Educational only: Business decision support, not accounting, tax or legal advice.
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Update policy: Reviewed when formulas or official dependencies change.
Scope: Market-neutral small-business planning using your own assumptions.
What this planner helps you decide
Best for
Owners planning near-term cash commitments, collections and funding actions week by week.
Outputs
Weekly closing cash, first negative week, first minimum-buffer breach and peak funding gap.
Start here
Begin with bank cash and dated receipts and payments, then shift one collection or payment to test timing risk.
Use a different tool when: Do not use this to compare base, upside and downside monthly budgets to identify annual operating profit, cumulative break-even and the action gap; use Business Budget & Profit Forecast for that decision. Use this tool to forecast weekly closing cash, the first shortfall and the funding gap across a 13-week operating horizon.
Decision pack · Step 5 of 5
Quote to Cash
Connect a viable service rate to a scoped quote, realised job margin, collection cost and short-term cash forecast.
- 1. Set the service rate
- 2. Build the project quote
- 3. Review realised margin
- 4. Price the collection delay
- 5. Forecast short-term cash
Current decision: When does the quoted work create a cash shortfall or buffer?
Export the relevant tool records and review the full decision chain.
Cash & growth
13-Week Cash Flow Forecast: weekly closing cash
Weekly closing cash, first negative week, first minimum-buffer breach and peak funding gap.
Amounts use the same currency as your inputs. No currency conversion is performed.
Cash schedule assumptions
Use one currency and enter dated receipts and payments. Raw business values stay in this browser.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Cash forecast result
Weekly timing view in one currency.
PDF and CSV exports stay on this device. Clean page links contain no inputs.
Calculation details
View calculation detailsView the formulas and inputs used for these results.
Week 13 closing cash
Weekly closing cash
opening cash + expected receipts + funding actions − total payments11,100.00Result11,100.00
Closing cash after all thirteen weekly receipts, payments and funding actions. The engine retains raw precision; money is rounded only for display and week thresholds remain whole engine-owned indexes.
Review the 13-week cash identity and threshold rules →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Weekly closing cashOpening Cash
- 65,000
- Weekly closing cashWeeks
- 13
First negative week
Weekly closing cash
opening cash + expected receipts + funding actions − total payments11,100.00First negative week
first week where closing cash < 0ResultNot reached
First week whose engine closing-cash value is below zero. The engine retains raw precision; money is rounded only for display and week thresholds remain whole engine-owned indexes.
Review the 13-week cash identity and threshold rules →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Weekly closing cashOpening Cash
- 65,000
- Weekly closing cashWeeks
- 13
- First negative weekWeeks
- 13
First minimum-buffer breach
Weekly closing cash
opening cash + expected receipts + funding actions − total payments11,100.00Minimum-buffer breach
first week where closing cash < minimum buffer10ResultWeek 10
First week whose closing cash is below the selected minimum buffer. The engine retains raw precision; money is rounded only for display and week thresholds remain whole engine-owned indexes.
Review the 13-week cash identity and threshold rules →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Weekly closing cashOpening Cash
- 65,000
- Weekly closing cashWeeks
- 13
- Minimum-buffer breachMinimum Buffer
- 25,000
Peak funding gap
Weekly closing cash
opening cash + expected receipts + funding actions − total payments11,100.00Minimum-buffer breach
first week where closing cash < minimum buffer10Peak funding gap
max(0, minimum buffer − closing cash) across weeks14,300.00Result14,300.00
Largest positive shortfall from the minimum cash buffer across the thirteen weeks. The engine retains raw precision; money is rounded only for display and week thresholds remain whole engine-owned indexes.
Review the 13-week cash identity and threshold rules →Inputs used by these formula steps
- Weekly closing cashOpening Cash
- 65,000
- Weekly closing cashWeeks
- 13
- Minimum-buffer breachMinimum Buffer
- 25,000
- Peak funding gapMinimum Buffer
- 25,000
Inputs used
- Opening cash
- 65,000
- Minimum cash buffer
- 25,000
- Timing action amount
- 2,000
The minimum-buffer line exposes action timing before cash becomes negative.
