Cash Flow Projection Worksheet: Instructions

The attached worksheet is a template for projecting an organization's cash flow across the fiscal year, identifying in advance any potential cash
shortfalls that may need to be addressed.
The instructions below explain, step-by-step, how to use the worksheet.
Instructions

Cell / Column / Row

INPUTS
Start Date

Select the first month of the organization's fiscal year from the drop-down menu. This will automatically populate the
12 months of the organization's fiscal year across the header of the projection table.

Cell D3

Beginning Cash Balance

Enter the organization's cash balance as of the beginning of the fiscal year.

Cell D4

Current Year Budget

Enter the total budget for the fiscal year for each of the line items under "Cash Receipts," "Cash Disbursements,"
and "Capital and Financing." (Note: do not include non-cash items such as depreciation.) To add individual or
additional line items under a category, click the "+" buttons in the left margin of the spreadsheet.

Column E

Prior Year Carryover

Enter any prior year's receivables or payables/accruals carried forward into the current year.

Column D

Spread

For any item that will be disbursed or received in equal installments across the 12 months of the year, select "Yes"
from the "Spread Evenly?" drop-down in Column F. This will automatically distribute the total budgeted amount for
that item across the 12 months. If the amount of a line item that will be received or disbursed varies from month to
month, select "No" or leave blank and manually enter the amount to be paid or disbursed in each month.

Column F

Variance

This shows any difference between the total budgeted amount for a line item and the total of
receipts/disbursements allocated to each month. If the "Variance" column shows a number other than 0, revisit the
monthly allocations to ensure that they add up to the total budgeted amount.

Column V

Net Cash Excess (Shortfall)

Shows the cash-basis results for the individual month.

Row 112

Rolling Cash Balance

Shows the cumulative cash position as of that month. If this amount is negative or only narrowly positive, it indicates
a potential cash shortage during the month. Steps should be taken to address this shortage in advance (e.g.
accelerating receipts, delaying disbursements, securing a loan or line of credit).

Row 114

OUTPUT

MONITORING
In order to make this tool an effective basis for ongoing planning and decision-making, it is important to update the
spreadsheet each month based on actual results.

Updates

On a monthly basis, replace the originally projected receipts and disbursement for each line item with the actual
amount received or disbursed for that item. For any differences between original projections and actual results that
are due to a timing discrepancy (e.g. a receipt/disbursement originally expected in March has been postponed until
May), adjust the projected amount for the relevant future month to reflect the new assumption on timing of receipt or
disbursement. For any differences between original projections and actual results that are due to a permanent
change (e.g. a receipt/disbursement originally expected in March will not happen at all), adjust the projected amount
for the relevant month and the difference will appear in the "Variance" column (V).
As you update the monthly line items based on actual results, the Net Cash Excess/Shortfall (Row 112) and Rolling
Cash Balance (Row 114) will update automatically with revised projections.

Cash Flow Projection

Prior Year
Carryover

CASH RECEIPTS
Contributions & Support
Foundations
Corporations
Individual contributions
[additional line item]
Government Contracts
Federal
State/Local
[additional line item]
Other Revenue
Investment income
Program service fees
Special events
Miscellaneous
Prior Year Receivables
Foundation grants receivable
Collection of other receivables
Total Cash Receipts
CASH DISBURSEMENTS
Personnel
Salaries & wages
Payroll taxes
Medical benefits
Pension contributions
Other (e.g. workers' comp, disability)
Other than Personnel Expenses
Rent
Utilities
Professional services
Conferences & meetings
Travel
Printing
Technology
Interest expense
Special events expenses
Other
Prior Year Accruals
[line item]
Total Cash Disbursements

Current Yr
Budgeted

$0

Spread
Evenly?

$0

Jan

Feb

$0

Mar

$0

Apr

$0

May

$0

Jun

$0

Jul

$0

Aug

$0

Sep

$0

Oct

$0

Nov

$0

Thereafter

Dec

$0

$0

TOTAL

$
$
$
$

0
0
0
0

$
$
$

0
0
0

$
$
$
$

0
0
0
0

$
$

0
0

$0 $

$
$
$
$
$

0
0
0
0
0

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

$
$0

Excess (Shortfall) from operations

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

CAPITAL AND FINANCING

Cash Receipts
Cash received from loans/financing
Cash received from credit line
Transfers from savings/investments
Cash Disbursements
Capital purchases
Repayment of loan principal
Repayment of credit line principal
Transfers to savings/investments
NET CASH EXCESS (SHORTFALL)

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

ROLLING CASH BALANCE

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

$0

2012 Fiscal Management Associates, LLC. All rights reserved. www.fmaonline.net

Variance

$0

$
$
$

0
0
0

$
$
$
$

0
0
0
0

$0