Small Business Cash Flow Forecast Template
A general forecast for service and product businesses that want a clear view of the next 13 weeks and 12 months. Pre-bu…
Cash flow forecast templates for the business you actually run
Free and premium Excel and Google Sheets templates that show the week your bank balance gets tight, weeks before it happens. Plus plain-English guides so you can build, read and trust your forecast.
- Excel and Google Sheets
- 13-week and 12-month views
- 30 industries covered
How people use this site
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1
Understand the method
Short guides on what goes into a forecast, which horizon to pick and how to keep it accurate.
Read the guides -
2
Try it for free
Run numbers in the calculator, or download the free template and fill in your own figures.
Open the calculator -
3
Switch to your industry’s template
Premium templates come pre-built with your industry’s income and cost lines, scenarios and a dashboard.
See premium templates
Pick your business
Every industry moves money differently. A restaurant pays suppliers weekly; a builder waits 60 days for a progress payment. Start from the one closest to yours.
- Small Business
- Startup
- Restaurant
- Café & Coffee Shop
- Construction
- Contractor & Trades
- Real Estate & Rental Property
- Property Development
- Nonprofit
- Church & Ministry
- Ecommerce
- SaaS
- Retail Store
- Consulting & Agency
- Freelancer
- Medical Practice
- Dental Practice
- Law Firm
- Manufacturing
- Trucking & Logistics
- Farm & Agriculture
- Hotel & Hospitality
- Event Planning
- Salon & Spa
- Gym & Fitness Studio
- Landscaping
- Cleaning Business
- Daycare & Childcare
- Personal & Household
- Franchise
What is a cash flow forecast template?
A cash flow forecast template is a pre-built spreadsheet that projects the money coming into and going out of a business, week by week or month by month, so you can see your future bank balance. You enter an opening balance, expected receipts (sales, customer payments, loans) and expected payments (payroll, rent, suppliers, tax). The template adds them up and shows the closing balance for each period.
It is different from a profit and loss forecast because it tracks when cash actually moves, not when a sale is recorded. A profitable business can still run out of cash if customers pay late.
Opening balance$18,000
+ Cash in (receipts)$9,400
− Cash out (payments)$9,100
= Closing balance$18,300
The closing balance becomes next period’s opening balance. That’s the whole engine; everything else is detail.
Free or premium: which one do you need?
| What you get | Free template | Industry template | Bundle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12-month monthly forecast | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 13-week weekly forecast | Separate free file | Yes, linked | Yes, linked |
| Income and cost lines for your industry | Generic | Pre-built | Every industry |
| Best / expected / worst scenarios | No | Yes | Yes |
| Actual vs forecast tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Dashboard and charts | Basic | Full | Full |
| Price | Free | From $19 | $129 |
Industry templates
All 30 templatesStartup Cash Flow Forecast Template
For founders who need to know their runway, plan a raise and show investors a credible cash plan with little or no trad…
Restaurant Cash Flow Forecast Template
Built around daily card settlements, weekly food and beverage purchases, tip payouts and the seasonal swings every rest…
Café & Coffee Shop Cash Flow Forecast Template
For cafés with high daily transaction counts, thin margins, and weekly coffee, milk and bakery orders. Pre-built with t…
Construction Cash Flow Forecast Template
Handles progress billing, retainage held back by clients and the gap between paying crews and getting paid on a project…
Contractor & Trades Cash Flow Forecast Template
For plumbers, electricians, HVAC and other trades balancing job deposits, van costs and parts on account. Pre-built wit…
Every template, one download
Every industry template we make, plus the master template and all future updates. Built for accountants, bookkeepers, consultants and owners of more than one business.
$129 $1,170
Start learning
All guidesCash Flow vs Profit: Why Profitable Businesses Run Out of Cash
Profit is income minus expenses when they are earned and incurred; cash flow is money actually entering and leaving the bank. They differ because cus…
5 min readCash Flow Forecast vs Cash Flow Statement: The Difference Explained
A cash flow statement is a historical financial statement that reports how cash changed over a past period, grouped into operating, investing and fin…
4 min readCash Flow Forecast vs Budget: Which Do You Need?
A budget sets financial targets for a period, usually a year, recording income when earned and costs when incurred. A cash flow forecast predicts whe…
4 min readDirect vs Indirect Cash Flow Forecasting
The direct method forecasts cash by listing expected receipts and payments line by line. The indirect method starts from forecast profit and adjusts…
4 min readCash Flow Forecast Example: 3 Worked Examples for Small Businesses
A cash flow forecast example shows opening balance, cash in, cash out and closing balance for each week or month. The three examples here, a service…
5 min readWhy Cash Flow Forecasting Is Important: 7 Reasons
Cash flow forecasting is important because it shows shortfalls weeks or months before they happen, turns decisions such as hiring and buying into evi…
4 min read
Cash flow forecast templates: common questions
Is there a free cash flow forecast template?
Yes. Our free 12-month cash flow forecast template works in Excel and Google Sheets. It includes an opening balance, cash in and cash out sections and a closing balance that rolls forward automatically.
What is the best format for a cash flow forecast?
Most small businesses use a monthly 12-month forecast for planning and a weekly 13-week forecast for managing tight periods. Use weekly when cash is tight, you pay staff weekly, or you are talking to a lender.
Can I use a cash flow forecast template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Every template we publish works in both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. Premium templates include a separate Google Sheets copy link so formulas and charts work natively.
How often should I update my cash flow forecast?
Update a 13-week forecast every week and a 12-month forecast every month. Replace forecast figures with actual figures as each period closes, then roll the forecast forward one period.
What’s the difference between the free and premium templates?
The free template is a solid general forecast. Premium templates add your industry’s income and cost lines, a linked 13-week and 12-month view, best and worst case scenarios, actual vs forecast tracking and a dashboard.