At the heart of every reconciliation in TakeSheet is a simple but critical comparison — what you are meant to have versus what you actually have. This is the theoretical vs actual principle, and it applies across every module in the platform.
Theoretical
The theoretical value is what your systems, reports and integrations say should exist. It's the figure that TakeSheet pulls automatically from your connected systems — what the POS says was taken in cash sales, what the gaming system says should be in the machine, what the float should be based on recorded movements. Theoretical is your expected position.
Actual
The actual value is what your staff physically count or record at the venue. It's the cash counted in the till, the safe balance your manager enters at close, the float your supervisor verifies at the start of the shift. Actual is your real-world position.
The Reconciliation Goal
The goal of every reconciliation is for actual to equal theoretical. When they match, you're reconciled. When they don't, TakeSheet flags the difference as a variance — and that variance needs to be investigated, explained and resolved before the trading period can be closed.
It sounds straightforward, but in a busy venue with multiple revenue streams, cash points and integrated systems all running simultaneously, keeping theoretical and actual aligned requires a consistent, structured process every single shift. That's exactly what TakeSheet is built to provide.
Not All Variances Are a Problem
It's important to understand that not every variance indicates an error or an issue. Some variances are entirely legitimate — a prize payment, a manual adjustment, a timing difference in data from an integrated system. What matters is that every variance, legitimate or otherwise, is recorded, explained and visible in TakeSheet.
A legitimate variance that isn't documented is just as problematic as an unexplained one — it creates noise in your records and makes it harder to identify genuine issues. TakeSheet ensures that every variance has a trail, giving your finance team and management confidence that nothing has been overlooked.
A Practical Example
Your gaming system shows a theoretical cash position of $2,450 in a machine after a clearance. Your staff count the actual cash removed and record $2,380. The $70 difference is a variance — TakeSheet flags it immediately so it can be investigated while the context is still fresh, not discovered at month-end when the trail has gone cold. If the $70 difference is attributed to a legitimate prize payment that wasn't captured in the system, that explanation is recorded against the variance and the reconciliation can proceed.