Free tool

13-week cash flow forecast in two minutes

Enter seven numbers. See your cash for each of the next 13 weeks, the week it runs lowest, and every week it drops under two payrolls.

Cash in the bank today$ Customer payments per week, on average$ Payroll per run, all-in$ Payroll schedule Next payroll is in Fixed bills per month, paid on the 1st$ Other spending per week (supplies, fuel, card)$

Add one-off items (tax payment, equipment, a big invoice)

Negative for money going out, positive for money coming in.

Lowest point

Safe line (2 payrolls)

cash you never want to drop under

Weeks under the safe line

of the next 13

Week of	Comes in	Payroll	Bills and other	Cash at week end

How to read your forecast

The red bar is your lowest week. That is the number to manage, not today's balance.
The dashed line is two payroll runs. Light bars are weeks under it.
Payroll weeks show as dips. Weeks with payroll and the 1st of the month together are usually the tightest.

What this quick version leaves out

It assumes customers pay you the same amount every week. Real businesses do not work that way. One big customer pays on the 30th, another always pays late, and quarterly bills land in one week.

A full forecast starts from the invoices you have already sent and each customer's real payment habits. It also tracks last week's forecast against what actually happened, so you learn how far to trust it.

How to build a full 13-week forecast

Start with cash in the bank today, from the bank, not the books.
List what customers owe you and when each one usually pays. Put each invoice in its week.
Add new sales you expect to invoice, at the speed customers usually pay.
Put payroll in its exact weeks, with taxes and benefits.
Add rent, loans, insurance and software on their due dates.
Add quarterly tax payments and anything you plan to buy.
Every Monday, replace last week with actuals and add a week at the end.

Common questions

What is a 13-week cash flow forecast?

A week-by-week view of the cash you expect to come in and go out over the next quarter. It shows the week your bank balance will be lowest, so you can act before it arrives.

Why 13 weeks and not 12 months?

Thirteen weeks is far enough ahead to fix a problem and near enough to be accurate. Monthly forecasts hide the week payroll and rent land together. Weekly ones show it.

Why weekly and not monthly?

Cash problems happen inside a month. A month can end fine and still have a week in the middle where payroll is due and the big customer has not paid yet.

How often should I update it?

Every week. Replace last week with what actually happened, add a new week at the end, and check whether the lowest point moved.

What is the safe line?

Two payroll runs. If cash drops under that, one late customer can put payroll at risk. The tool marks every week that falls under it.

Get the full forecast every Monday

One Page CFO builds your 13-week forecast from your QuickBooks, invoice by invoice, and a CFO checks it before it reaches you.

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