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The 13-week cash flow forecast.
Your next 13 weeks of cash, week by week: the forecast every CFO keeps. Enter what comes in and goes out each week, payroll, rent, receipts, taxes, and watch your running bank balance. It catches the week you run short before it happens, which a monthly view hides. Need the quick version first? Try the runway calculator →
Cash in the bank at the start of Week 1. Then fill the grid below; leave a cell blank for $0.
Weekly forecast
| Line item | W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 | W10 | W11 | W12 | W13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Total cash in | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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| Total cash out | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Net change | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ending cash | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Tip: enter lumpy items in the exact week they hit, payroll every other week, rent in Week 1, a tax payment in Week 6.
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Estimates only, for planning. Not financial, tax, or investment advice.
What is a 13-week cash flow forecast?
A 13-week cash flow forecast is a week-by-week projection of the cash moving into and out of your business over one quarter. For each week you list expected receipts and expected payments, and the forecast carries your bank balance forward so you can see exactly where it bottoms out. It's the standard short-term cash tool for CFOs and treasurers because it answers a question monthly reporting can't: which week does cash get tight?
Why 13 weeks?
Thirteen weeks is one fiscal quarter. It's long enough to see trouble coming, a tax payment, a hiring ramp, a slow collections month, but short enough that weekly estimates stay reliable. Past a quarter, weekly precision falls apart and a monthly view like a runway calculator is the better lens.
How to build your forecast
- Start with your bank balance. Enter the cash you have at the start of week one.
- Add cash in, by week. Customer receipts, a closing round, refunds: put each in the week you actually expect the money to land.
- Add cash out, by week. Payroll, contractors, rent, software, taxes. Enter lumpy items in their exact week: payroll every other week, a quarterly tax payment in week six.
- Read the ending-cash row. It carries the balance forward and flags any week it goes negative.
How to read it
The ending cash row is the answer. Scan it for the lowest point, the week your balance dips furthest. If any week turns red, that's a cash gap: you'll need to pull a payment forward, push one back, accelerate a collection, or raise before then. A forecast that stays positive across all 13 weeks means your quarter is funded as planned.
13-week forecast FAQ
Common questions on the 13-week cash flow forecast and how to use it.
What is a 13-week cash flow forecast?
A 13-week cash flow forecast is a week-by-week projection of the cash coming into and going out of your business over one quarter. Each week you list expected receipts and expected payments, and the forecast shows your running bank balance at the end of every week. It is the standard short-term cash tool used by CFOs and treasurers because it surfaces exactly when cash will be tight.
Why 13 weeks specifically?
Thirteen weeks is one fiscal quarter. It is long enough to see trouble coming, a tax payment, a hiring ramp, a slow collections month, but short enough that weekly estimates stay accurate. Beyond a quarter, weekly precision breaks down and a monthly view (like a runway calculator) is the better tool.
How do I build a 13-week cash flow forecast?
Start with your current bank balance. List each source of cash coming in (customer receipts, a closing round, refunds) and enter the amount in the week you expect it. Do the same for cash going out (payroll, contractors, rent, software, taxes) in the exact week each hits. The forecast totals each week and carries the balance forward so you can see your lowest point. This template does all of that automatically.
How is this different from a runway calculator?
A runway calculator answers the big-picture question: roughly how many months of cash you have, using monthly averages. A 13-week forecast is about timing within the quarter: it catches the specific week a lumpy payroll or quarterly tax payment pushes your balance negative, even when your monthly average looks fine. Use both: runway for the headline, the 13-week forecast for the detail.
Can I download or save the template?
Yes. Enter your numbers and use Download CSV to open the full forecast in Excel or Google Sheets, or Print / PDF for a clean copy. Nothing is gated behind an email. The tool and the downloads are free.