New Register Management
Zenoti has introduced the enhanced manage register feature for well-structured workflows for handling cash, covering all key activities—including opening registers at the start of the day, mid-day cash adjustments, and seamless end-of-day register closure. These workflows improve visibility, reduce human error, and enforce compliance with business rules.
Key Updates:
Supports structured opening of registers and logging of mid-day activities.
Enables tracking of petty cash transactions, tip payouts, and mid-day reconciliations.
Supports entering cash by denominations during every cash count entry.
Note
The new Register Management feature is now in Beta! Reach out to your Zenoti Customer Success Manager to join the program.
Open Register
Opening the register refers to the process of declaring the cash amount available in the register at the beginning of the business day. This declared amount serves as the opening balance and forms the basis for tracking all subsequent cash transactions that include sales, refunds, and adjustments, throughout the day. It ensures accountability and facilitates accurate reconciliation at the end of the day.
As a front desk operator, your first task of the day is to open the register. This step starts the daily cash-handling process and must be completed before any transactions can occur.
If enabled, opening the register becomes mandatory. You must:
Record the opening cash amount, either directly or by entering denominations.
Review the previous day’s closing balance. If there’s a mismatch, Zenoti prompts you to enter a note explaining the adjustment.
If the previous day’s register was not closed, the system will prompt you to close it first.
This process ensures a seamless cash flow and accurate starting balances.
To open the register, follow these steps:
Navigate to the appointment book.
Click Manage Register > Open Register.
Enter the opening balance. If there is any mismatch between the previous closure balance and the opening balance, the difference is shown next to the opening balance.
Zenoti calculates the Adjustment = Opening Balance − Previous Closure Balance
If there’s a difference, you must enter Notes. This is a mandatory step.
Click Save and open register.
Mid-day Count
Mid-day count refers to the process of reconciling the register’s cash during business hours, typically between shift changes. It allows teams to verify the actual cash in the register against the system’s expected amount (if enabled), helping maintain consistent accuracy in cash tracking.
As a front desk operator, you can perform mid-day counts during shift changes or before cash is collected for deposit. This feature is particularly valuable for salons with extended operating hours or multiple shifts throughout the day.
When you initiate a Mid-day count, you follow a process similar to register closure. You record the current cash, and Zenoti calculates any discrepancies between the actual and expected amounts. If the amounts do not match, the system prompts you to enter a reason. Zenoti logs each count and allows you to perform multiple mid-day counts during the day, ensuring transparency and accountability across all shifts.
To view expected cash, current cash, and to add cash in register, follow these steps:
Navigate to the appointment book.
Click Manage Register > Mid-day count.
Click the add icon to add cash or click the remove icon to remove cash.
The Current cash in drawer field displays the current cash in the register.
Click Apply.
Adjustments are auto calculated.
Zenoti calculates Adjustment = Current Balance − Expected Balance
Enter notes if there is a difference between expected and actual cash.
Click Save entry.
Click the View register entries hyperlink to view all the transaction logs here.
Users can perform multiple actions during the day such as, add cash, remove cash, or adding petty cash.
Add cash
As a front desk operator, you can use the Add cash feature to record any extra cash that is added to the register during the day. You can use this when the amount of cash available is not enough to manage guest transactions smoothly.
For example, the salon has several walk-in guests paying with large bills. The front desk does not have enough smaller bills to return change. The manager adds $200 in smaller denominations and records it using Add Cash, with a note, ‘Added cash to manage change for guests.’
To add cash to the register, follow these steps:
Click Add cash.
Enter the amount that you want to add.
Enter notes.
Click Save entry.
Remove Cash
As a front desk operator, you can use the Remove Cash feature to record any cash that is taken out of the register during the day. This may be for paying out employee tips or moving cash from one register to another register.
For example,
Tips Payout: After completing a few high-value services, the front desk pays $50 in tips to a stylist and records it as a tip payout.
Register Transfer: The spa section in the same salon is short on cash. The front desk transfers $100 from the main register and logs it using the Register Transfer option.
To remove cash from the register, follow these steps:
Tips payout tab
Click Remove cash.
Click the Tips payout tab.
Enter the amount.
Select the employee receiving the tip.
Enter notes.
Click Save entry.
Note
If the selected employee has not earned any tips for the day, Zenoti will block the payout. It will also display the message, This employee hasn't earned tips today—payout not applicable.
