Archived Cash Counter

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Earlier this week in Cash Office I had something interesting happen. After about an hour of counting locations the Cash Counter started malfunctioning. It would give the "feed" error or the "jam" error. Eventually, the top rotary stops working all together. I had another GSA and the SFT look at it and they both came to the same conclusion: the counter is broken and we need a new one.

I had to count the rest of the locations, prepare the start funds, and make deposits all while counting by hand. We placed an order for a new one, which is due in about three days.
In the meantime, we have to count everything by hand now. :\
Has this or something similar to this happened to anyone else? If so, your advice would be much appreciated.
 
we were without one for a MONTH once. It was crazy! i actually didn't mind counting by hand as it's easier to verify and i made my start funds as i went vs at the end. Just go slow, find your way of doing it, and enjoy the peace and quiet in there!
 
Try hard-resetting the counter by unplugging it from the power source and plugging it back in.... Usually they're always on. Also be sure nothing is jammed in the feed... Once I had a SBA get in between a stack of bills and the counter gobbled it right up... Was a ***** getting the ****ing thing out lol.

If there is something jammed, it will display an LCD Error and refuse to do anything until the jam is cleared.

Don't bother doing anything on the PC -- the counter will physically operate independently of the workstation pc.
 
Is your counter one of the newer LaRue counters or an older NCR?
If it's the newer one, it has a gap adjustment to the right of the top where the bills stack. It takes a small flat-blade screwdriver.
As Imerzan suggested, you'll need to reset by unplugging it before adjusting the gap.
Our old machine used to spit bills across the room (fortunately, it was a small room).
We had a complete system failure once during which I had to do manual counts for 2 days.
Fun times.
 
Thanks for the advice guys. Our SFT opened the cash counter and didn't find anything jamming the machine. We then unplugged it, waited for about a minute, and then plugged it back in. Unfortunately that didn't work either. :hmm:

Is your counter one of the newer LaRue counters or an older NCR?
If it's the newer one, it has a gap adjustment to the right of the top where the bills stack. It takes a small flat-blade screwdriver.
As Imerzan suggested, you'll need to reset by unplugging it before adjusting the gap.
Our old machine used to spit bills across the room (fortunately, it was a small room).
We had a complete system failure once during which I had to do manual counts for 2 days.
Fun times.

It's one of the LaRue ones, but it wasn't brand new when we got it. According to our store's SFT, another store sent that machine back to corporate, they "repaired" it, and then sent it to our store when we placed an order. It worked for about two months and then stopped working this week.
I'm not sure why corporate didn't just send us a new one, or just scrap the old one for parts...:unknw:

Don't forget the music!
Yes, It gets pretty quiet without my music playing in the background. Haha!

The first day it stopped working it took me five hours to count every thing, make the deposits, and make the start funds. After the day was over I was like :wacko:
 
when you count by hand use paper clips or straps to put money into groups so you don't have to recount it. When i count by hand i make all my start funds as i go too. (i actually started doing that in general after i had to hand count) it takes me two hours start to finish in the CO and i'm at a high volume store.

when i get in there i prep everything. deposit slips, envelopes, bags, put the coupons away, so that once i sit down all i have to do is count and then when i'm done counting i'm pretty much done.
 
Re: sending a used/repaired item - after a while, nothing is new any more unless it's to replace one that's been dropped off the dock.
That should've been an escalated order, tho.
In the meantime, bring an iPod ;)
 
Re: sending a used/repaired item - after a while, nothing is new any more unless it's to replace one that's been dropped off the dock.
That should've been an escalated order, tho.
In the meantime, bring an iPod ;)

Good point. I will definitely bring my iPod next shift...
 
The LaRue counter always broke. No matter, when you put in for a replacement they overnight it. At most, it should only take 2 days. I even had one arrive on a saturday.

Once you count a stack, either clip it or backwards wrap (backstrap) the money and write what's what. I usually backstrapped using the yellow straps as I would otherwise never use them, and they'd dry out.

