Loss Prevention Forms
There are certain loss prevention related processes, procedures and tasks that are important enough that it makes good sense to document them. Documentation provides a hard copy record to verify that it was done and, when necessary, support for a follow-on action, if necessary. Click on the form name below for a printable copy of the form. All forms are in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. Click here to download the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Cash Variance Chart - This form is for recording cashiers' overs and shorts. If each cashier has his/her own drawer, record each cashier's variance under their name. See the sample chart - in this example, Sally B has 17 overages (65% of days worked) and thus should be scrutinized. If cashiers share drawers, place the drawer's over/short in the "Amount Over/Short" column and then place an "X" under the name of each cashier who worked out of that drawer on that date. Look for common denominators, trends and anomalies, such as more overs than shorts; drawer normally over or short only when shared by a particular cashier; or a cashier normally over on specific day(s) of week.Cashier Daily Worksheet - It is imperative that cashiers be held individually responsible for the accuracy of their tills. This control starts when the cashier begins the shift and acknowledges the till's change fund. This form provides a means to document the entire process, from change fund acknowledgement to end-of-shift reconciliation. Cashier Over-Short Report - This form is used to record a cashier’s excessive cash variance discovered during the end-of- shift countdown process. It is completed only when the variance exceeds the maximum amount allowed by management without such a report. For example, if the maximum amount allowed without the report is 99¢ (recommended), any cash variance of $1.00 or more would require completion of this report, which includes the cashier’s explanation of what could have caused it, along with an admonishment by the manager about the need to be more careful and that repeated instances of excessive variances will result in remedial action by management. This report is then included with the documentation turned in to the office and ultimately filed in the associate’s personnel file.Employee Locker Lock-Key Receipt - This is both a receipt for the lock and key provided an employee to secure their locker and an acknowledgement of their understanding of store policies regarding their locker and protection of the key. There is room at the top of the form for your store's name and address stamp or logo.Ethics Statement -This is a statement for signature by those associates involved in any aspect of the buying process and who could potentially benefit personally through illicit relationships with a vendor, to the detriment of the retailer. It specifically prohibits the solicitation of any gift or gratuity from a vendor in return for preferential treatment.Gate Guard Error Report - This form is for use by the lumberyard gate guard to record errors discovered during load checks of outgoing vehicles (both customer and delivery), and should be turned in daily for remedial action by the owner/manager.Hold Harmless Delivery Agreement - This form is suggested for use when a customer requests delivery of building materials to a job site. There is room at the top of the form for your store's name and address stamp or logo.Incident Report - This form is for use in recording both incidents (employee theft, shoplifting, burglary, robbery, etc.) and accidents, particularly accidents involving customers. Attach statements, photos, etc., and file in a secure file for future reference.Inventory Adjustment - Price Change - This form is designed to provide a record of inventory adjustments and price changes. Rather than have many associates with the independent capability of changing inventory and prices, this form can be used to request a change, with only select office personnel/managers actually making the change.Merchandise Return - This form (#90111 - pads available from your RSC) is an excellent form for documenting refunds. The tab is torn off by the cashier and attached to the item being refunded. The associate who returns it to stock, defective, or otherwise disposes of the product annotates the stub and turns it in to the office where it is married with the basic form, refund receipt, purchase, receipt, etc., for file.Missing Merchandise Report - This form is used to record the discovery of evidence of merchandise that has been stolen, as well as actions taken subsequent to the discovery (e.g., updating inventory, review of CCTV, installation of annunciator, notification of police, etc.).Missing Rental Equipment Action Summary - This form is for use in documenting actions taken following a customers breach of a rental contract.Receipt for Company Credit Card - This documents an employees receipt of a company credit card and acknowledgement of the responsibilities associated with it. There is room at the top of the form for your stores name and address stamp or logo.Receipt for Keys, Combinations and Codes - This documents an employees receipt of one or more keys, combinations and codes, and acknowledgement of the responsibilities associated with them. There is room at the top of the form for your stores name and address stamp or logoRefund Tag for Rear Entrance Use - If you have, in addition to your main entrance, a rear (or side) customer entrance, and that second entrance is monitored - but there is no refund service provided at or near that entrance - it is advisable to control customers who are entering with merchandise for refund. This form is actually eight small tags that can be cut and used for that purpose. Fill in the information on one of the tags and tape it to the item being refunded, advising the customer to please go directly to a POS terminal where the refund can be processed. This tag can also be used for customers entering through the main entrance when your refund counter is not within sight of that entrance. In either case, the associate who actually processes the refund should remove the tag and attach it to the refund documentation. (NOTE: The supply of blank tags must be protected in order to prevent misuse by a shoplifter).Refunds Verification - Recommend a weekly telephonic follow-up on at least 10% of all refunds, ensuring that all associates who processed refunds are included. This form is for recording the results of those calls, which includes a suggested caller dialogue.Safe Daily Verification - This form is for recording the daily count of the safe.Security Notice for Locked Display - This notice provides support for associates when they inform the customer that the product must be carried to the front by the associate. This advisory will also deter shoplifters. This is the process referred to as "lock it up - walk it up" which acknowledges that any product that is theft prone to the extent that it must be displayed in a locked fixture should receive that same degree of protection all the way to the point of sale. If the customer indicates that he has more shopping to do, just inform him that it will be waiting at for him at register number __. Sign for Public View Monitor - Recommended verbiage for sign mounted under public view monitor (or on entrance door) for stores with CCTV system - English and Spanish.Suspect Identification Form - This form should be placed in a protective plastic holder and kept under the till in the POS drawer. In the event of a robbery, the cashier should complete this form as soon as possible. Make a copy of the form for store retention (attach it to the Ace Incident Report) and provide the original to the police.Up Channel Reporting to LP Manager - This is a sample policy form for use in multi-store operations that provides both incident-specific and accident-specific up channel reporting requirements from company stores to the owner or other corporate level individual responsible for managing the loss prevention program.Please contact Ace Hardware Retail Loss Prevention at 630-972-2670 or e-mail us at info@acelossprevention.com if you have comments or suggestions regarding these forms or recommendations for new forms.