Cash Flow Forecast
The Cash Flow Forecast gives you a forward-looking view of your expected cash position. It analyses all open receivables (money owed to you) and payables (money you owe) and groups them into time buckets based on when they are due.
What the forecast shows
The forecast displays a table with six time periods. For each period, you see:
- Receivables (AR) — The total amount of customer invoices due in that period (expected cash inflows).
- Payables (AP) — The total amount of supplier invoices due in that period (expected cash outflows).
- Net Amount — The difference between receivables and payables for the period. A positive number means you expect more cash coming in than going out (surplus). A negative number means more cash going out than coming in (deficit).
A Totals row at the bottom sums all periods to give you the overall picture.
The six time periods
By default, the forecast uses these time buckets:
| Period | Range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Overdue | Past due date | Invoices already past their due date that remain unpaid. |
| 0 -- 7 days | Due within the next 7 days | Invoices due this week. |
| 8 -- 30 days | Due in 8 to 30 days | Invoices due within the next month. |
| 31 -- 90 days | Due in 31 to 90 days | Invoices due within the next quarter. |
| 91 -- 180 days | Due in 91 to 180 days | Invoices due within the next half-year. |
| > 180 days | Due beyond 180 days | Long-term receivables and payables. |
How to view the forecast
- Navigate to Banking > Cash Flow Forecast.
- Select a Company Code.
- The forecast is generated using today's date as the reference point.
- Review the table to understand your expected cash flows.
How to read the forecast
Positive net amount (surplus)
A positive net amount in a period means your expected receivables exceed your payables. You anticipate more cash flowing into your accounts than flowing out.
Example:
| Period | Receivables | Payables | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 -- 7 days | 15,000.00 | 8,000.00 | 7,000.00 |
You expect to receive 15,000 and pay out 8,000 within the next week, leaving a surplus of 7,000.
Negative net amount (deficit)
A negative net amount means your payables exceed your receivables. You will need sufficient bank balances or other funding to cover the shortfall.
Example:
| Period | Receivables | Payables | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 -- 30 days | 5,000.00 | 12,000.00 | -7,000.00 |
You expect to receive 5,000 but need to pay 12,000 within the next month, creating a deficit of 7,000.
Overdue amounts
The Overdue column is especially important. It shows invoices that were due in the past but remain unpaid:
- Overdue receivables — Customer invoices you have not yet collected. These may need follow-up or debt collection action.
- Overdue payables — Supplier invoices you have not yet paid. These may be accruing late-payment interest.
Using the totals
The totals row gives you the big picture. If your total net amount across all periods is positive, your overall cash position is healthy. If it is negative, you may need to arrange additional funding or accelerate collections.
Customising the aging bucket boundaries
The default bucket boundaries (7, 30, 90, 180 days) can be customised per company code via the Due Date Bucket Configuration.
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Navigate to Configuration > Finance.
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Open Due Date Bucket Configuration for your company code.
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Look for the configuration with the Forecast purpose.
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Adjust the upper boundary values for each bucket:
Setting Default Description Bucket 1 upper boundary 7 End of the first period (days from today) Bucket 2 upper boundary 30 End of the second period Bucket 3 upper boundary 90 End of the third period Bucket 4 upper boundary 180 End of the fourth period -
Save your changes.
The forecast will use your custom boundaries the next time you view it. The period labels update automatically to reflect your settings (e.g., if you set Bucket 1 to 14, the label becomes "0-14 days").
Choose boundaries that match your business cycle. For example, if most of your invoices are due within 14 days, you might set Bucket 1 to 14 to get a more useful near-term view.
Practical tips
- Check the forecast weekly to stay ahead of upcoming cash needs.
- Focus on the Overdue and 0-7 day columns first — these represent immediate cash flow requirements.
- Compare the forecast to your current bank balances (visible on the Bank Dashboard) to see if you have enough cash on hand.
- Use the forecast alongside the aging reports in Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable for a more detailed breakdown by customer or supplier.
Currency
The forecast is displayed in your company code's local currency. All amounts from open invoices are converted to this currency using the applicable exchange rates.
Next steps
- Banking Overview — Return to the full list of Banking features.
- Bank Statements — Import and manage your bank transactions.
- Bank Reconciliation — Reconcile statement lines to keep your books accurate.