Cash Flow Forecast Template for Excel and Google Sheets: How to Choose One

The short answer

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 and monthly views, a minimum cash buffer warning, and an actual vs forecast tracker. Free templates cover the basics; industry templates add pre-built lines, scenarios and dashboards.

What every template needs

Rolling balance: closing balance feeds the next period automatically.
Timing, not profit: lines for when cash moves, not when sales are booked.
Buffer warning: highlights any period below your minimum cash.
Actuals column: so you can compare and improve.
Works in both Excel and Google Sheets without broken formulas.

Free vs premium

Feature	Free template	Industry template
12-month monthly view	Yes	Yes
13-week weekly view	Separate file	Linked in same file
Industry cash lines	Generic	Pre-built
Best / worst case scenarios	No	Yes
Actual vs forecast tracker	Basic	With variance highlights
Dashboard and charts	Balance chart	Full dashboard

Excel or Google Sheets?

Use Excel if you work offline or your accountant uses it. Use Google Sheets if several people update the forecast or you want it in the browser. Our templates work in both.

Pick by industry

Restaurants need daily card settlements and food costs. Construction needs retainage and progress billing. SaaS needs subscriptions and churn. Starting with the right lines saves hours and avoids forgotten costs. See all industry templates.

Questions people ask

Does Excel have a built-in cash flow template?

Excel includes some basic templates, but most lack weekly views, scenarios and actual vs forecast tracking.

Can I import bank data into the template?

Yes. Paste exported transactions into the actuals tab and the template totals them by category.