Operations
ATM cash management and replenishment
The cash inside the machine is the part venues underestimate. Here's how floats, replenishment and risk actually work.
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Short answer
ATM cash management and replenishment
ATM cash management covers the float in the machine, how often it is replenished, who transports and insures the money, and how it is reconciled. Under free placement the operator funds, moves, insures and reconciles all of it. Owner-operators fund the float themselves — commonly $5,000–$20,000 — and carry the handling and insurance risk.
Float sizing
How much cash a machine needs
Float size is driven by withdrawal volume, average withdrawal amount and how often the machine can be replenished. A busy late-trade venue may cycle through more cash in a weekend than a suburban site does in a fortnight.
Under-floating causes empty machines on peak nights, which costs sales and trains customers to go elsewhere. Over-floating ties up capital and increases risk. Monitoring solves both — levels are tracked remotely and loads are adjusted to the actual pattern.
| Site type | Typical monthly withdrawals | Indicative float | Replenishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suburban convenience store | 150–400 | $5,000–$8,000 | Fortnightly |
| Service station | 400–800 | $8,000–$15,000 | Weekly |
| Pub or club | 600–1,500 | $15,000–$25,000 | Weekly or twice weekly |
| Event or seasonal site | Highly variable | Set per event | Scheduled to the calendar |
Who does what
Placement vs owning the machine
| Responsibility | Free placement | Owner-operator |
|---|---|---|
| Funding the float | Operator | You |
| Transporting cash | Cash-in-transit partner | You or a CIT contract |
| Insurance on cash | Operator | You |
| Reconciliation | Operator | You |
| Monitoring cash levels | Operator, remotely | You |
| Fault response | Operator | You or a service contract |
Practicalities
Things that decide whether a site runs smoothly
- Safe, accessible position for replenishment during agreed hours.
- Denomination mix suited to the venue — smaller notes for low-value sites.
- Remote monitoring so an empty or faulty machine is known before customers complain.
- Clear escalation path when a machine goes down on a peak night.
- Reconciliation and reporting the venue can actually read.
- Insurance in place over both the machine and the cash inside it.
FAQs
Questions people ask
Under a free placement or managed agreement the operator supplies and loads the cash through cash-in-transit partners. Venue staff never handle or fund the money inside the machine.
It depends on the machine and the site. Typical retail floats run from about $5,000 in a quiet convenience store to $25,000 in a busy licensed venue.
Anywhere from twice weekly at high-volume sites to fortnightly at quiet ones. Levels are monitored remotely and schedules are adjusted to actual usage rather than a fixed calendar.
Remote monitoring flags low levels before they run dry, and an unscheduled load can be arranged for peak periods. Persistent shortfalls mean the float or schedule needs resizing.
The party that funds it. Under placement that is the operator; an owner-operator must arrange their own cover for both the machine and the cash.
Keep reading
Related pages
- Free ATM placementZero cost, fully managed, with a share of every withdrawal.
- Buy an ATM machineOutright purchase, pricing and payback for high-volume sites.
- ATM lease & rentalFixed monthly cost with servicing included.
- ATM security & complianceObligations, siting and physical security.
- ATM surcharge fees explainedWhere the fee goes and what reaches you.
Want this answered for your venue specifically?
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