Cash Flow Calculator
Forecast cash by period and compare the effect of moving a receipt or payment.
Cash and periods
Use available cash before the first period.
Expected cash movements
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Month 5
Month 6
Month 7
Month 8
Month 9
Month 10
Month 11
Month 12
Compare a timing change
Enter zero to compare the unchanged forecast.
Month 2
Closing cash first falls below your minimum in this period.
$2,100
$5,900
$7,600
$11,300
Period-end balances use your entered cash receipts and payments. Cash can fall lower within a period. The example is fictional.
Forecast after timing change
| Period | Opening cash | Receipts | Payments | Closing cash | Balance status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | $18,400.00 | $24,600.00 | $29,100.00 | $13,900.00 | Positive |
| Month 2 | $13,900.00 | $16,400.00 | $28,200.00 | $2,100.00 | Positive |
| Month 3 | $2,100.00 | $32,800.00 | $25,100.00 | $9,800.00 | Positive |
| Month 4 | $9,800.00 | $25,800.00 | $27,100.00 | $8,500.00 | Positive |
| Month 5 | $8,500.00 | $30,400.00 | $29,800.00 | $9,100.00 | Positive |
| Month 6 | $9,100.00 | $28,700.00 | $26,500.00 | $11,300.00 | Positive |
Cash Timing and Profit
This cash flow calculator shows the first period when projected cash falls below your required balance. Each closing balance becomes the next opening balance. The comparison moves one receipt or payment between periods while keeping its total unchanged.
Cash receipts belong in the period you expect payment to arrive. An unpaid invoice can contribute to accounting profit before the customer pays. Depreciation reduces accounting profit without a cash payment in that period.
Incorrect entry: count an invoice as cash when you issue it, then count the customer’s payment again. Correct entry: count the receipt once, when you expect the cash.
Loan proceeds and owner contributions increase available cash. Loan principal repayments, equipment purchases and owner withdrawals reduce it. Include these cash movements even when they are outside operating profit. Business Queensland explains the distinction between profit budgets and cash forecasts.
Build the Period Forecast
Start with available cash and choose weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual periods. Enter the receipts and payments expected in each period. Include GST in the cash amounts you expect to receive or pay, and include tax settlements when they fall due.
Choose 12 monthly periods for a year’s cash flow projection, or Annual for a forecast with one row per year. Enter each period’s cash movements. Changing the period length relabels your entries. It does not multiply or divide them.
Enter recurring receipts and operating payments, then select Fill all periods to replace each visible period’s amounts. Adjust individual periods afterwards for seasonal trade, tax payments or one-off cash movements.
For investment or project cash flow, add the cash you expect to pay and receive in each period. Include the investment outlay, project costs and later cash receipts in their expected periods. These entries form a cash budget. They do not calculate discounted investment value or a rental property’s after-tax result.
For every period, closing cash equals opening cash plus receipts less payments. This follows the business.gov.au cash flow statement method. The minimum balance is the amount you want to retain after those movements.
The fictional six-month example starts with $18,400. First-month receipts of $24,600 and payments of $29,100 leave $13,900. The second month receives $21,900 and pays $28,200, leaving $7,600. That is $400 below the $8,000 minimum.
Delay a $5,500 receipt from month two to month three. Month two then closes at $2,100, which is $5,900 below the minimum. Month three catches up to $9,800. Both forecasts finish month six at $11,300.
The table labels each closing balance Positive, Zero or Negative. Positive cash flow over a period means receipts exceed payments. A positive closing balance can still fall below your required minimum, so check both the balance status and shortfall result.
The lowest projected balance includes opening cash and every period-end balance. A shortfall at opening means cash starts below the minimum. A balance exactly equal to the minimum has no shortfall. Period-end figures can conceal a shortage before a later receipt arrives.
Compare a Change in Timing
Choose a receipt or payment, enter the amount and select its original and new periods. The amount cannot exceed the receipts or payments in its original period. Both periods must fall within the forecast.
Moving a receipt later reduces available cash until it arrives. Moving a payment later increases available cash until you pay it. Confirm any changed payment terms with the other party before using them in your working forecast.
The chart compares both forecasts with your minimum balance. The table shows the changed forecast, including the opening-to-closing calculation for each period. Download the CSV to keep both schedules and the timing assumption together.
The calculator connects to no bank or ledger account. Entered amounts stay on this browser page and are not saved in browser storage. The downloaded file contains your figures, so store it with your other financial records.
For liquidity, working capital and profitability indicators beside your cash forecast, use the business viability assessment tool.
Replace estimates with actual receipts and payments as each period ends. Update later periods when timing changes. Business Victoria’s forecasting guide explains how to compare the forecast with actual cash movements.