Four Great Tools to Manage Your Cash Flow

Written by Cynthia McCahon

Cash flow forecasts got you down? Creating a company’s cash flow reports is a necessary part of managing a business, but can also be downright tedious. But take heart and explore these time-saving apps and tools that can make your cash flow reporting job a whole lot easier.

 

Creating cash flow reports and forecasts gives you the opportunity to see the big picture, particularly if you’ve never created a cash flow projection for your company. You might start with the free tools for creating cash flow reports and see how far you get. If you need more fire power, try the apps that charge a monthly fee. You can always cancel later if you find they’re not helpful.

 

Free templates for cash flow reports: Why reinvent the wheel when there are many free financial forecasting templates available by download? It’s hard to go wrong with a free template that was prepared by knowledgeable professionals. The only downside is that you still have to know the company’s basic financial information for revenue and expenses.

 

Cash Flow apps and tools: There’s been a significant increase in the number of good (and sometimes free!) business apps available online. If you require more than templates, try some of the excellent solutions for creating and managing financial reports and forecasts. Enloop's free business plan writing app automatically generates a Cash Flow forecast, along with all financial forecasts you need when you create a business plan for your business.

 

Accounting Software: If you use accounting software to manage your books, then you might already have access to good cash flow tools. Check your software for a cash flow reporting or forecasting feature.

 

Your Accountant: Unless you’re trained in accounting, including your accountant in the process of developing cash flow reports for your company is important. Your accountant might charge you for this service, but it’s better to have an accurate report than one that’s not helpful.

 

The approach you take may make the job easier, but beware that any report is only as good as the data you put in. A wrong report is just as dangerous as not having any report at all – and maybe even more dangerous. The wrong information can lead you down a road that might harm your company. Or an inaccurate report may prevent you from spotting opportunities. Using any of these resources can give you the upper hand in knowing where your cash flow stands long before it becomes a crisis.