Daily management
Reducing checkout errors: seven causes, seven fixes
· 5 min read
One checkout error in a hundred sales seems like very little. Over a year, that’s several thousand euros and needless tension. Most of them have specific causes.
Giving change from memory
This is the number one source of error. The fix: always go through the payment screen, enter the amount received, and read the change displayed.
Prices that change and aren’t kept in sync
A price changed on the label but not in the register, or the other way round. The fix: a single source of truth — the register — with labels generated from it.
Items keyed in by hand
Typing in a free-form amount invites typos. The fix: buttons for common items, and a scan for the rest.
Discounts given without a record
An unrecorded “I’ll give you a deal” throws off both the till and the margin. The fix: a discount button, with a reason attached, visible in the report.
Untracked cancellations
Cancelling a line item without it showing anywhere opens the door to abuse. The fix: cancellations are logged, counted, and available to review.
VAT applied incorrectly
An item at 6% rung up at 21% (or the other way round) during manual entry. The fix: the rate is attached to the item, not picked on the fly.
Rush-hour fatigue
At peak times, everything moves fast. The fix: a big-button interface, designed to be used without thinking, and change always displayed on screen.