Cash flow forecast in Excel: the template and when to switch to software
A well-built Excel sheet is enough to know the day your account may go negative. Here is how to set it up, the mistakes that make it useless, and when to stop updating it by hand.
Build it from your invoices, free We do it for you: 49 EUR + VAT
The four columns you need
| Date | Inflows | Outflows | Running balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Today | €12,000 | ||
| +7 days | €4,000 | €16,000 | |
| +12 days | €9,500 | €6,500 | |
| +16 days | €8,000 | −€1,500 |
The balance formula never changes: previous balance + inflows − outflows. Conditional formatting that turns negative values red shows the critical day at a glance.
Mistakes that make the sheet useless
- Invoice date instead of due date. What matters is the day money moves.
- Forgotten costs without an invoice: payroll, F24 taxes, loan instalments, rent.
- Paid invoices left in the sheet, distorting the balance.
- Skipped updates. A sheet three weeks old gives a wrong answer with great confidence.
When to switch to software
With more than a few dozen invoices a month, retyping becomes the real job. Every Italian e-invoice already holds amount and due date: CassaChiara reads them from the tax drawer (XML, .p7m, ZIP) or from Fatture in Cloud in one click and tells you at the top how much you can spend today without going negative in the next 90 days. If you will, it shows the day, the gap and who to chase, with the email already written.
Your invoices stay on your device: how we protect data. Compare the options: cash flow software compared.
FAQ
How do I build a cash flow forecast in Excel?
Four columns: date, inflows, outflows and running balance. Each row's balance is the previous balance plus inflows minus outflows. Sort rows by payment due date, not invoice date.
What is the most common mistake?
Using the invoice date instead of the payment due date, and forgetting costs without an invoice such as payroll, F24 taxes and loan instalments.
When should I switch to software?
When you have more than a few dozen invoices a month or updating the sheet takes over half an hour a week. CassaChiara reads Italian e-invoices and builds the forecast in minutes, free up to 50 invoices.