Budget and cash flow: a guide to managing your finances in Excel
Separating money in and out, building a forecast and comparing actuals to budget: the free finance guide.
Separate money in and money out
A cash flow plan dates inflows and outflows on the payment date, not on the invoice date. The gap between the two is what creates cash tensions.
Build a 12-month forecast
A forecast rests on a few assumptions: activity volume, average price, payment terms. Change one assumption and the table recalculates the balance.
Keep assumptions in a dedicated cell so you only correct them in one place.
Compare actuals to budget
A gap between budget and actuals each month shows where spending drifts. A percentage variance column makes these drifts visible straight away.