Teller — branch counter banking
Teller is the most cash-intensive channel. It runs on the branch cashier's workstation and ties tightly to the Cash policies, Two-person rule and AML modules. Every transaction here typically touches physical money — accuracy and authentication matter.
Shift open and close
Day starts with shift open — teller declares opening cash. End-of-day shift close requires physical cash count, system reconciliation, and branch manager sign-off.
- Teller logs in, navigates to Teller > Open Shift
- Enters opening cash by denomination (1000s, 500s, 200s, etc.)
- System logs declared opening total
- Throughout shift: every cash-in adds, every cash-out subtracts
- End-of-shift: teller does physical count, enters denominations
- Variance > KES 100 triggers mandatory branch-manager review
- Branch manager signs off; shift closes; till is locked
Common teller operations
| Operation | Hotkey | Limits | Approval needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash deposit | F1 | No limit per txn; CTR for >KES 1M | None |
| Cash withdrawal | F2 | Per cash policy | Branch mgr for >KES 200k |
| Loan disbursement (cash) | F3 | Per loan product | Dual-control >KES 50k |
| Loan repayment (cash) | F4 | None | None |
| Cheque deposit | F5 | None; clears T+1 | None initially |
| Member onboarding | F6 | Tier 1 only at teller | KYC officer for upgrade |
| Statement print | F7 | None | None |
| PIN reset | F8 | None | Photo ID verification |
| Balance enquiry | F9 | None | None |
Member authentication at teller
Teller verifies physically — this is the strongest authentication of any channel. Required documents for every transaction > KES 100,000:
- Original National ID or Passport (not a photocopy)
- Member card (if issued)
- Photo on file matches
- For corporate accounts: signatory list + board mandate
CTR and AML at the counter
Cash transactions ≥ KES 1,000,000 (or USD 10,000 equivalent) trigger CTR — Currency Transaction Report. Teller fills the additional fields:
Smurfing detection: 3+ deposits totalling KES 1M within 24h from same member trigger an STR (Suspicious Transaction Report) automatically. Compliance reviews and files with GOAML.
- Source of funds (employment, business, sale of asset, gift, etc.)
- Purpose (savings, loan repayment, school fees, etc.)
- Beneficial owner if depositing on behalf of someone else
Receipt issuance
Every transaction prints a 2-copy receipt — member copy + branch copy. Header includes branch name, teller code, txn ID, member ID, timestamp, GPS coords (anti-fraud).
Member signs the branch copy; it's filed for 7 years per CBK retention rules. Digital signature pads accepted (Wacom STU-540 etc.).
Till reconciliation
End-of-day variance handling:
| Variance | Action |
|---|---|
| KES 0 | Clean close, no action |
| ±KES 1-100 | Self-correct, log in shift report |
| ±KES 101-1,000 | Branch manager review + sign-off |
| ±KES 1,001-10,000 | BM + Internal audit notified next morning |
| > ±KES 10,000 | Suspend teller pending investigation; CRO notified |
Worked scenarios
Scenario — Tier-2 member depositing KES 250,000 cash
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Samuel Kibet | Member, maize trader |
| Jane Wambui | Teller |
| Aisha Hassan | Branch Manager (checker) |
Timeline
- 10:15: Samuel approaches counter with cash bundles (—)
- 10:15: Jane requests ID — checks photo matches (Member MWM-2020-00712 confirmed)
- 10:16: Press F1 (Cash deposit), enter KES 250,000 (Threshold KES 200k for cash → dual-control fires)
- 10:17: Jane counts cash with member watching — both confirm (Counted: 25 x KES 10k bundles)
- 10:18: Aisha walks over, approves dual-control on her tablet (OTP 928374)
- 10:19: Aisha enters OTP (Deposit posts: Dr Till KES 250k / Cr Samuel's savings KES 250k)
- 10:19: Receipt prints (Samuel signs branch copy)
- 10:20: Samuel receives SMS confirming new balance (—)
Outcome — Clean KES 250,000 deposit in 5 minutes, full audit trail. CTR not required (below KES 1M).
Reference
Teller keyboard reference
Print this and tape to each teller's monitor.
| Key | Action | Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Cash deposit | — |
| F2 | Cash withdrawal | — |
| F3 | Loan disbursement | — |
| F4 | Loan repayment | — |
| F5 | Cheque deposit | — |
| F6 | New member onboarding | — |
| F7 | Statement print | — |
| F8 | PIN reset | Shift+F8 for staff PIN |
| F9 | Balance enquiry | — |
| F10 | Lookup member | — |
| F11 | Open shift | — |
| F12 | Close shift | — |
| Esc | Cancel current transaction | — |
| Ctrl+P | Reprint last receipt | — |
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Till variance KES 500 at shift close | Mid-shift change-making error or unrecorded petty cash. | BM signs off variance under KES 1,000; log in shift report. If repeats > 3 times per week, retrain or rotate teller. |
| Receipt printer offline | USB disconnect or paper jam. | Press Esc, fix printer, press Ctrl+P to reprint. Do NOT release cash without printed receipt — fraud risk. |
| Dual-control approval needed but BM in field | No checker on-site. | BM approves remotely via Pending queue on phone. Or escalate to ROH; or delay to next-day if member can wait. |
| Member ID number on system mismatches presented ID | Data entry error at onboarding, or member changed ID. | Do NOT transact. Send member to KYC officer for ID update — dual-controlled MBR_KYC_OVERRIDE. |
| Cash policy blocking a withdrawal that member is entitled to | Policy threshold below the member's balance access right. | BM overrides via Cash Policies > Override (logged), or member returns next day; long-term: review thresholds. |