Digital Float & Shift Settlement

Digital float replaces physical cash floats with a virtual system. The cashier issues a virtual credit limit to each waiter — orders deduct from it, deposits restore it. At the end of the shift, the system calculates exactly what's owed.

Why Digital Float

Without digital float, waiters carry physical cash and reconcile manually at end of shift. With digital float:

• Every order is tracked against the waiter who placed it
• The cashier sees each waiter's balance in real time
• End-of-shift settlement is calculated automatically — no manual counting
• Shortfalls are recorded and attributed

How It Works

Available Float = Issued Float - Total Sales + Deposits

1. Start of shift — Cashier issues float (e.g., KES 5,000)
2. During shift — Each order deducts from available float. When float is low, cashier refloats
3. Customer pays — Waiter collects payment, marks order as collected on tablet
4. Deposit — Waiter hands cash to cashier, who records a deposit. Float is restored
5. End of shift — Cashier previews settlement, then closes. Any shortfall is recorded

Setting Up Digital Float

1. Go to Settings > Business in the dashboard
2. Set Cash Mode to Digital Float
3. Set a Default Credit Limit (e.g., KES 5,000) — this is the default float amount per waiter
4. Optionally set per-waiter limits from Finance > Waiter Float

Daily Operations

Issuing Float

At the start of each shift:

1. Go to Finance > Waiter Float in the dashboard
2. Click Issue Float
3. Select the waiter and enter the amount
4. Save

The waiter can now take orders on their tablet.

Refloating

If a waiter runs low on float mid-shift:

1. Go to Finance > Waiter Float
2. Click Refloat
3. Select the waiter and enter the additional amount
4. Save — the waiter's available float increases immediately

Recording Deposits

When a waiter hands over cash:

1. Go to Finance > Waiter Float > Cash Deposits
2. Click Record Deposit
3. Select the waiter and enter the amount
4. Save — the waiter's available float is restored

Claiming Electronic Payments

When a customer pays via M-PESA or card, the waiter claims the payment on their tablet:

1. Waiter taps the order in their tablet
2. Waiter taps Claim Payment
3. If it's M-PESA, they select the matching transaction
4. The payment is claimed and the waiter's float is restored automatically

Closing a Shift

At end of shift:

1. Go to Finance > Waiter Float > Shift Settlement
2. Select the waiter — preview the settlement numbers
3. Review: total sales, total deposits, amount owed, shortfall
4. If the waiter still has cash to deposit, enter it as Final Deposit
5. Click Close Shift

The system records the settlement and the waiter's shift is complete. All orders from that shift are finalized.

Settlement Formula

Line	Description
Total Sales	Sum of all orders placed by this waiter this shift
Total Deposits	Cash handed over + claimed electronic payments
Amount Owed	Total Sales - Total Deposits
Shortfall	Amount Owed if positive (waiter owes this much)

If the waiter deposited more than they sold (overpayment), the excess is returned to the cash drawer.

Float Status

The dashboard shows each waiter's float status:

Status	Meaning
Green	Plenty of room — waiter can take orders
Amber	Getting low — consider refloating soon
Red	Very low — refloat needed
Blocked	No available float — orders rejected until refloated

TIP

To avoid waiters being blocked mid-shift, set the credit limit high enough for a full shift's worth of orders, or refloat proactively when you see amber status.

Cash Modes

Digital float is one of three cash modes available:

Mode	How it works	Best for
Prepay	Customers pay before orders are placed	Quick-service, takeaway
Micro Credit	Physical cash float, tracked per waiter	Traditional restaurants
Digital Float	Virtual float, automatic settlement	Tablet/tableside ordering

Change modes from Settings > Business > Cash Mode.