---
title: "Cash Access (User Cashbooks)"
description: "How admins create personal cash accounts for users in NICE HMS — assigning cashbooks, editing cash access, and how these accounts connect to contra and receipt/payment flows."
date: 2026-07-19
lastModified: 2026-07-25
category: "billing"
author: "Dr. Umesh Bilagi"
beta: false
---

## Overview

Cash Access is an admin-only feature for creating personal cash accounts (cashbooks) for users. Each user who handles cash gets one CASH account, auto-named `{userId}_{username} Cash`. These cashbooks are then used in Contra transactions, bank deposits, and receipt/payment flows.

Cash Access is NOT a cash-in/cash-out register. The actual cash movements happen through Contra (User Cash acceptance, bank deposits) and Receipt/Payment (patient payments).

## Access

Only users with the **admin** role can create or edit cash accounts. The pages are under **Admin Dashboard** (`/admin/admin/cash-access/`).

## Granting Cash Access to a User

### Step 1: Search for the User

1. Go to **Admin Dashboard > Give cash access to users** (`/admin/admin/cash-access/search-create/0`).
2. Browse or search for the user who needs a cash account.
3. Click the user to open the cash access form.

### Step 2: Create the Cash Account

The form loads with the user's details pre-filled. Complete these fields:

| Field | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| **Prefix** | Yes | Mr, Ms, Mrs, Dr, etc. |
| **First Name** | Yes | Auto-filled from the user's profile |
| **Last Name** | Yes | Auto-filled from the user's profile |
| **Opening Balance** | Yes | Initial balance for the cashbook (typically 0) |
| **isActive** | Yes | Checked by default — uncheck to deactivate |

The **accountName** is auto-generated as `{userId}_{username} Cash` (e.g., `"5_John Cash"` for user ID 5 with username "John"). The **accountType** is always `CASH`.

4. Click **Submit**. The cash account is created and the user can now accept cash, make deposits, and record payments against their cashbook.

## Editing a Cash Account

1. Go to **Admin Dashboard > Cash Access users of your organization** (`/admin/admin/cash-access/search-edit/0`).
2. Browse or search for the user whose cash account you want to edit.
3. Click the user to open the edit form.
4. Modify fields as needed — update name, change active status, or adjust opening balance.
5. Click **Submit**.

### Common Edits

- **Deactivate a cashbook**: Uncheck **isActive** and submit. The account won't appear in dropdowns but stays in historical records.
- **Fix opening balance**: Adjust the opening balance if it was entered incorrectly during creation.

## Where Cash Accounts Are Used

Once a cash account is created, it appears in these flows:

| Flow | How the Cash Account Is Used |
|------|------------------------------|
| **Contra — User Cash** | Accept cash into your own cashbook from another cash account. Dr is fixed to your cash account. See [Contra Transaction](/docs/contra-transaction). |
| **Contra — Bank Deposit** | Deposit from your cash or digital account into a bank. Only your own cash account appears in the source dropdown. See [Contra Transaction](/docs/contra-transaction). |
| **Receipt (Patient Payment)** | Record patient payments received into your cash drawer. See [Bill Transaction](/docs/bill-transaction). |
| **Vendor Payment** | Pay vendors from cash. Money leaves your cash account. See [Purchase](/docs/purchase). |

## FAQ

**Q: Who can create cash accounts?**
A: Only users with the admin role. The cash access pages return Forbidden for any other role.

**Q: Can one user have multiple cash accounts?**
A: No. Each user gets one cashbook. The account name follows the pattern `{userId}_{username} Cash`.

**Q: How do I deactivate a cash account?**
A: Go to the cash access edit page, uncheck **isActive**, and submit. The account remains in historical transactions but won't appear in dropdowns for new vouchers.

**Q: What happens if a user doesn't have a cash account?**
A: They won't be able to accept cash (Contra User Cash), record patient cash payments, or make bank deposits from cash.

**Q: Does the opening balance affect existing transactions?**
A: No. The opening balance sets the starting point for the cashbook. All subsequent transactions add to or subtract from this balance.