The Power of Cash Flow ForecastsJune 6, 2023All owners understand the #1 rule of business – don’t run out of cash! But this is often easier said than done. One method of getting a better handle on your business’s cash flow is by creating a forecast. Here’s a look at what a cash flow forecast is, the benefits of having a forecast, and the information needed to create this report. The basicsA cash flow forecast shows an estimate of the cash coming in and going out of your business over a certain period of time. The time frame covered by the report can be whatever makes sense for your business (i.e. weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or annually). What’s best for your business often comes down to what cash worries drive your need to make decisions. One of the more popular formats is a rolling twelve-month forecast that allows a business to account for a full cycle of any seasonality in addition to large, single or periodic cash outlays. The benefits
Building the forecastA cash flow forecast starts with your income statement. You then adjust the income statement by pulling out non-cash items like depreciation and amortization to get operational cash. Next, track changes in cash inflows and outflows from your balance sheet accounts to get a cash balance for the period. Then take the monthly cash change and see the cumulative effect over time. By forecasting out future periods, you can easily see when your business will have excess cash and when you might be in a negative cash position…long before it occurs! Please call if you’d like help creating a cash flow forecast for your business. |
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