Closing cash
- Minimum buffer
- 25,000.00
| Week | Closing cash |
|---|---|
| Week 1 (current) | 67,200.00 |
| Week 2 | 55,400.00 |
| Week 3 | 55,600.00 |
| Week 4 | 57,100.00 |
| Week 5 | 59,500.00 |
| Week 6 | 45,900.00 |
| Week 7 | 28,300.00 |
| Week 8 | 25,900.00 |
| Week 9 | 26,300.00 |
| Week 10 | 12,700.00 |
| Week 11 | 13,100.00 |
| Week 12 | 10,700.00 |
| Week 13 | 11,100.00 |
Record and compare this cash plan
Save the current closing-cash result, change receipts or payments, then compare with the immutable snapshot.
ScenarioResultDifference
Closing cash without timing action11,100.00Baseline
Closing cash with timing action11,100.000.00
Save these results, change an input, then compare the updated figures with this baseline.
The baseline is temporary in this tab and is not added to shared scenario links or generated reports.
Open this calculator with preset values
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| Parameter | Meaning | Unit | Allowed values | Presence | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| minimumBuffer | minimum buffer for the 13-week forecast. | currency units retained as the minimum weekly closing balance | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 25000 |
| openingCash | opening cash for the 13-week forecast. | currency units at the start of forecast week 1 | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 65000 |
| timingAmount | Cash amount moved by the timing action. | currency units moved between forecast weeks | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 2000 |
| timingFromWeek | timing from week in the 13-week horizon. | whole forecast week number | 1 to 13 | Required | 3 |
| timingKind | Whether the timing action moves a receipt or payment. | closed timing-action code | 0 (Receipt), 1 (Payment) | Required | 0 |
| timingToWeek | timing to week in the 13-week horizon. | whole forecast week number | 1 to 13 | Required | 5 |
| w10Confidence | week 10 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w10Debt | week 10 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w10Funding | week 10 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w10Other | week 10 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w10Payroll | week 10 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 14000 |
| w10Receipts | week 10 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w10Suppliers | week 10 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w10Tax | week 10 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w11Confidence | week 11 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w11Debt | week 11 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w11Funding | week 11 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w11Other | week 11 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w11Payroll | week 11 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w11Receipts | week 11 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w11Suppliers | week 11 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w11Tax | week 11 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w12Confidence | week 12 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w12Debt | week 12 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w12Funding | week 12 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w12Other | week 12 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w12Payroll | week 12 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 14000 |
| w12Receipts | week 12 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 26000 |
| w12Suppliers | week 12 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w12Tax | week 12 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w13Confidence | week 13 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w13Debt | week 13 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w13Funding | week 13 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w13Other | week 13 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w13Payroll | week 13 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w13Receipts | week 13 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w13Suppliers | week 13 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w13Tax | week 13 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w1Confidence | week 1 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.95 |
| w1Debt | week 1 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w1Funding | week 1 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w1Other | week 1 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w1Payroll | week 1 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w1Receipts | week 1 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w1Suppliers | week 1 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w1Tax | week 1 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w2Confidence | week 2 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.95 |
| w2Debt | week 2 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w2Funding | week 2 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w2Other | week 2 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w2Payroll | week 2 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 14000 |
| w2Receipts | week 2 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w2Suppliers | week 2 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w2Tax | week 2 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w3Confidence | week 3 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.95 |
| w3Debt | week 3 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w3Funding | week 3 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w3Other | week 3 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w3Payroll | week 3 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w3Receipts | week 3 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w3Suppliers | week 3 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w3Tax | week 3 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w4Confidence | week 4 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.95 |
| w4Debt | week 4 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w4Funding | week 4 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w4Other | week 4 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w4Payroll | week 4 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 14000 |
| w4Receipts | week 4 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 26000 |
