A step by step guide to cash flow forecasting
A quick glance:
Cash flow management does not have to be complicated, but it requires more than an occasional glance at your bank account for business.
Being aware of your cash flow allows you to take advantage of valuable opportunities – think buying a new asset, employing additional employees, or making use of discounts.
Paying on time is critical to maintaining cash flow . Don’t let your debtors hold you back.
Heads up: looking at your bank accounts once a week isn’t a way to forecast your cash flow.
Small business owners overwhelmed with the thought of preparing an annual cash flow forecast often convince themselves that just a glance at the bank account will accomplish the task.
It’s crucial for small entrepreneurs to be aware that forecasting cash flow is very simple and, instead of complimenting things, can help make running your business easier and your chance at being successful is higher.
We’ve got the best suggestions for cash flow forecasting like a pro.
1. Learn about cash flow
Simply put it is by calculating your cash flow based on the amount you pay in and your payments out and what you are owed and what you have in the bank, less what you are owed.
An cash flow prediction will reveal exactly how much you’ve got in terms of liquid funds.
The money you pay in will predominantly comprised of sales. However, your payment out will cover expenses like rent, wages, utilities, tax, and supplier payments.
2. Learn why it’s important
When you have a handle on your cash flow , you are able to run your business more efficiently and profitably.
Small businesses often have stocks, and they need to know how much they should have available and whether they should buy in bulk, for example.
If you’re not forecasting your cash flow properly it will be difficult to effectively manage your stocks on hand or profit from opportunities when it arrives – such as discounts on orders like that, or being able to purchase a new asset.
An accurate cash flow projection will provide you with an understanding of the possibility of capital expenditure and warranted at any time and will help you utilize your funds to the maximum potential.
3. Be prepared for the future
If you are just beginning your career in business it is possible that the changes that come with growth can sometimes creep into your life – for example, the transition away from keeping your firm running at a steady pace and then needing to keep a close eye on fluctuating cash flow.
It’s essential to prepare ahead. For instance, if you don’t manage your cash flow, you could run running out of stocks and be able to purchase. I’ve also seen people who finance their purchase of stock using personal credit cards. This can result in a high-cost cycle that’s hard to come out of.
Planning ahead is essential in the process of successful planning for cash flows.
Be aware of things like the need for staffing, or the seasonal demand for stock. Be sure to take note of your tax obligations , including VAT and PAYE. This is one area of expense that small businesses get caught out every now and again.
4. You can use the Chase option to make your payments
It is recommended that small-scale business owners collect payments for invoices as soon as they are able to.
It is often difficult to recover a debt. Chase instalments that have not been paid promptly instead of taking them off.
Invoices that are not paid can be a major problem for your business, affecting everything from your ability to replenish stock, to having to reduce the advertising budget or branding.
Find out what you’re owed by checking the cash flow projection on a regular basis every week, once a month at a minimum. If you don’t know where you stand, you can’t properly prepare for what’s coming up.
5. Are you feeling stuck? Don’t be alone.
Most accounting software like Xero and MYOB provides cash flow forecasting capabilities that business owners can benefit from. While it’s recommended to keep business owners in control on their money flow themselves, there’s nothing wrong with making a monthly update alongside your accountant in the process.
Small-scale business owners are often too busy – often their time could be better to be spent on other aspects of the business and accountants can assist them in planning their forecasts. Contact your bank’s accountant or small business loan provider to find solutions to small business growing pains before they become an issue. It’s better to get help as soon as you think you might need it instead of burying your head in the sand hoping the problems will go away.
You don’t have to be an accountant in order to make or manage a budget for your cash flow. However, you must create it as a regular and consistent element of your business’s plan. In times of uncertainty, such as an outbreak in the world and a global pandemic, it’s more essential than ever for small entrepreneurs to instill resilience into their businesses and among the most effective methods of doing this is to forecast cash flow.
