Cash Flow Calculator
Use our free cash flow calculator online to help estimate the cash inflows and outflows of your business.
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Information and interactive calculators are made available to you only as self-help tools for your independent use and are not intended to provide legal, investment or tax advice. We cannot and do not guarantee their applicability or accuracy in regard to your individual circumstances. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all personal finance issues.
What is Cash Flow?
Cash flow is the movement of money in and out of your business. It can serve as a measure of your company’s financial health and liquidity.
It can influence things like your daily operations and your long-term planning. Understanding the basics of cash flow and net cash flow can help you position your business for growth and success.
Cash Flow Vs Net Cash Flow
Cash flow is the broad term that covers the cash inflows and outflows of your business over a specific time period.
Net cash flow is the difference between your total cash inflow and total cash outflows. It shows if your business has more cash coming in (positive net cash flow) than going out (negative net cash flow). A net cash flow calculator can help estimate this for your business.
Types of Cash Flow
Cash flow can be broadly categorized into three main types. Each can play a critical role in your small business’s financial planning.
Operating Cash Flow
Operating cash flow refers to the cash generated from your business operations. It includes revenue from sales. It can also include expenses related to running your business, such as rent, utilities, and payroll. Monitoring operating cash flow can help you assess the efficiency of your business activities.
Use the operating cash flow calculator section of our cash flow calculator to help you estimate this for your business.
Investing Cash Flow
Investing cash flow relates to the cash you spend on your business, such as purchasing equipment. It can also be cash generated from investments in your business, such as selling assets. Analyzing investing cash flow can help you figure out if your investments are yielding returns and how it might impact your overall financial position. Our cash flow calculator online can help you estimate cash flow from investments.
Financing Cash Flow
Financing cash flow involves cash transactions related to funding your business, including loans and financing. It can, for example, show if you fund your operations and investments through debt or equity. This can be important for managing your capital structure and help you make sure you have the funds needed to support your business goals. You can use our cash flow calculator to help estimate cash flow from financing.
Why Cash Flow Matters for Small Business
Effective cash flow management can have a direct impact on your ability to thrive in a competitive market. By maintaining a healthy cash flow, you can help make sure your business can meet its financial obligations, such as paying employees and suppliers.
When you understand the concept of cash flow you can be better positioned to make data-driven financial decision for your business. By regularly analyzing cash flow, you can start to identify trends and make strategic adjustments to improve your business outcomes.
Benefits of Using a Cash Flow Calculator
A cash flow calculator is a valuable tool that can assist you in estimating and managing your cash flow. It might also help you simplify complex calculations and help you gain a clear overview of your financial position.
Other benefits of an online cash flow calculator include:
- Saves Time. Compared to doing manual data entry and calculations, a cash flow calculator could help you free up your time to focus on other tasks.
- Enhances Planning. When you have a clear picture of your cash flow, you might be able to better plan for future expenses and investments in your business.
- Facilitates Scenario Analysis. You can quickly perform various scenario analyses to evaluate potential outcomes of business decisions with a cash flow calculator. By exploring different scenarios, you are able to collect information to help you anticipate challenges and develop contingency plans.
Before making any final decisions, it’s a good idea to check in with your financial advisor to double-check your calculations and help make sure you haven’t overlooked anything.
Let's answer some of your questions
Calculating expected cash flow involves many steps. To obtain a working estimate, you can use an online cash flow calculator. You’ll need to know things like your beginning cash balance, and projected cash inflows and outflows. To calculate it for your specific business, it’s best to consult with your financial advisor.
To estimate cash flow, you can use an online cash flow calculator, consult with your financial advisor or use this formula to estimate it manually:
Expected Cash Flow = Beginning Cash Balance + Projected Cash Inflows – Projected Cash Outflows.
The basic formula to estimate monthly cash flow is:
Monthly Cash Flow = Total Cash Inflows – Total Cash Outflows.