The terms X-Out and Z-Out originated in the world of cash registers. Registers commonly had a key-operated lock with several positions: one for normal operation, one labeled “X”, and another labeled “Z.” After inserting a key (normally in a manager’s possession) and turning it to the “X” position, the register would print a running total of the activity for that register from the point it was last reset to zero, or zeroed out. The “Z” position would “zero out” the register totals at the end of a shift or business day.
QuickBooks POS uses this same terminology for 3 similar X/Z-Out reports:
- the X-Out Status Report (accessed on the Reports->Cash Drawer->General – X-Out Status Report menu selection)
- the Z-Out Drawer Count Report (accessed on the Reports->Cash Drawer->General – Z-Out Drawer Count Report menu selection)
- the Z-Out Store Close Report (accessed on the Reports->Cash Drawer->General – Z-Out Store Close Report menu selection)
The X-Out Status Report is designed to provide an update on sales activity to that point in the day since the register was last closed by running the End of Day Procedure (on the Point of Sale->End of Day Procedure menu selection).
The Z-Out Drawer Count Report is intended to reconcile the cash drawer at the end of a business day. In a multiple workstation environment, this report is normally run before running the Z-Out Store Close Report.
Because the purpose of this report is to reconcile the cash drawer, the Z-Out Drawer Count Report can be configured to require a manual media count, or a physical count of the individual bill denominations. To set this preference, click the Sales submenu on the Edit->Preferences->Company menu selection. Check the box on the Require a manual media count for X/Z Out preference.
With that preference enabled, you’ll be required to enter the physical count for each bill and coin type on the Media Count window, and QuickBooks will calculate the total cash on hand. This is a safeguard to reduce the chance of error when entering the amount of cash on hand in the register.
When the Count you enter matches the expected amount of currency in the register, you’re in balance – with neither a shortage (less money on hand than expected) or an overage (more money on hand than expected). You can now click Ok to display and print the Z-Out Drawer Count Report.
The Z-Out Store Close Report, as its name indicates, is run when closing the store at the end of the day. This report is designed for installations with multiple workstations. After all workstations have reconciled the cash drawer by running the Z-Out Drawer Count Report, the Z-Out Store Close Report will report on all sales activity from all workstations and all cashiers for the period since the End of Day Procedure was last run (on the Point of Sale->End of Day Procedure menu selection). This report is not designed to assist in reconciling the cash drawer, so it doesn’t include the ability to do a media count on the cash drawer.
Here are samples of all 3 reports: the X-Out Status Report, the Z-Out Drawer Count Report, and the Z-Out Store Close Report.
You can select any of these 3 reports as part of the End of Day Procedure, and you can print them on either 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper or 40 column receipt paper. This preference is managed on the Documents & Printers submenu on the Edit->Preferences->Workstation menu selection.
I know how to change the store in POS for sales but how do you change it for a Payout. Also when I run the z-out store close and I filter the date ‘excluding’ one store that store shows up as the store on the top of the report but the data is correct for the included stores. Just the label is wrong…How do I fix this?
How do I zero out the register? and when does it restart as a new day?
Do both the x out status report and the z out draw counts zero out the register??
For 3 days when I do the z count and and end of day the non- currency is still accounting for the previous days it will not zero it self out and start each day at zero how can I reset it cause when I try to do the count it keeps telling me I have 2,987.00 in non-curency and that my cash drawer is short when its not ……help
Ok Another question.
I have been using the POS system for a month now and yesterday I started noticing something weird happening during closing . When I print my reports the CHARGED TO ACCOUNT (credits) is deducting from my sales (total available for deposit) .
Why is this ?
If anyone has a solution to this and there are steps to correct this please explain in detail.
Thank you.
1]In the morning before Opening up the store, is there a way to do morning count of my money in the c.register before starting up the day ….in the POS system I mean .
2]Cant I use the Z-out drawer count to do so and also use it @ the end of the day to count my sales ?
Or will there be problems ?
The Z Out is designed for end of day. Your Z Out from Monday should represent your opening count on Tuesday. You may find it simpler to keep a copy of the previous day’s report to confirm that. If it doesn’t match, then either someone performed a manual transaction that isn’t reflected in QB or transactions were entered for a new day after the Z Out report was generated. Those transactions would be on the X Out report.
We recently started using Quickbooks. We have 2 workstations. I understand about the Media Cash Count. My question is… How do we account for other sales that are not cash sales? Like Credit cards and checks? The X out shows all that but it gives you the total of both tills combined. Is there a separate report that can be run from each workstation showing the total credit cards and checks?
See the link in the article to the Z Out Drawer Count Report – that’s the report for each drawer in a multi-workstation configuration. Once you close all drawers, you’d use the Z Out Store Close Report, also linked in the article.
Why can’t the z-out drawer count run if no sales are made? For example, I want require cashiers to count at opening, or at shift change even if its no sales, to verify that the starting drawer is still correct. At one point QB POS allowed it, now it doesn’t.
Did you change your settings for requiring manual media counts on the report? See Edit->Preferences->Company, then select Sales and make sure you require a manual media count. That’s the only relevant setting that comes to mind.
Yes, it does a manual. But if there has been no sales it will say “nothing to report” and not allow a count.
My z out drawer count has always matched my sales report but now the z out drawer count doesn’t include all my transactions. It does however do so on z out store. Why?
It sounds like some of the transactions you made were in a different drawer. If your store report is only showing 1 drawer, you may want to try rebuilding your data files.
I need to reprint a end of the day cash drawer Z-out Drawer count. I just up graded to QBPOS2013 and cannot seem to find it.
We have two workstations, after running the z out drawer count on both of them can I shut down
one and run the z out store close on the 2nd workstation?
Sure. The Z Out Store Close report is not a reconciliation report, so whether a workstation is in POS doesn’t affect it. The important thing is to run the Z Out Drawer Count reports before performing the store close. Otherwise, you won’t have accurate results. If you are on a VERY sluggish network (or if you’re using hacks to have a workstation far from where you’ll run the store close), make sure you allow time for the drawer count data to reach POS. Under normal circumstances, that is never an issue; by the time you walk to the workstation on which you’ll do the store close, the data is there. But if you’ve done your drawer closes first, that’s the only (and very, very unlikely) glitch in the process.
As long as I have the boxed checked for “Settle Merchant Account” does it make a difference if I run a Z-Out Drawer count or Z-Out Store Close Report at the end of each day?
Jake, the answer really depends on the number of registers in your store. The Z-Out Store Close report is designed for stores with multiple registers or workstations. Also, this report is not designed to reconcile your cash drawer, so if you have a single drawer and want to reconcile (which you should be doing), the Z-Out Drawer Count report is the report that will best suit your needs.