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The Custodian’s supervisor should periodically inspect the records and count the cash in the petty cash fund to ensure proper accountability. At the end of each month, the petty cash custodian creates journal entries for the amounts disbursed and brings the cash fund back to the starting value. Each disbursement requires a journal entry that credits Petty Cash and debits the expense account listed on the petty cash voucher. That’s a long way of saying it’s “shoebox money” for expenses which are usually too small to bother using a credit card or writing a check. Petty cash funds are small amounts of cash that businesses use to pay for low-cost expenses, like postage stamps or donuts for a meeting. But if you’re going to establish a petty cash fund at your small business, be prepared to create a petty cash accounting system. A simple petty cash book is just like the main cash book.

The word ‘Petty’ first appeared in the English language in the late fourteenth century. Etymology is the study of the origin of words and how their meanings have evolved over time.

4 4 Petty Cash Funds

If there are any odd transactions or the numbers don’t add up, you could be looking at theft. In this case, you might want to consider installing a camera or taking away access until you figure out who’s stealing. Having a small amount of cash in your office or at the store makes it much easier for office managers, bookkeepers, and supervisors to cover small expenses.

Purpose and Background Petty cash funds provide a useful and inexpensive way to make prompt cash payments for minor business expenses. By establishing a petty cash fund, a department or unit which normally incurs a large volume of minor expenses may realize a significant reduction in administrative work. In addition, payees will receive payment faster and employees may no longer walk to the campus Cashier/Bursar for reimbursement. For these reasons, departments are encouraged to establish petty cash funds where there is demonstrated need.

The Sum Of The Money On Hand And Petty Cash Receipts In A Petty Cash Fund Will Always Be Equal To

Because they’re debit – not credit – there’s no risk of overspending. The rules are clearly set, and team members have no choice to follow them. The system checks payments and receipts for you, so your books stay up to date. This places a little burden on the custodian, perhaps, but reduces the likelihood that receipts go missing or that amounts are in error. It also makes the eventual reconciliation process much faster, as the data entry has already been done. At the end of each month, when the petty cashier approaches the main cashier for reimbursement, the latter will prepare a cheque voucher.

Vouchers may be incomplete or vague, and team members may not understand the reasons why expense accounts need to be precise. These will then be assigned to your corresponding expense accounts. Reduction of the chance of cash misuse because the petty cashier is not allowed to keep idle cash.

Overview: What Is Petty Cash?

Cash on hand and receipts for disbursements made should always equal the assigned amount of the petty cash fund. This cash should be counted daily and logged using the Cash Count Sheet. Petty cash is a highly liquid asset, which means that it’s easily stolen.

Before issuing the payment, the petty cashier records the payment date, payment details , the PCV number, and the amount of the voucher . A record of petty cash is usually kept in a small book called a petty cash book. Departments are responsible to ensure that petty cash expenditures do not include Utah Sales Tax. Petty Cash funds will not be replenished for amounts paid in Utah Sales Tax without exception authorization from the cognizant Dean or equivalent position. When the cash fund becomes depleted, complete a Petty Cash Reimbursement Form and submit to Accounts Payable. The reimbursement form should be approved by the appropriate department head, with all applicable receipts attached. Petty cash isn’t usually a significant expense for your business.

How Petty Cash Works

Petty cash works on the imprest system, in which there is an initial amount of money put into an account, which is drawn upon for a specific purpose . When the account goes below a certain specified amount, the system is replenished. If these small expenses aren’t documented, a lot of money can go unclaimed. A little expense can be a significant amount in the long run.

Imprest Checking Accounts – In some cases it may be more efficient for departments to have petty cash in a USNH imprest checking account . An imprest checking account requires the additional approvals of the USNH Controller and Vice Chancellor. See Procedure 4-002, Imprest Checking Accounts, for further details.

Establishing Internal Controls For Petty Cash Funds

Complete theTransfer of Petty Cash/Cash in Drawer Fund Accountability Form. The new custodian will also need to be set up as a vendor in KFS.

If the vouchers total $130 but the fund needs only $125, the journal entry includes a $5 credit to the cash over and short account. As you start out, keep track of how much is in the petty cash box or drawer at the beginning of each day. As you make each payment, you will need petty cash slips or a transaction list. For each transaction, record the date, the amount, and what it was for. Every purchase using petty cash must be documented in the same way as other business income and expenses. Using a petty cash log or petty cash slips will help capture these expenses so they can be used to offset income for business tax purposes. Oversight of petty cash is important because of the potential for abuse.

Determine Who Will Manage Petty Cash

The petty cashier spends the imprest cash during the period. At the end of the period, the petty cashier submits the statements covering petty expenditures why is it called petty cash to the chief cashier. Your records must specify how and why payments were made. It is also crucial that all expenditures are business/work related.

• When the regular Custodian returns, the same procedures must be followed with the receipt retained by the temporary Custodian.
• In all businesses, some payments are made by check for better control over cash.
• On the DV, use payment reason “Z”, and make payable to the custodian of the petty cash/cash drawer account.
• The concept of petty cash still holds its importance through regular business expenses and keeping track of the transactions.
• Detailed USNH petty cash operating procedures as published by the USNH Controller follow.

The accounting journal entry to fund the account is a debit to Petty Cash and a credit to Cash for the total starting value. Notice that the petty cash account is debited or credited only when the fund is established or when the size of the fund is increased or decreased, not when the fund is replenished. Make sure that there is a reasonable amount of money in the petty cash fund and that it is enough to meet your company’s needs.

Examples of petty cash controls include a limit (such as 10% of the total fund) on disbursements and monthly audits by someone other than the custodian. Use of petty cash is sufficiently widespread that vouchers for use in reimbursement are available at any office supply store. Petty cash is a deductible expense; you can take advantage of petty cash by recording it systematically and claim business expenses to reduce business taxes.

• When thinking about petty cash, it’s important to think about how your business functions and what it requires.
• Complete theTransfer of Petty Cash/Cash in Drawer Fund Accountability Form.
• In a small business, this person is often the office manager or another trusted employee.
• Complete aEstablish a New Petty Cash/Cash in Drawer Fund or Change Initial Amount Form.
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• Whenever a petty expense is recorded in the total payment column, the same amount is recorded in the relevant petty expense column.

The sales amount would either be increased (overage, +amount) or decreased (shortage, -amount) for that day using object code 6400 Over/Short – Cash. Used to reduce the petty cash/cash drawer on hand.This account is not changed unless there is a change in the value of the petty cash/cash drawer. On the DV, use payment reason “Z”, and make payable to the custodian of the petty cash/cash drawer account. If you use the petty cash account to make change for customers, you will need to do a mini-audit at the end of each day. Start with beginning balance, cash in, cash out compared to transactions, and ending cash. Someone must check the account periodically so the balance doesn’t get too low.

But as we’ve written, company credit cards come with their own issues. Reconciling petty cash can be particularly challenging, given the small and inconsistent nature of these payments.