Cash Drawers

A cash drawer is one of the simplest bits of retail kit – but probably the one item that every retailer needs.

A standard cash drawer is heavy item made from thick gauge steel to prevent somebody breaking in. Usually a retailer will build a cash drawer into their counters on a shelf or similar, this stops precious counter space being occupied by the cumbersome cash drawer, and also keeps it out of side of opportunist thieves.

Most cash drawers are electrically operated. Usually there are two choices. Older cash drawers will have an RS232 interface which connects to the computer, and a separate power supply. A computer serial port cannot generate the current required to activate the solenoid which releases the drawer. The drawer usually opens by means of a spring which is compressed when the drawer is slammed shut.

Newer cash drawers do not have a separate power supply, they have one small connector, usually RJ12, like a phone cable. This connects to the rear of a receipt printer. Most receipt printers have these ports these days, and they are specifically to fire the current needed to open the till drawer.

Both types can usually be interrogated by the computer to read the status of the till drawer – open or closed. Many software developers use this information to force you to close the till drawer before proceeding with the next transaction.

Clearly, if you have one of the later style cash drawers , you need a compatible printer as well. The advantage of this arrangement is that it cuts down on the number of ports used on the computer, the wiring and reduces the number of power supplies required.

One of the most common faults with cash drawers is a failure for the operator to switch on the receipt printer!

Needless to say, your retail software needs to support the different types. They won’t just work by magic. Most retail software will allow you to configure the till drawer to only open for certain tender types. A lot of till drawers feature slots in the front to post in cheques and card receipts without the security risk of opening the drawer.

It is also usually to have a removable inner compartment. This means that the cash holding compartment can be lifted out and taken to a back office for cashing up etc. It is possible to buy the inners separately so that you can swap out one drawer of cash and put an empty one in.

Most shops will leave the cash drawers open at night to clearly show nosey types that the drawer contains no cash. The drawer can usually be operated by keys as well. You can even mechanically lock the cash drawer so that the software cannot operate it.

Some shops will share a cash drawer amongst a number of tills – a bit of IT cunning can allow multiple computers to open one common shared cash drawer. See