13-Week Cash Flow Forecast

The 13-week cash flow forecast is the standard tool for managing short-term liquidity. This template rolls forward automatically and calculates ending cash by week.

Why this matters

Profit and cash are not the same thing. A profitable business can run out of cash if customers pay slowly, inventory builds up, or a big tax payment lands in the wrong month.

The 13-week horizon is short enough to be accurate and long enough to see problems before they become emergencies. It's the tool CFOs and turnaround managers rely on most.

Reviewing this forecast every Monday morning, updating the prior week's actuals and rolling forward one new week, is one of the single highest-leverage habits a business owner can build.

How to use it

Enter your current cash balance in cell B4 (Week 1 beginning cash).
For each week, list expected customer receipts based on AR aging and payment history.
Add new-sale deposits, loan draws, and any other cash inflows.
Enter expected outflows: payroll, rent, vendor payments, loan payments, taxes, marketing.
The ending cash balance rolls forward automatically to next week's beginning balance.
Each Monday, replace the prior week's forecast with actual results and add a new Week 13.
If ending cash drops below your minimum threshold in any week, act now: accelerate collections, delay payments, or draw on your line of credit.