📘 How a bank teller's cash desk works
Hello. Let's explore the bank cash desk.
1. A small analogy
Mrs Habiba, a hardworking woman from Dynio, leaves CFA 100,000 with her daughter at month-end. Electricity costs 50,000 and water 20,000. The landlord calls to collect rent of 150,000, but she has only 30,000 left. Fortunately, Jean repays a 125,000 debt. She handles everything and has 5,000 remaining.
2. Withdrawals
Mrs Achta comes to withdraw money. Each teller has been entrusted with ten million to serve customers. To reflect this advance, Abdoul's account shows minus ten million.
If Achta withdraws three million, her account is debited and the cash-desk account credited. Abdoul hands over the money, and his account now shows minus seven million.
3. Deposits
Mouloum deposits two million. Teller Alida adds it to her cash. Her cash-desk account is debited to credit the customer's account and now shows minus twelve million.
Deposits and withdrawals continue throughout the day. At closing, physical cash should equal the absolute value of each teller's account balance.
Alida returns the remaining cash to her supervisor, who credits her cash-desk account by the same amount. Its balance becomes zero: her day is closed, and she can leave.
4. Cash surplus or shortage
If available cash differs from the recorded balance at day-end, one or more customers may have received too much or too little. Human error can happen to anyone, intentionally or otherwise. This is a cash shortage or surplus.
5. Practical controls
Cash handling carries significant risks: counting errors, counterfeit notes and fraud. Banks implement transaction limits, double-checking procedures, secure safes, continuous video surveillance, risk allowances encouraging fewer teller errors and unannounced control or audit checks.