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.
The formula (gray) cells in these worksheets are protected to prevent accidental modification that could impair
the functionality of the worksheets. For an expert user wishing to override these protections in order to modify
formulas or the structure of the template, the process is outlined below. Please be aware that such modifications
may lead to errors or inaccuracies if not done appropriately and checked carefully.
Note on cell protection:
To remove cell protections:
• Click on the cell or cells that you wish to unlock
• Under the “Data” menu, select “Data Validation”
• A dialog box will open—click “Clear All” at the bottom of that box (if you wish to unlock all of the cells on that
worksheet, also check the box that says “Apply these changes to all other cells with the same settings”)
Cash Flow Projection tab
Instructions Cell / Column / Row
INPUTS
Select the first month of the organization's fiscal year from the drop-down menu. This will automatically
Fiscal Year Begins (month) Cell D3
populate the 12 months of the organization's fiscal year across the header of the projection table.
When updating the worksheet with monthly actuals (see "Monitoring" section below), select the month through
Actuals Through Cell D4
which actual results are in the spreadsheet from the drop-down menu.
Beginning Cash Balance Enter the organization's cash balance as of the beginning of the fiscal year. Cell D5
Enter the total budget for the fiscal year for each of the line items under "Cash Receipts," "Cash Disbursements,"
Current Year Budget and "Capital and Financing." (Note: do not include non-cash items such as depreciation.) To add individual or Column E
additional line items under a category, click the "+" buttons in the left margin of the spreadsheet.
Prior Year Carryover Enter any prior year's receivables or payables/accruals carried forward into the current year. Column D
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
Spread Evenly? amount for that item across the 12 months. If the amount of a line item that will be received or disbursed varies Column F
from month to month, select "No" or leave blank and manually enter the amount to be paid or disbursed in each
month.
For each line item, enter the amount expected to be received or disbursed in cash in each month in the column
corresponding to that month. (Note, if some or all of a budget item is not expected to be received or disbursed
Spread Columns G - R
as cash during the current year, enter any cash expected to be received or disbursed in subsequent year(s) in
column S ("Thereafter")).
OUTPUT
Net Cash Excess (Shortfall) Shows the cash-basis surplus or deficit for the individual month. Row 112
Shows the cumulative cash position as of that month (i.e. the beginning cash balance for the month plus or minus
that month's surplus or deficit). If this amount is negative or only narrowly positive, it indicates a potential cash
Rolling Cash Balance Row 114
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).
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. On a monthly basis, replace the originally projected
receipts and disbursements for each line item with the actual amount received or disbursed for that item.
Updates For any differences between original projections and actual results that are due to a timing discrepancy (e.g. a Columns G - R
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 "Projected Variance" column (X).
Once you input the actuals for a month, select the month through which actual results have been entered from
Actuals Through (cell D4) the drop-down box in cell D4. The columns including the months with actuals will be shaded gray to represent Cell D4
the completed portion of the year.
Cash Flow Projection
Prior Year Current Yr There- Remaining to Projected
Carryover Budget Spread Evenly? Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec after TOTAL Year-to-Date Budget Variance
CASH RECEIPTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
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 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $ - $ - $ - $ -
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 $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 $ - $ -
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 $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
Projected Monthly Cash Balance
$1
$1
$0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Monthly Cash Receipts and Disbursements
$1
$1
$0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Cash Receipts Cash Disbursements
$0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Cash Receipts Cash Disbursements
Oct Nov Dec
ts
Oct Nov Dec
Oct Nov Dec
