How to Digitally Manage Petty Cash in Hotels

Hotel operations move quickly; whether it's an urgent plumbing fix in a guest room, a last-minute restock of kitchen items, or reimbursing staff for unexpected costs, petty cash plays a vital role in keeping things running smoothly. 

However, if you're still relying on manual methods, such as cash boxes at the front office, Excel trackers, or handwritten expense logs, you risk fraud, create delays, and stress your finance team. 

Why Digitize Petty Cash Management in Hotels? 

The hospitality industry demands speed, reliability, and attention to detail, nothing less. However, traditional petty cash methods often fall short, creating more problems than they solve. From manual error and exposure to fraud, just to mention a few. 

Here are the challenges many hotels face with traditional methods: 

• Missing or unclear receipts 

• Untracked spending and manual reconciliation chaos 

• Time-consuming approval processes for urgent requests 

• Lack of departmental accountability 

• Compliance headaches during audits 

Openfloat changes the game, giving hotels the tools to disburse funds instantly, manage departmental budgets, and maintain complete control over finances without slowing down what matters most: guest service. 

Streamline Hotel Petty Cash with Openfloat 

Openfloat is designed with hospitality in mind, intuitive, mobile-friendly, and ready for real-time operations. 

1 .Instant Disbursements via Mobile Money or Bank 

From Sh 300 for emergency cleaning supplies to Sh 10,000 for equipment repair, Openfloat enables managers to send funds instantly to the service provider via M-Pesa, Till Number, Paybill, or direct bank transfer, eliminating the need for physical cash handling. 

2 . Departmental Budgeting for Every Hotel Unit 

Assign and monitor budgets for key departments, such as housekeeping, kitchen, front office, or maintenance. Receive real-time alerts when a department approaches its limit, helping you prevent overspending before it occurs. 

3 .Digital Receipt Collection 

Say goodbye to chasing paper receipts. Every Openfloat transaction allows users to attach a photo of the receipt directly, enabling: 

• Easy expense tracking 

• Faster month-end reporting 

• A clear audit trail 

4 .Multi-Level Approvals for Smarter Controls 

Set up approval flows based on department heads, amounts, or specific roles. Whether it's the Duty Manager or the Finance Lead, Openfloat ensures that every shilling is approved before it's spent. 

5 .Live Dashboards & Transparent Reporting 

Get a birds-eye view of all petty cash activity: 

• Who spent what and when 

• Which department used the most 

• Downloadable reports for management reviews or audits 

How to Use Openfloat for Petty Cash Payments in Your Hotel 

For Single Requests: 

1. Log in to your Openfloat dashboard 

2. Select Send Money > Initiate Payment 

3. Choose payment methods (M-Pesa, Till, Paybill or Bank) 

4. Fill in the recipients name, phone number, amount, and reason 

5. Select a payment category 

6. Initiate for approval or disburse instantly 

For Bulk Requests: 

1. Log in, click Send Money > Upload Payments 

2. Download & fill out the bulk payment template 

3. Upload the file with recipients 

4. Review, approve, and track from your dashboard 

Why Hotels Choose Openfloat 

1. Cut Down Admin Work – No more paper trails or Excel headaches 

2. Faster Approvals – Approve requests from anywhere, even off-shift 

3. Always Audit-Ready – Every transaction is logged, verified, and reportable 

4. Better Oversight – Know exactly where funds go and stop leakages 

5. Focus on Guests, Not Cash – Let your team focus on experience, not expense reports 

Case Study: Openfloat 

It’s 9 PM on a busy Friday when a water heater bursts in one of your premium suites. Instead of scrambling to find an open bank, the cashier can log into Openfloat, initiate a Sh5,000 disbursement, receive instant approval from accounts, and pay the repair team on the spot, all while maintaining a seamless guest experience. That’s the Openfloat advantage.

With Openfloat, you gain an innovative digital payment solution that enables you to stay responsive, accountable, and audit-ready, all from your phone or desktop.  

Ready to modernize how your hotel handles petty cash? Request a Demo and take control of hotel disbursements the smart way.