Cash Flow Forecast Generator

Why every Australian business needs a cash flow forecast

A cash flow forecast projects when cash will come in and go out of your business over a future period — typically 12 months for annual planning, or 13 weeks for operational management. Unlike a profit forecast, which can show strong results while the business runs out of cash due to timing mismatches, a cash flow forecast surfaces the exact months or weeks where you may need to draw on a credit facility, delay a supplier payment, or accelerate debtor collections. Profitable businesses fail because of cash flow, not profitability — and the forecast is the tool that prevents that from blindsiding you.

Australian banks and non-bank lenders routinely require 12-month cash flow forecasts as part of loan applications — particularly for working capital facilities, equipment finance, and commercial property loans. The ATO also references cash flow forecasting capability as a sign of a well-managed business when assessing payment plan applications or considering hardship arrangements. A well-prepared, realistic forecast signals financial discipline to any external stakeholder reviewing your finances.

The most common mistake in cash flow forecasting is confusing revenue recognition with cash receipts. If your customers pay on 30-day terms, revenue earned in June does not become cash until July — and that timing shift can create a significant gap. Similarly, super contributions (due quarterly to the ATO by the 28th of the month following the quarter) and BAS payments (typically monthly or quarterly) need to be modelled as specific outflows in the periods they fall due, not spread evenly.

How to use this generator

1. Enter your opening cash balance and choose your forecast start month.
2. Fill in expected monthly inflows by category: customer receipts (not revenue — actual cash collected), loan drawdowns, asset sale proceeds, and any other cash in.
3. Enter outflows by category: supplier payments, wages and salaries, superannuation (SGC), rent, utilities, insurance, loan repayments, BAS/GST, income tax instalments, and any capital expenditure planned for the year.
4. Review months where the closing balance turns red — these are your risk months. Download as PDF to share with your bank, accountant, or board.

What ATO payment obligations should I include?

For most Australian SMBs, the key ATO obligations to model are: GST/BAS payments (monthly or quarterly, depending on your reporting cycle), PAYG withholding remittances (monthly for most businesses), superannuation guarantee contributions (quarterly, due 28 days after each quarter end — 28 October, 28 January, 28 April, 28 July), PAYG income tax instalments (quarterly for individuals and small companies), and the annual company tax payment (due February or May depending on lodgement timing). Getting these dates wrong in your forecast means your projected closing balances will be inaccurate in the quarters when these obligations land.

What is a 13-week rolling cash flow forecast?

A 13-week rolling forecast is the operational equivalent of the annual cash flow forecast — it covers the next 13 weeks (one quarter), updated weekly as actuals come in and future weeks are re-forecasted. It is the standard tool used by CFOs in distressed businesses, turnaround situations, and businesses with tight working capital. At the operational level, it gives finance teams and owners a view of exactly when payments need to be made and when debtor collections need to be chased to avoid a cash shortfall. Many Australian lenders also require a 13-week cash flow as a condition of refinancing or covenant waiver.

How does AP timing affect my cash flow forecast accuracy?

For industrial businesses with high invoice volumes, supplier payment timing is often the single largest driver of cash flow variability. When AP is processed slowly — invoices sitting unapproved for days or weeks — payment batches become unpredictable and your forecast becomes unreliable. Real-time visibility into your approved-but-unpaid AP balance is the foundation of an accurate cash flow forecast: if you know exactly what is approved and due this week versus next week, you can model outflows with confidence rather than estimation.