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Set up and use petty cash in QuickBooks Online

SOLVED•by QuickBooks•805•Updated January 23, 2024

Learn how to set up and use petty cash in QuickBooks Online.

Petty cash is a convenient supply of cash you can use to pay small expenses. Here's a few tips on how to manage petty cash, and how to track it in QuickBooks Online.

How to set up a petty cash account

Here's how to create a petty cash account. When you move cash from your bank account into petty cash, you should see it in this account.

  1. Go to Settings ⚙ and select Chart of accounts.
  2. Select New. Depending on your account view, you’ll either see a panel labeled New account or New category. Select the option you see below for next steps.
  1. Select the Save account under ▼ dropdown and choose Bank Accounts.
  2. In the Tax form section ▼ dropdown, select Cash on hand.
  3. Enter Petty Cash in the Account name field.
  4. The opening balance will be created when you move money from the checking account by writing a check or transferring funds. If you already have money to use for petty cash, enter the amount in the Starting date and opening balance field and choose the as of date.
  5. Select Save.
  1. Enter Petty cash for the Category name.
  2. Select Select category, then select Bank & credit cards.
  3. Select Select.
  4. From the Account type▼dropdown, choose Cash on hand.
  5. The opening balance will be created when you move money from the checking account by writing a check or transferring funds. If you already have money to use for petty cash, enter the amount in the Starting date and opening balance field and choose the as of date.
  6. Select Save.

How to manage petty cash

Now that you've created the account, it's time to put some money in it. Here's how to get started and keep up with everything you do in petty cash.

Tip: You should designate one person at your company to manage the petty cash box and keep track of each withdrawal.

Put cash in

Withdraw some cash from your checking account and put it in a locked cash box. Then, record the transaction in QuickBooks Online.

  • If you wrote the check for cash:
    1. Select + New.
    2. Select Check.
    3. Select Petty Cash as the payee. Select + Add new if petty cash isn't in the list of payees.
  • If you took out the cash without writing a check:
    1. Select + New.
    2. Select Transfer.

For more information, learn more about creating and recording checks or transferring funds between accounts.

Take cash out

When you give cash to an employee or use petty cash yourself, record it with a slip of paper to track who, when, and what the money was used for. This is like a receipt to track the cash that you take out.

In QuickBooks, record taking cash from petty cash as an expense with petty cash as the payment account.

At all times, the amounts on the slips of paper and the cash you have left should add up to the amount you deposited in the box.

Tip: It’s a good idea to reconcile your petty cash account regularly. Once you do, you can move your paper slips to your long-term recordkeeping, because the transactions are in QuickBooks.

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