What is Z-report?

A Z-report is the closing report for a register, terminal or shift. When a cashier or manager runs it, the POS prints or saves the totals since the last Z-report, then closes that period so the next one starts from zero. An X-report shows the same running totals mid-shift without resetting anything, which is useful for checking a drawer before a shift change.

A typical Z-report shows gross and net sales, discounts, voids and refunds, taxes collected by type (such as GST, HST, PST or QST), tips, and payments by tender: cash, debit, credit, gift card and online. It also shows expected cash in the drawer, which is compared with the counted cash to find any over or short. Many reports add sales by category, by employee and by hour.

The Z-report is the bridge between the till and the books. Each day’s report supports the sales and sales tax entries in the ledger, and card tender totals should match the processor’s deposits, minus fees, a day or two later. Keeping Z-reports in sequence, with no gaps, is also a basic audit control: a missing report number is a question worth asking.