Best Practices in Managing Healthy Cash Flow (2024)

Just as having a healthy lifestyle and regular physical checkups can help you prevent and detect health problems - such as heart disease - early, paying close attention to cash flow – your business’s life blood – can help you keep your business free of financial problems.

Here are some best practices in managing cash flow:

Monitor your cash flow closely.Pay close and regular attention to all the metrics mentioned earlier, in “Metrics to Measure.” All of these measurements should be things that you and/or your chief financial officer have access to fairly quickly and easily.

Make projections frequently.By closely monitoring key cash flow data or variables, you’ll be able to make better, more accurate, more up-to-date projections of future cash flow and you’ll be more likely to keep your business out of trouble financially.

Prepare a thorough, accurate cash flow forecast.When forecasting sales and expenses for a given period, keep in mind historical figures, such as customer payment histories, industry norm, averages and trends, plus current economic and business conditions. Project monthly cash inflows and outflows during the period. As you go through the budget period, compare and update your budget based on actual monthly performance.

Include yournet cash position, which is:

Your cash on hand at the start of the period + estimated cash inflows – estimated cash outflows = net cash balance.

Identify issues early.Obviously, the sooner you identify a problem, the better, and the easier it could be to fix it. For one thing, if you need to approach your bank to request some lenience or flexibility, they’ll likely be more receptive to helping if you ask them far in advance.

Understand basic accounting.By knowing the key concepts of basic business accounting, you’ll be able to read and understand financial statements, and you’ll be more capable of monitoring the financial health of your business and making sure you stay cash flow positive.

Have an emergency backup plan.Who knows what might happen that could result in a worst-case scenario in which you are close to a cash flow crisis. A clear, well thought out back-up plan can provide you with peace of mind and a source of reserve cash in case you need it one day.

Grow carefully.Growing your business too quickly can be highly risky. As you ramp up to sell more, you first need to spend more, buy more raw materials or hire more staff. If the amount of time between your increased cash outlay and increased sales is too long, you could find your business starving for cash. So, take precautions when growing your business and identify financial risks and have a business growth plan in place that avoids long delays between cash outflow and inflow, and that pays very close attention to managing cash flow.

Invoice quickly.Any delays in invoicing your clients will only add to your wait to receive payment for your work. Small businesses should invoice clients as soon as the work has been completed.

Use technology wisely and effectively.Tools exist that can help you manage your cash flow quite easily and productively. These include software dedicated to small businesses, such as QuickBooks as well as cloud (Web-based) accounting services.

Best Practices in Managing Healthy Cash Flow (1)

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Best Practices in Managing Healthy Cash Flow (2024)

FAQs

Best Practices in Managing Healthy Cash Flow? ›

Accurately predicting future cash inflows and outflows is essential for effective cash flow management. A cash flow forecast should include projections of all incoming and outgoing cash, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory and capital expenditures.

What is the most important factor in successfully managing your cash flow? ›

Accurately predicting future cash inflows and outflows is essential for effective cash flow management. A cash flow forecast should include projections of all incoming and outgoing cash, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory and capital expenditures.

What are the most effective cash flow techniques require? ›

The most effective cash flow techniques require Multiple Choice budgeting for both the amount and timing of required cash flows. reconciling bank statement each day. taking advantage of prompt payment discounts. trusting customers to pay on time.

What are the methods of managing cash flow? ›

Cash flow management is tracking and controlling how much money comes in and out of a business in order to accurately forecast cash flow needs. It's the day-to-day process of monitoring, analyzing, and optimizing the net amount of cash receipts—minus the expenses.

How to determine healthy cash flow? ›

To decide if a company's cash flow is healthy, assess the balance of its cash inflows and outflows over time.
  1. Has it maintained positive cash flows?
  2. Has it effectively timed its cash inflows and outflows?
  3. Does it experience mostly stable cash flow, not wild fluctuations?

What is the key to healthy cash flow management? ›

Make projections frequently.

By closely monitoring key cash flow data or variables, you'll be able to make better, more accurate, more up-to-date projections of future cash flow and you'll be more likely to keep your business out of trouble financially. Prepare a thorough, accurate cash flow forecast.

What is the main objective of managing cash flow? ›

Cash flow management means tracking the money coming into your business and monitoring it against outgoings such as bills, salaries and property costs. When done well, it gives you a complete picture of cost versus revenue and ensures you have enough funds to pay your bills whilst also making a profit.

What is the most ideal cash flow situation? ›

Positive cash flow indicates that a company has more money flowing into the business than out of it over a specified period. This is an ideal situation to be in because having an excess of cash allows the company to reinvest in itself and its shareholders, settle debt payments, and find new ways to grow the business.

How do you ensure good cash flow? ›

Offer staged monthly or quarterly payments rather than paying at the end of a contract. Set aside disputed debts with suppliers but keep current payments up to date. You could also negotiate payment terms with other creditors such as HMRC and finance companies if you have a short-term need to improve cash flow.

What is the most important cash flow activity? ›

Answer: The operating activities section of the statement of cash flows is generally regarded as the most important section since it provides cash flow information related to the daily operations of the business.

What is effective cash flow management? ›

Efficient cash flow management allows a business to optimize its working capital. By minimizing the time between receiving revenue and paying expenses, a company can improve its operational efficiency and reduce the need for external financing.

What does good cash flow look like? ›

If a business's cash acquired exceeds its cash spent, it has a positive cash flow. In other words, positive cash flow means more cash is coming in than going out, which is essential for a business to sustain long-term growth.

How to do a proper cash flow? ›

Since cash flows are all about timing and the flow of cash, you'll need to start with an opening bank balance – this is your actual cash on hand. Next, add in all the cash inflows and deduct the cash outflows for each period. The number at the end of each period is referred to as the closing cash balance.

What is an example of cash flow management? ›

One cash flow management example involves taking steps to collect outstanding bills on time. This could mean adding a due date to your invoices rather than billing customers and letting them determine when they will send payments. Perhaps offering a discount for early payment can entice customers to pay faster.

What is the most important component of cash flow? ›

Regardless of whether the direct or the indirect method is used, the operating section of the cash flow statement ends with net cash provided (used) by operating activities. This is the most important line item on the cash flow statement.

What is important for cash flow? ›

Cash flow is the inflow and outflow of money from a business. It is necessary for daily operations, taxes, purchasing inventory, and paying employees and operating costs. Positive cash flow indicates that a company's liquid assets are increasing.

What is the most important variable that drives all cash flows? ›

  • Cash Flow Drivers: Which Are Important? There are many different drivers of free cash flow. ...
  • Driver #1 – Revenues. ...
  • Driver #2 – Gross Margins. ...
  • Driver #3 – EBIT(DA) Margins. ...
  • Driver #4 – Working Capital. ...
  • Driver #5 – Capital Expenditure. ...
  • Driver #6 – Capital Structure. ...
  • Additional Resources.

Which of the following is an important part of cash flow management? ›

Cash flow management's key aspect is predicting and monitoring cash inflows and outflows to ensure they match with actual cash flow.

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