Cash Flow Tracker for Small Businesses

What goes into a cash tracker

• Opening cash balance (sum of all operating accounts)
• Expected inflows: customer payments, deposits, refunds
• Expected outflows: payroll, rent, vendor bills, loan payments, owner draws
• Closing cash balance for the week
• Rolling 13-week forecast updated every Monday

The 13-week forecast pattern

Thirteen weeks is one quarter — long enough to see seasonal swings, short enough to forecast realistically. Update the actuals every Monday, then roll a new week onto the end.

Metrics worth watching

• Weeks of cash on hand (cash ÷ average weekly outflow)
• Days sales outstanding (AR turnover speed)
• Days payable outstanding (how long you take to pay)
• Operating cash buffer target (4–8 weeks for most businesses)

When cash and profit disagree

• Large AR balances — profit booked, cash not collected
• Inventory build — cash out, no expense on P&L
• Loan principal — cash out, not a P&L expense
• Owner distributions — cash out, equity reduction (not expense)