Free Cash Flow Forecast Template
Project your cash flow forward
Enter your recurring inflows and outflows. See your cash position month by month — and where the danger zones are.
Negative = expense. Positive = income (e.g., grant received).
Project your business cash flow with our free forecasting tool. Enter expected income and expenses by month, and see a visual forecast of your cash position over time. Spot shortfalls before they happen, plan for seasonal dips, and make better financial decisions — no spreadsheet skills required.
How to Forecast Cash Flow
- 1
Set your starting balance
Enter your current cash-on-hand as the starting point for your forecast.
- 2
Add expected income
Project monthly revenue from each source — invoices, recurring payments, grants, donations.
- 3
Add expected expenses
Enter recurring costs (rent, payroll) and planned one-time expenses.
- 4
Review the forecast
See monthly cash position, cumulative balance, and any negative months highlighted.
- 5
Export or adjust
Download the forecast as a PDF or tweak inputs to model different scenarios.
Why Forecast Your Cash Flow?
Prevent cash crunches
See negative months coming 30-90 days in advance so you can act before it's a crisis.
Plan seasonal spending
Model how seasonal revenue dips affect your cash position and plan reserves accordingly.
Visual clarity
A clear month-by-month view beats staring at spreadsheet rows every time.
Scenario modeling
Test what-if scenarios — what if revenue drops 20%? What if you hire next month?
Frequently Asked Questions
How far out should I forecast?
Most businesses benefit from a 6-12 month rolling forecast. Update it monthly as actuals come in to keep it accurate.
Is this accurate enough for investors?
This tool provides a solid directional forecast. For investor presentations, you may want to add more detailed assumptions, but this is a great starting template.
Can nonprofits use this for grant planning?
Yes. Nonprofits can model grant income timing against program expenses to ensure they have cash to cover operations between grant disbursements.
What's the difference between cash flow and P&L?
A P&L shows profitability (revenue minus expenses). Cash flow shows actual money in and out — including timing. A business can be profitable on paper but still run out of cash if payments come in late.
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