| w4Suppliers | week 4 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w4Tax | week 4 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w5Confidence | week 5 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w5Debt | week 5 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w5Funding | week 5 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w5Other | week 5 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w5Payroll | week 5 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w5Receipts | week 5 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w5Suppliers | week 5 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w5Tax | week 5 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w6Confidence | week 6 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w6Debt | week 6 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w6Funding | week 6 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w6Other | week 6 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w6Payroll | week 6 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 14000 |
| w6Receipts | week 6 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w6Suppliers | week 6 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w6Tax | week 6 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w7Confidence | week 7 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w7Debt | week 7 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w7Funding | week 7 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w7Other | week 7 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w7Payroll | week 7 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w7Receipts | week 7 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w7Suppliers | week 7 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w7Tax | week 7 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 18000 |
| w8Confidence | week 8 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w8Debt | week 8 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w8Funding | week 8 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w8Other | week 8 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w8Payroll | week 8 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 14000 |
| w8Receipts | week 8 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 26000 |
| w8Suppliers | week 8 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w8Tax | week 8 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w9Confidence | week 9 confidence applied to entered receipts. | decimal fraction of expected receipts | 0 to 1 | Required | 0.8 |
| w9Debt | week 9 debt. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1500 |
| w9Funding | week 9 funding. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w9Other | week 9 other. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 1200 |
| w9Payroll | week 9 payroll. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
| w9Receipts | week 9 receipts. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 12000 |
| w9Suppliers | week 9 suppliers. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 6500 |
| w9Tax | week 9 tax. | currency units/week | 0 to 1000000000 | Required | 0 |
13-Week Cash Flow Forecast: weekly closing cash
Use the earliest buffer breach as the action deadline, even when closing cash never becomes negative.
Formula summary
- Primary formula
- closing cash = opening cash + expected receipts + funding − payments
Data used here
- The estimate uses your inputs and the general business formula documented in the methodology.
Decision checks
Act on the result
Bring forward a collection, defer an eligible payment or arrange funding before the first identified breach week.
Stress-test the decision
Lower receipt confidence and move a large collection later to test whether the cash plan still protects the minimum buffer.
When this estimate can be misleading
- Receipt confidence is a user scenario assumption, not a probability estimate or collection guarantee.
- The planner does not reconcile bank transactions, determine tax obligations or replace treasury controls.
- The forecast is only as current as the dated receipts, payments and funding actions entered.
- Use the earliest buffer breach as the action deadline, even when closing cash never becomes negative.
Educational estimate, not advice. See all assumptions & limitations →
Related reading
Guides to interpret the decision and its assumptions.
- How to Build a 13-Week Cash-Flow Forecast
Prepare, reconcile, run and refresh a dated 13-week cash-flow forecast without treating it as an accounting profit statement.
Read guide - Cash Flow vs Profit for a Small Business
Reconcile why profit and dated cash move differently without prescribing accounting classification or taxable profit.
Read guide - Cash-Flow Rescue Checklist Before Changing Prices
Reconcile dated receipts and payments before treating a timing shortfall as evidence that prices must change.
Read guide - How to Set Payment Terms for a New Client
Document payment events, dates, methods, approvals and stop points before work starts without prescribing contract wording or standard days.
Read guide - How Much Working Capital Does Growth Consume?
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Read guide - The Cost of Offering Longer Payment Terms
Compare delayed cash, incremental days and a user-supplied funding assumption before changing payment terms.
Read guide - Build a Tax Cash Reserve Without Tax Advice
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Read guide - Plan Cash for a Seasonal Trough
Build a dated weekly baseline and lower-receipts case through the trough using a user-chosen cash floor.
Read guide - A Small-Business Expansion Decision Scorecard
Record demand, contribution, dated cash, capacity, people, operations and explicit stop conditions without an authoritative score.
Read guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I forecast weekly closing cash, the first shortfall and the funding gap across a 13-week operating horizon?
Bring forward a collection, defer an eligible payment or arrange funding before the first identified breach week.
Does Margin101 store my numbers?
Tool inputs and results stay in this browser. Anonymous categorical usage analytics send only governed page, tool, cluster and action identifiers; tool inputs and results are never sent. Error monitoring is disabled. Optional saved state stays only on this device.
Is this accounting advice?
No. It is educational planning support; verify the assumptions against your records and obtain qualified advice where appropriate.
Which planning assumptions should I stress-test?
Compare a plausible alternative scenario and verify the decision-critical assumption that changes the plan most.