Model cash, not revenue
Invoice date is not collection date. Put money in the week you expect it to hit the bank.
Cash flow forecast template
Plan the next 13 weeks of cash before it gets tight.
Build a weekly cash flow forecast with inflows, outflows, ending cash, and lean or strong scenarios. Spot low-cash weeks early, then copy, export CSV, or print. Runs in your browser — no signup.
- No signup
- Saved locally
- 13-week grid + scenarios
13-week cash workbench Draft ready
1. Forecast setup
Name the plan, set the first week, and enter opening cash and a minimum cash floor you do not want to breach.
2. Scenario
Base uses your entered amounts. Lean reduces income and raises expenses. Strong does the reverse. Multipliers apply only to the live grid.
3. Cash inflows
Add collections and other cash receipts. Recurring applies every week; one-time hits a single week (1–13).
4. Cash outflows
Payroll, rent, inventory, software, tax set-asides, and other cash leaving the business.
5. Weekly cash grid
Ending cash rolls week to week. Weeks below your minimum threshold highlight automatically. Scroll sideways on small screens.
How a 13-week cash flow forecast works
A weekly cash forecast is a timing tool. It does not replace your full P&L. It answers a narrower question: will cash on hand cover the bills that clear in each of the next thirteen weeks?
You start with opening cash, add expected receipts and disbursements by week, then roll ending cash forward. The useful output is not a single “profit” number — it is the sequence of ending balances and the first week that drops below your safety floor.
Set a cash floor
A minimum threshold turns the grid into an early-warning system for payroll and rent weeks.
Stress-test with Lean
If Lean still clears your floor, the plan is more resilient than a single optimistic base case.
Formulas and assumptions
Week net = cash inflows for the week − cash outflows for the week (after scenario multipliers).
Ending cash = opening cash for the week + week net. Next week’s opening cash equals this week’s ending cash.
Recurring lines apply the same amount to every week. One-time lines apply only to the chosen week number (1–13).
Scenarios: Base = 100% income and expense. Lean = 90% income and 105% expense. Strong = 110% income and 95% expense.
Disclaimer: This planner is an operational aid for US small businesses, freelancers, and bookkeepers. It is not accounting software, tax advice, credit underwriting, or a bank cash forecast. Verify large decisions against your books and advisor.
Example: Harbor & Pine weekly plan
Harbor & Pine Outfitters starts the quarter with $42,500 cash and a $15,000 floor. Weekly client collections and retail POS keep the base case healthy, but payroll plus inventory restocks create tighter weeks when a one-time tax refund has not yet landed. Use Load example above, then switch to Lean to see which weeks breach the floor first.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 13-week cash flow forecast?
A quarter-looking weekly plan of cash in, cash out, and ending cash. Operators use it to catch low-cash weeks before they hit payroll or vendor payments.
How is this different from a cash runway calculator?
Runway estimates months of cash at a steady burn. This forecast shows week-by-week timing so uneven collections and bill cycles are visible.
Where is my forecast data stored?
Only in your browser via localStorage. Nothing is uploaded to Useful Business Tools servers. Use Reset to clear the draft.