Start with the event
A difference in the records needs investigation
Missing cash, an unexplained room charge or a stock variance deserves attention. It can result from delayed posting, a counting error, an approved exception, incomplete synchronisation or misconduct. A discrepancy does not by itself establish theft or identify who caused it.
Start with one recent example and trace the booking or order, payment, adjustment and relevant stock or access record. Establish the dates, property, outlet and staff accounts involved. Ask the team to explain the operating context before reaching a conclusion.
Use that review to identify a specific control gap. The improvement might be a clearer approval rule, a required handover check or better reconciliation. Staycore supports those workflows; software cannot guarantee that all theft or physical loss is prevented.
Follow the money
Compare the sale, payment and settlement
Review payment records alongside the business transaction they relate to. Cashier-shift opening floats, counted cash and close notes help explain a drawer variance. Count the actual cash and investigate the difference; changing the count to force agreement removes useful evidence.
For supported settlement imports, finance can preview rows, correct errors, commit the import and run reconciliation. Review matched items, remaining variances and cases within the same property and date scope.
Restaurant orders need the same discipline. An order marked as charged to a room can still leave an unpaid balance on the guest folio. Check that folio before treating a completed restaurant order as collected revenue.
Review exceptions
Keep discounts, voids and stock corrections explainable
Check who can alter a bill, void a sent item or submit a stock correction. Keep the reason with the change and verify the final outcome. POS discounts request a reason and manager approval where required; a failed approval or validation does not apply the discount.
Inventory movement history provides dates, quantities, locations, references and recorded actors. Compare a suspicious movement with the linked receipt, request, wastage or adjustment and the physical event. A stock correction should record the actual count and proceed through its approval workflow.
| Exception | Evidence to compare | Management follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Discount or void | Order, reason, approval and resulting bill | Confirm the business reason and applicable authority |
| Stock difference | Physical count, movement units and linked record | Check counting, transfers, wastage and corrections |
| Cash variance | Counted cash, receipts, shift notes and payment scope | Resolve the difference without rewriting the count |
Room access
Connect guest access to an authorised stay
Review the guest, assigned room, stay dates and any issuance block before preparing access. Follow the configured provider workflow and verify physical-card writing before handover. Include extensions, room moves, additional cards and staff access in the property’s review procedure.
Staycore can record staff access requests and approval decisions for the permitted room or zone scope. Removing a saved assignment is not proof that an offline door rejects an existing card: collect cards and complete the provider’s required cancellation actions.
Physical emergency keys and access outside the configured system still need the hotel’s own procedures. Agree who holds them, when they may be used and how the event is recorded.
A measured response
Give an authorised reviewer the original context
Use Audit filters to find the relevant time range, source and business entity. Inspect the recorded actor, reliability and available changes, then open the owning workflow. Preserve the original records and export the authorised scope when a review needs a separate copy.
Shared filters let another authorised person examine the same view; they do not grant additional access. Check permissions and filters before interpreting missing results. Keep the findings limited to what the records support and document unresolved questions.
Bring one cash variance, one adjustment and one room-access scenario to your control review. Together we can demonstrate the available records, identify configuration requirements and agree which daily checks your managers will own.
Questions before you decide
Frequently asked questions
Can Staycore guarantee that staff theft will stop?
No. Connected records, permissions and approval workflows can reduce opportunities and support review. Physical controls, correct configuration, staff training and management follow-up remain necessary.
Does a stock or cash variance prove theft?
No. Review counting, transaction timing, units, transfers, approvals and synchronisation first. A variance is a reason to investigate, not a finding of wrongdoing.
Can we see which account made a change?
Authorised audit views expose recorded actors and source details where available. Open the underlying workflow and review its context and reliability; account activity alone does not establish a person’s intent.
Where should a hotel start?
Choose a specific recurring discrepancy. Trace its records, check who can make the relevant changes and agree an approval or reconciliation routine. Demonstrate that workflow with the staff who perform and review it.
Keep exploring
Related workflows and practical guides
Bring your workflow. See how it works in Staycore.
Review your hotel’s controls