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 Forecast Template for Excel and Google Sheets: How to Choose One
A good cash flow forecast template for Excel or Google Sheets has an opening balance that rolls forward, editable cash in and cash out lines, weekly…
1 min read13-Week Cash Flow Forecast: What It Is and How to Build One
A 13-week cash flow forecast is a weekly projection of receipts, payments and bank balance over one quarter. Lenders, restructuring advisers and fina…
1 min readHow to Make a Cash Flow Forecast in 7 Steps (with Free Template)
To make a cash flow forecast: choose weekly or monthly periods, enter today’s bank balance, list expected cash in by the date it will arrive, list ex…
2 min readWhat Is a Cash Flow Forecast? A Plain-English Guide with Examples
A cash flow forecast is a projection of the cash a business expects to receive and pay out over a future period, usually 13 weeks or 12 months. It st…
2 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.