Implementation Center · Step 3 of 6
Train employees
Configuring the POS correctly does not help if the people at the register cannot explain what changed. This page outlines what different roles typically need to know, with example language they can adapt.
H.R. 10167 — Passed Congress. Passed House and Senate. Awaiting presentation to the President. Last verified 2026-09-29. Track current status
What employees need to understand
The underlying rule is short: cash totals may round to the nearest five cents, electronic payments are not rounded, and the direction of rounding follows a fixed table. Primary source See Know the Rule for the full breakdown. Training does not need to cover legislative history; it needs to cover what changes at the register and what to say when a customer notices.
Cashiers
- Know which tender types are rounded (cash only) and which are not (card, EFT, check, gift card, money order, and similar methods). Implementation consideration
- Know how the POS displays the rounding adjustment, so it can be pointed out on the receipt if asked. Implementation consideration
- Know the plain-language explanation to give a customer who asks why their total changed. Implementation consideration
Managers
- Know how to check whether rounding activated correctly on a given shift's transactions. Implementation consideration
- Know the escalation path for a customer dispute about a rounded amount. Implementation consideration
- Know how returns and refunds are expected to be handled under the current POS configuration. Implementation consideration
Customer service
- Have a consistent explanation ready for phone or written inquiries about a rounded charge. Implementation consideration
- Know where the written cash rounding policy lives so they can reference it if needed. Implementation consideration
Accounting and finance staff
- Know how rounding adjustments are recorded and reconciled against exact-cent totals. Implementation consideration
- Know how tax is computed relative to the rounding step, per current POS configuration. Implementation consideration
Franchisees and multi-location operators
- Confirm whether rounding configuration is uniform across locations or set independently. Implementation consideration
- Confirm which state and local requirements, if any, apply differently by location. Implementation consideration
Sample language for employees
The scripts below are suggested starting points, not required or legally mandated wording. Adapt them to match the business's tone and its actual POS behavior.
Example: explaining rounding at checkout (example, not a required script)
"Your total came to $10.42 in cash, and since pennies aren't part of the register anymore, that rounds down to $10.40. If you'd paid by card it would have stayed at $10.42."
Example: a customer asks why the total changed (example, not a required script)
"We round cash totals to the nearest five cents because exact pennies aren't always available. Card and other electronic payments aren't affected, they're charged the exact amount."
Example: handling a dispute (example, not a required script)
"I understand the concern. The rounding only applies to cash and follows a set rule either up or down depending on the amount, it isn't something we choose transaction by transaction. I can show you the receipt breakdown, and if you'd rather pay by card the amount would be exact."