What a cash flow forecast template does
A cash flow forecast template is a structured spreadsheet that answers one question: how much money will actually be in the bank, week by week, over the months ahead. It deals only in money moving — not sales made or costs incurred — because it is the movement of money that decides whether payroll, suppliers and tax can be paid on time.
What the template contains
- An opening balance for each week, taken from the previous week's closing balance.
- Money coming into your business: customer payments, deposits, grants, loan drawdowns.
- Money going out: payroll, suppliers, rent, loan repayments, tax and VAT, owner drawings.
- A closing balance for each week, which is where a future shortage becomes visible.
How to fill in a cash flow forecast template
Five steps for completing a weekly cash flow forecast for a small business, whether you forecast four weeks ahead or thirteen.
- Step 1
Choose how many weeks to forecast
Use the number of weeks you can estimate honestly — four, six, eight or thirteen. A short forecast you trust beats a long one filled with guesses.
- Step 2
Start from your cleared bank balance
Enter the money actually cleared in your business account today as the opening balance for week one. Each later week opens with the previous week's closing balance.
- Step 3
Enter money coming in
Place customer payments, deposits, grants and loan drawdowns in the week you genuinely expect them to arrive, based on how each customer has paid before rather than the invoice terms.
- Step 4
Enter money going out
Add payroll, suppliers, rent, loan repayments, tax and VAT, insurance and owner drawings in the weeks they actually leave the account.
- Step 5
Read the lowest closing balance, then update weekly
The lowest closing balance and the week it falls in is the most useful number the exercise produces. Each week, replace estimates with actuals and add a new week at the far end.
How to fill it in
Start from your actual cleared bank balance today. Place each outstanding customer invoice in the week you genuinely expect to be paid, based on how that customer has behaved before rather than the terms printed on the invoice. Then enter your payments on the dates they are actually due. The lowest closing balance across the weeks you forecast, and the week it falls in, is the single most useful number the exercise produces.
How often to update it
Weekly. Replace the previous week's estimates with what really happened, then add a new week at the far end so the forecast always looks the same distance ahead. Twenty minutes a week is enough, and the gap between what you forecast and what occurred is what makes the next forecast better.
Where to go next
- Cash Flow Variance Analysis: A Practical Guide — compare your forecast with what actually happened, and get the free variance template.
- How Far Ahead Should a Small Business Forecast Its Cash? — choosing a forecasting period you'll actually maintain.
- Cash Management Needs Discipline, Not a Finance Department — the weekly routine that makes the forecast worth keeping.
- Free 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast Template — download the template itself.
- Cash Confident — the course that puts the forecast into a wider routine.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a cash flow forecast template?
- It is a structured spreadsheet showing the money you expect to receive, the money you expect to pay out and the balance you expect to be left with at the end of each week. It tracks money moving in and out of the bank, not sales made or costs incurred.
- How many weeks should a small business forecast ahead?
- As many weeks as you can estimate honestly. Thirteen weeks is a common professional horizon, but four, six or eight weeks is perfectly valid — a shorter forecast you maintain is more useful than a longer one built on guesses.
- How often should I update my cash flow forecast?
- Once a week, in about twenty minutes. Replace the previous week's estimates with what actually happened and add a new week at the far end so the forecast always looks the same distance ahead.
- Do I need accounting knowledge to use the template?
- No. If you can read your bank statement and know when your regular payments fall due, you can complete the template. It uses plain language rather than accounting terminology.
Educational disclaimer. This material is general educational information about cash management. It is not investment, tax, legal, accounting or regulated financial advice, and it does not take account of your circumstances. Consider speaking to a suitably qualified professional before making financial decisions.