As the term “ open cash register ” suggests, this is a type of cash register that does not require any technical elements. Rather, the money is stored here, for example, in a cassette, sometimes even in a standard box, and managed accordingly. Even if the rules here seem relatively relaxed at first glance, it is of course important that you keep proper bookkeeping in connection with an open tillnotice. The processes must of course also be absolutely comprehensible for third parties so that a tax auditor, for example, can quickly get an idea of the respective business transactions. Conversely, this means that the manager of the open cash register must of course also document the various business transactions.
What is an open till?
The current German legislation states that there is no cash register obligation in Germany. Therefore, among other things, you have the option of opting for an open till. Due to the fact that you do not rely on technical support here, such as with the electronic cash register, you have to make the corresponding records manually. In general, you must of course also create a cash report (as a daily closing) for the open cash register.
After all, you can determine the income for the entire day. These are calculated based on the following formula:
Cash balance of the day minus cash balance of the previous day minus any cash receipts. To this total you add all expenses and cash withdrawals. The result: the daily income.
The open till in the catering and retail trade
Entrepreneurs in the field of gastronomy can freely decide whether they prefer an open checkout or the electronic cash register. Unfortunately, today and with the introduction of the legal requirements for cash register systems, the stubborn prejudice is that an electronic cash register variant would have to be chosen in the catering industry. However, this is not the truth. Because both restaurateurs and retailers can opt for the open checkout without any problems. You can even switch from “electronic” to “manual” here.
The open cash register at the hairdresser’s
As already mentioned at the beginning, various companies can be exempted from their record-keeping obligations in connection with an open till. However, this does not apply to the classic hairdressing business. Because according to the law, it can be expected of the hairdressing salons to make the said individual recordings. The reason: in contrast to the retail trade, hairdressing businesses usually know the names of their customers (for example, based on a customer database). It is therefore reasonable to carry out the corresponding recordings according to the GoBD.
Cash register or open cash register?
Not only new founders, but also many companies with many years of experience are wondering whether a cash register or an open cash register is the better solution for them. Unfortunately, there is no general answer to this question. Rather, it is important to compare the advantages of both variants and then decide on an individual basis. For example, those who prefer the open checkout will opt for the solution with the lower acquisition costs and a comparatively high degree of flexibility. In addition, the open till works without electricity.
On the other hand, on the basis of cash registers, time can be saved simply due to the fact that no manual daily closing has to be created. Often the manufacturer also integrated sales statistics. You can expand many cash registers with additional elements, such as a receipt printer or a card reader.
If both variants are allowed in your industry, it is important to take your own expectations into account and, if necessary, to discuss this topic with your employees.
Requirements for an open till
If you rely on the advantages of an open till, the probability is high that it will be examined in great detail during a tax audit . It is therefore of course important to prevent a complaint from the outset and to deal with the rules of proper bookkeeping. The advantage: the regular records also make business developments much easier to understand. The GoBD-compliant documentation of the cash register Documentation is useful in many ways. But what does this actually mean for everyday business with the open till?
GoBD compliant – what is it?
According to the principles of proper bookkeeping, an uninvolved third party must be able to quickly familiarize himself with the relevant processes of the open cash register. A key word that plays an important role in this context is the individual recording requirement, from which – as mentioned above – deviations are only made in exceptional cases. Important: if you are generally not obliged to make individual recordings, but if you still decide to do so, the records must of course be true and complete!
The following “rules” also apply:
- The income and expenses must be documented every day.
- Cash receipts or cash expenditures must be verifiable by the corresponding receipts.
- With regard to the day’s income, it makes sense to create a counting log (and have it signed by the person responsible).
- Cash reports must be numbered and kept chronologically.
Depending on the auditor, it may also be that he does not recognize a cash report prepared with Excel. How so? You could also change the reports here spontaneously again and again. If you want to be on the safe side, you either rely on a relevant program or handwrite your corresponding values in the open till.
