Build the daily sales trail
Retain the till summary, void/refund approvals, card or digital-payment totals and a physical cash count. List cash removed for expenses or deposited into the bank. Opening till float belongs in the cash control, not sales.
Suggested record groups are cash sales, card/digital sales, sales returns, stock purchases, shop running costs and owner drawings. They are a starting classification map, not a prescribed chart of accounts.
| Transaction | Evidence | Control risk |
|---|---|---|
| Till refund | Original sale and authorised return | Refund used to conceal cash shortage |
| Cash banked | Deposit reference and till movement | Deposit recorded as another sale |
| Stock received on credit | Supplier bill and goods count | Payment recorded but stock receipt missing |
| Owner takes goods | Item, quantity and approval | Unexplained stock difference |
Join physical stock to purchasing
Record quantities received and damaged or returned goods. Compare counted quantities with the stock record before changing balances. A cash payment to a supplier does not explain which items were received.
Keep cost records behind the stock movement so an accountant can review valuation and cost of goods sold. Stock purchases and the cost of items sold are different measures; this page does not choose a valuation method for the shop.
Month-end service fit
Bookkeeping support can organise daily sales summaries, supplier bills, payment allocations and reconciliation exceptions. The shop still supplies reliable counts and approves refunds, drawings and corrections.
Adapt the workflow to your actual till and stock systems with your operator and accountant. The example below uses fictional transactions to explain the control; it does not describe typical results for Sri Lankan retailers.
Worked example
Check expected till cash
Fictional day: LKR 10,000 float, LKR 75,000 cash sales, LKR 5,000 cash refunds, LKR 3,000 approved cash expense and LKR 60,000 deposited. Actual closing count LKR 16,500.
- Cash before outflowsFloat plus cash sales.
- LKR 85,000.00
- Expected closing tillRefunds, expense and bank deposit reduce till cash.
- LKR 17,000.00
- Count differenceActual less expected.
- -LKR 500.00
The LKR 500 shortage needs investigation. Neither the float nor the bank deposit is new sales revenue.
Frequently asked questions
Are stock purchases the same as cost of goods sold?
No. Some purchased stock may remain unsold. Count and cost records help the accountant determine the relevant expense.
Can the bank deposit be recorded as daily sales?
If the cash sale is already recorded, the deposit is a transfer of that cash. Keep its deposit reference to avoid duplication.
Sources and limits
Illustrative retail workflow, not audit assurance. No local statutory obligations, typical margins or inventory valuation conclusions are asserted.
- IFRS Foundation — IAS 2 overview
Background on inventory cost and expense recognition; local applicability and valuation choices require accounting review.
Accessed: 2026-10-08 - Finance Desk LK — current service scope
Current service boundaries. Confirm the work, exclusions and quotation in writing before an engagement begins.
Accessed: 2026-10-08