> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.florists.digital/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cash Drawer

> Connect a cash drawer through your receipt printer so it opens automatically when you take a cash payment.

Your **cash drawer** opens automatically when you take a cash payment at the till, and you can also open it manually from POS — to give change, drop in a float, or check a note. Connect handles this through your **receipt printer**, so there's no separate cable to your computer.

## How it connects

The cash drawer doesn't plug into your computer. It plugs into your **receipt printer** with an **RJ11/RJ12 cable** (the wider phone-style connector), into the **DK** port on the back of the printer. The receipt printer then opens the drawer when Connect tells it to.

| Part                  | Where it plugs in                                                                                               |
| --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Cash drawer cable** | One end into the drawer, the other into the **DK** port on the back of the receipt printer                      |
| **Receipt printer**   | Connected to your network or computer as normal — see [Receipt printers](/get-started/connect-receipt-printers) |
| **Computer**          | Talks to the receipt printer over the network (or USB), never to the drawer directly                            |

This means the same receipt printer you use to print receipts is also what opens the drawer. You don't need to set the drawer up separately — Connect picks it up automatically once the receipt printer is configured. Each printer drives one drawer, so if you run more than one till, each till needs its own receipt printer and drawer.

## Which printers can drive a drawer

Connect can fire the drawer kick through any **Star** or **Epson** thermal receipt printer it supports — see [Receipt printers](/get-started/connect-receipt-printers) for the full list. Other Star- or Epson-compatible thermal printers will usually work too, but only the listed models are tested.

## What to buy

The brand doesn't really matter. Any standard cash drawer works, as long as it comes with a cable wired for your receipt printer, so choose one that fits your counter space. For price bands and where to buy, see [Tested kit](/guides/hardware/tested-kit#cash-drawers).

<Tip>
  Most receipt printer retailers list compatible cash drawers on the same product page — an easy way to find one that's been confirmed to work with your printer.
</Tip>

## Setting it up

<Steps>
  <Step title="Plug the drawer into the receipt printer">
    Connect the RJ11/RJ12 cable from your cash drawer to the **DK** port on the back of your receipt printer. Make sure it clicks in at both ends.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the receipt printer in Connect">
    If you haven't already, run the Connect setup wizard or go to **Settings** > **Printers** and add your receipt printer. The drawer is enabled by default when you confirm it opens during setup.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test from settings">
    In Connect, go to **Settings** > **Printers** and click **Open Drawer** on the receipt printer card. The drawer should pop open within a second. The **Cash Drawer** card shows **Enabled** when it's active, or **Not in use** if it's been skipped.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  If you bought your drawer and printer together as a bundle, the right cable is usually already in the box. If you bought them separately, double-check the drawer comes with a cable wired for your printer brand — Star and Epson use slightly different cables on some models.
</Tip>

## When the drawer opens

The drawer pops the moment a cash payment is confirmed at the till — it doesn't wait for the receipt to finish printing.

| When it opens                                                       | Why                                         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| You take a **cash payment** in POS                                  | So you can put the money in and give change |
| You give a **cash refund** in POS                                   | So you can take the money out               |
| You click **Open Drawer** in POS                                    | Manual open — no sale needed                |
| You click **Open Drawer** in **Settings** > **Printers** in Connect | Testing or counting down                    |

The drawer doesn't open for card, gift card, or account payments — there's no cash to handle, so it stays shut.

<Warning>
  Connect sends the open command, but it can't physically detect whether the drawer moved. If the drawer is locked or unplugged, the command may still report as sent — check the drawer physically before assuming everything is working.
</Warning>

## Troubleshooting

If the receipt prints but the drawer doesn't open, Connect is probably talking to the printer in the wrong command language. The drawer fires through the receipt printer, so the fix lives on the printer side. On a Star network printer, go to **Settings** > **Printers** and switch the **Receipt command set** to **Star Line** — see [Receipt command set](/get-started/connect-receipt-printers#receipt-command-set).

If the drawer still doesn't open, check the RJ11/RJ12 cable is clicked in at both ends and the drawer isn't locked.

## What's next?

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Receipt printers" icon="receipt" href="/get-started/connect-receipt-printers">
    Receipt printers that work with Connect.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Receipts" icon="receipt" href="/get-started/connect-receipts">
    What goes on a receipt and how to customise it.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect settings" icon="sliders" href="/get-started/connect-settings">
    Test the drawer, toggle it on or off, swap printers.
  </Card>
</Columns>