The receiving teller ranks next in importance after the paying teller; in reality he is the first assistant to the paying teller. In small banks where the business does not justify a separate note teller and collection clerk, the receiving teller takes in and accounts for all the funds which come into the bank; in the large city bank his main duty is to receive the deposits that come in directly over the counter. His position is one requiring care, accuracy and courtesy since customers are likely to judge the bank by his manner of treating them. Every deposit should be accompanied by a deposit slip or ticket showing the amount of coin, notes, checks and other documents representing money. The receiving teller should verify each item and the total and make sure that all checks, drafts and other negotiable papers are properly dated and indorsed by the depositor before entering the amount of the deposit in the customer's pass book. In some banks the receiving teller writes his initial on both the deposit slip and the pass book for future identification. The receiving teller should be thoroughly familiar with all forms of money and always alert to detect counterfeits. Generally the money received is counted at once to make sure that it tallies with the deposit slip, before the entry is made in the pass book. In cases where the deposit includes a great many small bills, and the teller is pressed for time, he may pass a hand about the bills, temporarily accepting the depositor's count as correct, and count them later when he has more time. This is open to the objection that if his later count does not agree with the amount stated on the deposit slip an unpleasant dispute may arise between the bank and the depositor.

The deposit tickets are filed on spindles and after the amounts are entered on the deposit scratcher they are sent to the bookkeeper's desk to be entered in the proper accounts. The receiving teller's "cage" should be supplied with convenient racks for stacking the bills and with trays for coins. At the close of the day the coins, after being counted, are put in bags or wrapped in paper rolls in convenient amounts, and the bills of like denominations are strapped in bundles. After proving his cash, the receiving teller turns it over with a statement to the paying teller, taking a receipt for it.

The checks received are assorted according as they are drawn on other banks in the same town, on the teller's own bank, or on out-of-town banks. After the proper records are made the checks are sent to the clearing house desk, to the individual bookkeeper's desk, or to the foreign or collection desk. In addition to the deposit book in which is recorded each day's deposits, the receiving teller keeps a proof book. This book contains on one side the receipts from all sources - deposits, money received by express, or turned over by the first or third teller; on the other side are recorded the amount of clearing house exchanges, checks on his own bank, foreign items, city collections, charges to other tellers and cash in hand. Of course the two sides of the proof book must balance.

Receiving Teller's Proof

Receiving Teller's Proof.