Cash flow forecast template (12 months)
A 12-month cash flow forecast in Excel: opening cash, cash in by source, cash out by category, net cash and the closing balance carried to the next month.
- ๐บ๐ธ US format ยท Letter size
- Free
This is a sample form. Check tax amounts against IRS rules and your accountant's advice.
Pick your options and the preview updates. The file opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers.
The file is built in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or saved.
Sheets
- How to use
- Forecast: 12 months plus Total. Opening balance (month 1 typed, later months from the prior closing), cash in (sales collected, other income, loans or capital), total cash in, cash out (rent, payroll, inventory or materials, utilities, insurance, loan payments, taxes, marketing, other), total cash out, net cash flow, closing balance, lowest closing balance (MIN) and a cash check line
Color key
- Yellow cells: fill these in
- Blue cells: formulas, leave them as they are
- Gray rows: examples you can delete
Forecast cash, not sales
A forecast is about when money moves. Put a sale in the month you expect to be paid, and a quarterly tax or annual insurance payment in the month it is due, not spread evenly. The lowest closing balance is the number to watch.
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Cash flow forecast: ________
| Line item | Nov 2026 | Dec 2026 | Jan 2027 | Feb 2027 | Mar 2027 | Apr 2027 | May 2027 | Jun 2027 | Jul 2027 | Aug 2027 | Sep 2027 | Oct 2027 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening balance | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | |
| Cash in | |||||||||||||
| Sales collected | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Other income | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Loans or capital in | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Total cash in | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) |
| Cash out | |||||||||||||
| Rent | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Payroll | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Inventory or materials | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Utilities | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Insurance | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Loan payments | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Taxes | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Marketing | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Other | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Total cash out | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) |
| Net cash flow | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) |
| CLOSING BALANCE | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) | (auto) |
| Lowest closing balance | (auto) | ||||||||||||
| Cash check | (auto) |
This shows the first part of each sheet as it prints on Letter paper. The file also has a how-to sheet and formulas, and every column fits one page width when you print from Excel.
How to use it
Pick the first month and type the cash you will have on day one. The sheet lays out 12 months across with a Total column. Fill cash in by month (sales you expect to collect, other income, any loan or capital coming in) and cash out by category (rent, payroll, inventory or materials, utilities, insurance, loan payments, taxes, marketing, other). Total cash in, total cash out, net cash flow and the closing balance are formulas, and each month opens with the prior month's closing balance.
Below the table, the Lowest closing balance cell finds the tightest month and the Cash check line says whether the balance dips below zero. Update the sheet each month with actuals so the months ahead start from a real number.
Things to watch
Lumpy payments are what break a forecast: quarterly estimated taxes, annual insurance, a big inventory order. Put them in the month they are due. Collections lag invoicing, so push sales into the month the money arrives. When the check line warns, you have options before that month: a line of credit, a deposit from a customer, delaying a purchase. Once the year is under way, use the cash flow statement template to report what actually happened.
Calculators that go with this
Frequently asked questions
Where does the opening balance come from?
The bank balance on the first day of month 1, plus any cash on hand you use for the business. Do not include money that is already committed, such as a tax payment due that week, or treat it as cash out in that month.
How do I handle a line of credit?
Draws go in Loans or capital in for the month you draw. Repayments go in Loan payments. If you are only planning to use it when the balance goes negative, leave it out and let the Cash check line show the gap first.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. SUM, MIN and IF work the same in Google Sheets. The merged text cell for the cash check carries over too.
Is what I type saved anywhere?
No. Everything stays in your browser and nothing is sent to our server. If you refresh the page it is gone, so print, save a PDF or download the DOCX when you are done.