If you use Cash Drawer Locking (option 9905 "Use Cash Drawer Locking feature" is set to Yes), there are two ways a clerk to release a cash drawer, and a third way that a manager with the proper security can use.
Signing in and out of POS does not change the locked status of a cash drawer.
If option 9904 “Release locked cash drawers from prior day” is Yes, then starting POS at a station checks if there are any locked drawers from a prior day. If so, the system automatically releases them makes them available for use.
In POS, with the cursor in the Item (SKU) field, select Menu and select option 1 ‘Open cash drawer’. Before the cash drawer opens, the clerk is asked if he/she wants to release the cash drawer as well. If he/she answers Yes, the cash drawer is released/unlocked, physically opens, and automatically signs off the user. If the clerk answers No, the drawer physically opens, but isn't released.
Note: If the clerk does not have bit 549 “Allow No Sale option to open cash drawer,” then pressing Menu option 1 says “Release cash drawer,” the clerk is asked if he/she wants to release the cash drawer, and if the clerk answers Yes, the lock is removed (the drawer does not open).
If you use Cash Drawer Balancing (option 5419 = C), when the clerk presses Menu and selects option K "Print totals and close cash drawer," if the clerk selects 1-"Enter drawer amounts, then close cash drawer" or 2-"Close cash drawer," the system automatically releases/unlocks the drawer, physically opens it, and automatically signs off the user.
For managers with security bits 1032 "Ability to use POS when its cash drawers are locked by other users” and 1033 “Ability to release another user’s locked cash drawer,” when they sign on to POS and select to "Proceed without using cash drawer" then Menu option 1 reads "Release cash drawer." The system asks which drawer they want to unlock, even if only one drawer is locked. Note: the drawer does not physically open; the manager needs a physical key to open and remove the till. However, if the manager also has bit 1034 “Ability to use a locked cash drawer," they must to select to use that Locked Drawer and do No Sale Menu 1 to open the drawer (manager must have security bit 549 "Allow No Sale option to open cash drawer") to open the drawer and release it.