings-and-overrides)
* [Opening, Closing, and Reviewing Shifts (web admin)](/operations/shifts)
* [Cash Register Sessions and Denominations](/operations/cash-register-sessions)
* [Staff and Permissions Overview](/staff/index)