Get a can of compressed air and really blow that thing out. There could be ONE tiny little fragment of paper that's jamming it.
 
also, if you're not sure ask before you grab your ipod. we aren't allow to take anything in there with us but we do have a radio in there. I know a store up the street from us doesn't even let them have a radio in there but other store across town i've helped at you can take your ipod. Just depends on AP and the STL i think.
 
also, if you're not sure ask before you grab your ipod. we aren't allow to take anything in there with us but we do have a radio in there. I know a store up the street from us doesn't even let them have a radio in there but other store across town i've helped at you can take your ipod. Just depends on AP and the STL i think.

They don't let you take an iPod in there? That's brutal. My store doesn't care much about bringing things in there. Many of our GSAs bring breakfast in there too.
 
Re: paper jams - tru that. There's an optical sensor in there &, if there's a scrap of anything blocking it, it won't work.
At the end of the count, I always opened it up & blew it out.
 
also, if you're not sure ask before you grab your ipod. we aren't allow to take anything in there with us but we do have a radio in there. I know a store up the street from us doesn't even let them have a radio in there but other store across town i've helped at you can take your ipod. Just depends on AP and the STL i think.

They don't let you take an iPod in there? That's brutal. My store doesn't care much about bringing things in there. Many of our GSAs bring breakfast in there too.

Coffee, hasbrowns, etc. All's fair!
 
i've had breakfast in there many times but no electronic devices! we've had a high theft rate though at our store from team members so our AP is pretty strict.
 
Let's tell a quick story about 239.

I was scheduled as a mid GSA working photo, so I was given a 11-7 shift. The opening GSTL (7-3) called out for whatever reason, and so did the cash office GSA (11-7 cash off/gsa). Now, some context. I really didn't like cash office. I would rather be speed weaving, sorting at GS, whatever. As long as I wasn't stuck in that small room counting money while listening to ****ty top 40 music on the radio. It was a Saturday morning in October, so not too busy but still stuff had to get done. As there was no opener, the LOD was watching the lanes until I came in. Luckily, I came in a little early by chance and was sitting in the break room. LOD (ETL-HL) who we'll call Joe comes into the break room and asks if I can clock in early as GSTL didn't come in. Sure, no problem. I go out to photo (which doubled as a GSTL boat) and start working on the cashier break schedule. We hand wrote it every morning and it was essential to our daily operations. Joe comes up to photo, leans on the counter, and smiles.

Joe: Hey Static, whatcha doing?
Me: Prepping the break schedule for the day and getting ready to wrap up some photo orders.
Joe: Well, guess what happened? *smirking*
Me: Don't tell me, 239GSA called out? (She had been partying the night before, as per facebook. Not surprised!)
Joe: Wow, you're good. How'd you know?
Me: Uhh, the huge smirk on your face that you get when you're about to drop a bomb on me?
Joe: Wow, you know me too well. So guess what else we need?
Me: Oh no, don't tell me.
Joe: Yup, somebody has to do 239. How quickly can you do it?
Me: Well, my record is about an hour and a half, and that was on a normal weekday. Counting a friday will take probably that much time if not more.
Joe: Well, I'm going to have SLTL cover you, but she's going to hit compliance in an hour and a half. I need you out by then.
Me: Uhh, I really can't promise that.
Joe: Well, what would it take for you to get it done that fast?
Me: Uhh, how about a few bottles of Mountain Dew? (Totally kidding, btw)
Joe: Done. Go requisition a bottle.

So, I did. About half an hour in, he dropped in another bottle with a note. "Hurry up".

Man, I guess it was the caffeine. I made the cash counter my bizzitch that day. Did $150k in an hour. 59 minutes from sign in to sign out.
 
I bet your eyeballs were vibrating in their sockets.
My best ever was 1:17 after a Monster coffee & a SB doubleshot but it was a day I didn't have to order cash, send out checks or media.
 
Oh man. I never had to count by hand, but I read on Workbench that it's pretty much the same process except you have to fill out some paper to go along with it. Make sure you check workbench for the forms. IF I remember correctly, it's Workbench > front lanes> Cash office > forms and such... It should be the manual counting process. If I recall, there SHOULD be a how too.
But yeah, other than that, I would just be glad you're getting the extended hours with no guests. :D

I don't see why its taking you 3 days to get one. When I had issues with the one I used, It was overnighted to me. Refurbished and not perfect, but it was overnighted. Then someone lost the broken one and charged us twice so make sure whoever sends it out, knows what the hell they are doing.
 
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