Quick Steps: Make Changes to a Petty Cash Fund

Who does this?  Petty Cash Custodians or Department Head

When?  When a petty cash fund needs to be resized or a temporary or permanent Petty Cash Custodian is assigned

How?  Through memos and administrative steps

On this page:

Increase Petty Cash Fund (1 step)

step 1

Department Head can request an increase in the petty cash fund amount by:

  1. Emailing a request to Cash Management at cashmanagement@lists.stanford.edu.

    2. OR ~
  2. Sending a memorandum via ID Mail to 651 Serra Street, mail code 6200. (this is no longer true, right? it should be Maude?)

Include in the emailed or written request:

  • Reason for request
  • Amount requested
  • Name of Petty Cash Custodian
  • Location of petty cash fund
  • Petty cash fund number
  • Name(s) of individual(s) who have signature authority on the Received of Petty Cash Receipts

What happens next?

  • Disbursements Department will send a check to the Petty Cash Custodian via ID Mail.
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Decrease Petty Cash Fund (4 steps)

step 1

Reconcile the Petty Cash Fund.

step 2

Determine appropriate reduced fund amount.

step 3

Prepare un-needed cash (delta between original fund amount and desired reduced amount) for deposit:

  1. Contact Cash Management [link] to obtain an account number to credit with the deposit;
  2. Complete Cashier's Office Department Transmittal Form (Deposit Form).
    • Use the account Project, Task/Award and Expense numbers provided by Cash Management;
    • Under Purpose indicate decrease a petty cash fund.
step 4

Deposit the un-needed cash at the Cashier’s Office:

  • Obtain a receipt for the deposit from the Cashier's Office;
  • Retain the deposit receipt from the Cashiers Office with petty cash records.

What happens next?

  • Cashier's Office will notify Cash Management of the return of funds.
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Assign a Temporary Petty Cash Custodian During Planned Absences (4 steps)

step 1

For brief absences, the Petty Cash Custodian may assign a temporary custodian to be responsible for the fund:

Note:  For longer absences when it is likely that the petty cash fund will need to be replenished, the Department Head must notify the Customer Outreach Group in the Disbursements Office of the temporary custodian.  Without this notification, replenishment checks will automatically be made out to the regular custodian and cannot be cashed by the temporary custodian.
step 2

The temporary custodian must complete the online Petty Cash tutorial.(this link will need to be updated) [link] and complete and submit the associated quiz.

step 3

Prior to the Custodian's absence, he/she must reconcile the petty cash fund with the temporary custodian:

  1. The temporary custodian signs a copy of the reconciliation as a receipt.


    2. Note:  Petty Cash Reconciliation Template.

  2. The regular Custodian retains the receipt.
step 4

Upon return of the regular Custodian, together both custodians reconcile the petty cash fund again:

  1. The regular Custodian signs a copy of the reconciliation as a receipt.
  2. The temporary custodian retains the receipt.
Note: Regular Custodian should notify the Customer Outreach Group in the Disbursements Office of his/her return if Disbursements was temporarily making checks payable to temporary custodian.

What happens next?

  • Cashier's Office will notify Cash Management of the return of funds.
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Change Petty Cash Custodian (3 steps)

step 1

To request a permanent change of a custodian, the Department Head can submit a HelpSU request:

  1. Go to http:helpsu.stanford.edu.
  2. Enter Request Category Central Office Issues.
  3. Type requesting new Petty Cash Custodian in the Request Description Field.
    • Reference the Petty Cash Fund Identification Number;
    • Indicate name of new custodian and any phone number or address changes for the petty cash fund.
step 2

Direct the new custodian to become certified as a Petty Cash Custodian.

step 3

Balance the petty cash fund prior to transferring to the new custodian.

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