Positive cash flow is one of the most critical components in managing a business, yet many business owners struggle to manage their cash. Most businesses fail not because the business isn’t profitable, but because they fail to manage their cash effectively and essentially run out of operating capital.
In tracking cash flow, business owners rely too often on looking just at their bank balance, rather than using tools such as financial statements, budgets and forecasts to help them anticipate the ebbs and flows of their cash cycle. Careful planning can help businesses maintain a healthy cash flow, as well as minimize the need to use short term financing, which often comes with hefty finance charges.
Although the Balance Sheet and Income Statement are helpful reports, they don’t show the whole picture when it come to cash flow. The Balance Sheet shows a snapshot of your cash position and the Income Statement shows the profitability of your business, which contrary to common belief, is NOT the same as cash in the bank. Oftentimes, the financial reports are also prepared on an accrual basis, and not cash basis, which can cause further confusion if you are not aware of the timing differences between accrual and cash basis.
A third financial report, called the Cash Flow Statement, can help you understand your cash flow better and assist you in tracking where you cash is coming from and where it goes each month. The Cash Flow statement shows not only sources of cash from operations and cash used for expenses, but also non-operating cash sources and uses, such as loans, fixed asset purchases and owner contributions and distributions. These non-operating items can significantly impact your cash balance, so it is vital that you understand and plan for non-operational cash activities.
Most accounting programs, including QuickBooks, have a Cash Flow Statement available as part of their financial reports. Begin by familiarizing yourself with this report, and review it monthly to better understand how your business cash flows. Once you know your cash flow cycle, you can implement steps to better manage cash, such as setting up and following budgets, improving billing and collection procedures, and negotiating better terms with vendors.