If you enter a payout amount that’s more than what the employee earned in tips, Zenoti will block it. It will also display the message, Payout cannot exceed tips earned today.
Zenoti monitors the tips earned by each employee throughout the day and ensures that payouts do not exceed the total amount of tips actually earned.
For example, if a stylist has earned $120 in tips on a given day, and already received a payout of $80, Zenoti will allow only up to $40 for the next payout from the current register.
Register transfer tab
Click Remove cash.
Click the Register transfer tab.
Enter the amount.
Select the register to which you want to transfer cash.
Enter notes.
Click Save entry.
Petty Cash
As a front desk operator, you can use the Petty Cash feature to track small, everyday expenses such as buying coffee or office supplies or to record small amounts of money that are received.
To log minor expenses, follow these steps:
Expense
Click Petty cash.
Select the category of expense that you want to log.
Enter the amount used.
Enter notes.
Click Save entry.
Receipt
Click Petty cash.
Select the source of the received cash.
Select the category.
Enter the amount received.
Enter notes.
Click Save entry.
Close register
Close register refers to the final step in the daily cash handling workflow. As a front desk operator, you can use this to reconcile all cash activity at the end of the business day, enter the actual cash physically present in the register, compare it with the expected amount, and record any necessary adjustments or deposits.
This ensures that:
All cash collected throughout the day such as services and walk-ins is properly accounted for.
Tips, payouts, petty cash, or other mid-day transactions have been recorded.
Any leftover cash is deposited or safely transferred per salon policy.
For example, at the end of the day, a receptionist counts the total cash in the drawer and finds it to be $820. Zenoti shows an expected amount of $850 and calculates it is $30 short. The receptionist enters a note, ‘Missing tip entry for stylist’ and closes the register. If the salon is depositing cash, the FDO enters the deposit details and saves the entry.
To edit the actuals or make a deposit before closing the register, follow these steps:
Navigate to the appointment book.
Click Manage Register > Close Register.
Click the edit icon against the actual amount.
Enter the current cash in the register.
Add or remove cash as required.
Click Save count.
Enter notes for closing the register.
Enter the deposit amount if required.
Enter the bank name.
Enter notes for the deposit.
Click Close register.
Zenoti calculates Adjustment = Actual − Expected
If Automatic Register Closure is enabled, Zenoti assumes Actual = Expected and closes the register automatically.
Scenario
For example, you open the register in the morning with $150. This is your opening balance.
By noon,
You added $300 in sales.
You paid $20 in cash tips to your staff.
To understand how much cash should be in the register, which is the expected amount,
Expected Cash = Opening Cash + Sales - Tips Paid
Expected Cash = $150 + $300 - $20 = $430
You count the cash in the drawer and find $440.
This means there’s $10 more than expected which is the adjustment.
Adjustment = Actual Cash - Expected Cash
Adjustment = $440 - $430 = +$10
You have more cash than expected. This could be due to a mistake in entering sales, missed tips, or simply an over-collection.
Configure register management
At the center level, if the Enhanced Register Closure Management setting is,
Enabled: all the center-level sub-settings are visible.
Disabled: the sub-settings do not apply, and only legacy register closure applies
Sub-settings
Mandatory Opening of Register
Enabled: Transactions can still be processed but register-related actions such as mid-day counts, petty cash, tips, and closure are blocked until the register is opened.
Disabled: Register-related actions and transactions can be performed without opening the register.
Automatic Register Closure
Enabled: Auto-close if actual = expected. The tips are deducted automatically.
Disabled: Manual reconciliation needed. The tips must be manually entered during closure.
Block Payments if Register Not Closed
Enabled: Prevents new payments if prior register not closed.
Disabled: Payments allowed regardless.
Block Register Closure with Open Invoices
Always honored, prevents closure with open invoices.
Note
The sub-settings apply only when the Enhanced Register Closure Management setting is enabled. However, the Block Register Closure with Open Invoices setting applies even if Enhanced Register Closure Management is disabled.
If the Mandatory Opening of Register setting is enabled, a pop-up appears when attempting to take a payment, blocking the action and prompting you to open the register first.
Setting Permutations and Workflow Impact
The Manage Register workflow behavior depends on how specific system settings are configured at the center level. The table below outlines different combinations of these settings and how each impacts the day-to-day cash handling process.
Combination | Settings | Workflow Impact |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 | Enhanced Register Closure Management: Disabled |
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5 |
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6 |
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