Works in Excel, Google Sheets, Apple Numbers and LibreOffice. No sign-up, no macros.
What's in the file
- Instructions: how to fill it in and roll it forward.
- Sample forecast: 13 weeks for a fictional joinery shop, so you can see how the numbers flow.
- Blank forecast: the same layout, empty, ready for your numbers.
- Rows for opening cash, collections, other receipts, payroll, rent, suppliers, loan payments, other payments, net change and ending cash.
- A minimum cash line. Any week that ends below it turns red, and a summary shows the lowest week, the number of weeks below the minimum and the first week below it.
- Shaded input cells. Every other number is a formula, so totals and ending cash always add up.
A look at the sample
The first six weeks of the sample sheet. Opening cash is $84,500 and the agreed minimum is $40,000. Weeks below the minimum show in red in the file.
| Week of | Nov 2 | Nov 9 | Nov 16 | Nov 23 | Nov 30 | Dec 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening cash | $84,500 | $70,800 | $79,900 | $72,300 | $59,250 | $52,650 |
| Total cash in | $6,200 | $31,800 | $9,400 | $14,450 | $21,300 | $8,800 |
| Total cash out | $19,900 | $22,700 | $17,000 | $27,500 | $27,900 | $24,100 |
| Ending cash | $70,800 | $79,900 | $72,300 | $59,250 | $52,650 | $37,350 |
| Minimum cash | $40,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 | $40,000 |
Across all 13 weeks the lowest point is $37,350 in the week of December 7, and 2 weeks end below the minimum. That's the headline you would give the business: when cash is tightest, and by how much.
How to use it in 5 steps
- Set the first week and the minimum. Open the Blank forecast sheet. Type the date week 1 starts and the minimum cash balance the business has agreed to keep. The other 12 week dates fill in on their own.
- Enter opening cash. Add up every bank balance as of the same date and type the total into week 1's opening cash. Each later week starts with the week before's ending cash.
- Place collections and other receipts. Put each open invoice from the receivables aging in the week you expect the money, using that customer's usual days late. Add sales not invoiced yet, then loan advances, refunds and other cash in.
- Enter payments. Payroll on pay dates, rent and loan payments on their dates, suppliers from the payables aging or your weekly payment run, and taxes, the credit card payment and everything else under other payments.
- Read the summary and update weekly. Ending cash turns red in any week below the minimum. The summary shows the lowest week and the first week below the minimum. Each week, replace the week that ended with actuals and add a new week 13.
Go further
Frequently asked questions
Is the template really free?
Yes. Download it and use it for your own business or your clients. There's no email gate and no sign-up.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the .xlsx to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. It also opens in Excel, Apple Numbers and LibreOffice. The formulas are plain SUM, MIN, IF, INDEX and MATCH, so nothing needs a macro.
What is a 13-week cash flow forecast?
A weekly forecast of cash in and cash out for the next quarter. Each week starts with the previous week's ending cash, so it shows the specific week cash gets tight, not just whether the quarter is profitable.
How do I set the minimum cash balance?
Agree it with the business. A practical starting point is about two weeks of payroll and fixed costs, adjusted for lender covenants and how lumpy the business is. Our guide on setting a minimum cash balance walks through it.
Can I add more rows?
Yes. Insert a row inside the Cash in or Cash out block, between its first and last line, and the totals pick it up. Copy the formulas across from a row above if you add a calculated row.
How do I roll it forward each week?
Copy the sheet, set the new first week date, move week 1's ending cash into the opening cash, and add a new week 13. Compare last week's forecast with what actually happened and note the differences.