A cash tin for stamps, milk and the window cleaner works fine until the count doesn't match and nobody remembers why. A petty cash log fixes that: every amount in and out, written down when it happens, and a count at the end of the day. This guide covers what a petty cash log usually records, then how to keep one with Receipt Cat, our receipts and petty cash app for iPhone.
What goes in a petty cash log
- An opening balance. The cash in the tin before your first entry.
- Each entry. The date and time, whether cash went in or out, the amount, and what it was for.
- The balance after each entry. So you can see where the tin stood at any point in the day.
- A day close. What the book says should be in the tin, what you actually counted, and the difference.
If you get a paper receipt for something bought from the tin, keep it with the tin, or scan it on Receipt Cat's Receipts side.
Set up the cash book
- Open Receipt Cat. On What are you keeping?, tap Petty cash. The app remembers your choice and opens straight into the cash book next time. The grid button at the top left takes you back to the choice.
- Tap the gear to open Settings. Under Opening balance, type the cash in the tin now ("The cash in the tin before your first entry."). Change Currency if the tin isn't in your device's currency.
- Tap Done.
The big number at the top, Cash in the tin, is your balance. It turns red if it ever drops below zero.
Record cash in and cash out
- Tap Cash out at the bottom when money leaves the tin, or Cash in when money goes in, like a top-up.
- Type the amount. The keypad is already up.
- Under Note, say what it was for ("Stamps", "Milk for the office").
- When is set to now. Change it if you're catching up on an earlier purchase.
- Tap Save.
Each entry appears under Today with its amount and, under that, the balance after it. Every day shows In, Out and Net totals, and the day's net sits next to its date.
Made a mistake? Tap an entry to change it. To remove one, swipe it and tap Delete: an Undo button shows for a few seconds. Delete entry inside an entry asks you to confirm first.
Count the tin and close the day
- Under the day's entries, tap Close day.
- The sheet shows Expected in the tin: what the tin held when the day started, plus the day's cash in, minus its cash out.
- Count the cash and type the total under Counted.
- Receipt Cat shows Exact, Over or Short, with the difference.
- Tap Save.
The day now shows what you counted and the result, like "Counted $82.40 · Short $1.60". If it's off, check the day's entries for one you missed. You can fix an entry and tap Close again to count once more.
Share a day sheet or the whole book
- Day sheet sits next to Close day. It makes a PDF of that day: each entry with its time, note, amount and the balance after, then the opening balance, cash in, cash out, net and closing balance, and, if you closed the day, what you counted and whether it was over or short. It ends with one small line: "A record of your cash, made with Receipt Cat." It opens the share sheet, so you can send it, save it or print it.
- Export CSV, the share button at the top left, gives you the whole book as a spreadsheet file with the columns Date, Time, In/Out, Amount, Note, Balance after and Category.
- Search with the Note or amount field. A word finds notes, and a number like 4.20 finds amounts. The results show how many entries matched and their totals in and out.
Spending your own money too, not the tin's? The Receipts side scans and sorts receipts: see how to track business expenses on iPhone.
More than one tin (Pro)
Receipt Cat Pro adds four things to Petty cash:
- Several books, each with its own balance, for the shop tin, the float or trip money. Start one with New book… from the menu on the book's name at the top.
- Categories with totals, like Stamps, Cleaning or Float, picked on each entry.
- Month report: a PDF of the month with totals per category and per day.
- Lock with Face ID: the cash book asks for Face ID or your passcode when it opens.
What it costs
The cash book is free: one book with any number of entries, the running balance, day totals and day close, search, the day sheet PDF and a CSV of the whole book. There are no ads and no account. Receipt Cat Pro is an optional one-time purchase, one purchase for both receipts and petty cash, and it adds the four extras above. If Pro is ever lost, nothing you made is locked away. More on the Receipt Cat page.
Quick answers
What is a petty cash log?
In Receipt Cat's own words, it's "a record of your cash: what came in, what went out, and what you counted."
How do I balance petty cash?
Take the opening balance, add the cash that went in and subtract the cash that went out. That's what should be in the tin. Count the tin and compare. In Receipt Cat, Close day does the sum and shows Exact, Over or Short.
Can I open my petty cash log in a spreadsheet?
Yes. Export CSV saves the whole book as a CSV file, which spreadsheet apps open. It's free.
Where is my cash book kept?
"No account. Your cash book is kept on your device and in your own backups, and a day sheet or export goes only where you share it."
Can I keep separate tins?
With Pro, yes: each book has its own balance and opening balance. The free version keeps one book.
Try Receipt Cat
Try Receipt Cat: free, no ads, no sign-up → iyio.com/apps/receipt-cat