are common, as a dishonest customer attempts to defraud a cashier by saying verbally, "And I'll pay with a $50" but only passing the cashier a smaller bill hoping the cashier will provide change as for a larger bill, or doing other things to attempt to confuse the cashier. In any instance of an unusual transaction, the cashier should print and save a duplicate receipt in order that the store's Loss Prevention may investigate the transaction should the till not balance. Overages occur from taking too much money from customers, not entering the tender correctly other otherwise issuing incorrect change, or not entering items in the point of sale terminal properly. Honesty and accuracy are paramount. Over/Short Cash overages/shortages are usually expressed in several ways. This example shows how it is expressed in writing and how a register printout would show them. Overage $12.34: is written as +12.34; is printed out as: $12.34 or +$12.34. Shortage $12.34 is written as: -12.34; is printed out as: ($12.34) or -$12.34. References Corporate finance