CFOSurge India/Owner questions/Cash forecasting

Can you see which week your cash runs short? Build a 13-week forecast.

A 3-minute check of how far ahead you can see, and how to see further. The full guide is underneath.

The problem

You can't see which week cash will run short, so big payments keep arriving as surprises.

The way out

List what's certain first, then how customers really pay, then your own decisions, week by week, and update every Friday.

The way out, step by step

Five stops on the road to a forecast you can trust

Hover over a step to light it up, click to open it.Tap a step to open it. 0 of 5 explored

★Clear road for 13 weeks
Driving without headlights

Not sure which step you’re on?

Take the 3-minute check. Your result lights up your step above.

The full guide

Everything behind your answer, in detail

Read only the sections you need. Each one stands on its own.

Prepared by the CFOSurge India CFO team

The answer in brief

A 13-week cash forecast shows, week by week, the cash you'll have after every receipt and payment. In India it must include GST, TDS, PF and ESI, advance tax and EMIs on their real dates, and the drawing power on your CC, not just the bank balance. Start from today's reconciled balances, forecast receipts by how customers actually pay, add certain payments first and your own decisions last, and update it every week in 20 minutes.

On this page
  1. Questions first
  2. What goes in
  3. Build it
  4. Check it
  5. Six industry cases
  6. Use it
  7. Weekly routine
  8. Mistakes to avoid
  9. Official sources
  10. Key terms
  11. Questions owners also ask
Stage 1 · Notice

Answer these questions before you read on

Commit to an answer before you open each one. Together they show where the problem is.

1How much cash will you have on the Friday six weeks from now?

If you can't say, a big payment will one day surprise you.

2Which week do advance tax, GST and salaries fall in together?

Those weeks are where most cash crunches happen.

3Do you forecast customer receipts by due date or by when they actually pay?

Only the second is a forecast.

4Is your CC drawing power in your forecast?

The bank balance isn't your limit; drawing power is.

5How long does it take you to update a forecast?

If it's more than 20 minutes a week, it won't be kept up.

A forecast you update every Friday is worth more than a perfect one you build once.

Stage 2 · Understand

What a 13-week forecast contains

LineSource
Opening cash and CC headroomReconciled balances, latest drawing power
Customer receiptsLarge customers individually, by real payment behaviour
Supplier paymentsDue dates and agreed terms
Salaries, PF, ESIPayroll dates and statutory due dates
GST and TDSMonthly due dates, net of credit
Advance taxQuarterly instalments
EMIs and interestLoan schedules
Your decisionsCapex, promoter pay, dividends, on separate lines
Stage 3 · Locate

Build yours now

Start with a weekly view of your low point:

Find your cash low pointExample figures · replace with yours
Want a CFO to check these numbers? Send us your figures and we'll tell you what they mean for your business.Get a free review

Then see what growth will cost in cash:

What will growth cost in cash?Rough guide
Want a CFO to check these numbers? Send us your figures and we'll tell you what they mean for your business.Get a free review

Want a CFO to work through your numbers?

Bring your figures to a free consultation with a senior CFO. No cost, no obligation.

Get my 13-week forecast built
Free template
13-week cash flow forecast (Excel)A weekly forecast with GST, TDS, PF, advance tax and EMIs on their own lines. Formulas built in.Download free →
Stage 4 · Verify

Check the forecast against reality

  1. Compare last week's forecast with actual.
  2. Find the biggest difference and why.
  3. Adjust customer payment patterns.
  4. Check statutory amounts against the returns.
Stage 5 · Compare

Six businesses, six versions of the same problem

The same problem looks different in every industry. Pick the business closest to yours:

These are composite businesses with illustrative figures, built to show how the method works. They are not CFOSurge client results.

Hover over a business for a preview (tap on a phone), then click to open the full case.

Stage 6 · Act

What to do when a week goes negative

  • Bring forward collections from reliable customers.
  • Agree short extensions with suppliers in writing.
  • Defer your own decisions: capex, promoter pay, dividends.
  • Arrange an ad hoc limit early. Banks need weeks.
  • Never defer statutory dues; penalties cost more.
Negative in the next three weeks? Call the bank now, not in the week it happens.
Stage 7 · Prevent

The 20-minute Friday update

  1. Roll the forecast forward one week.
  2. Replace last week's forecast with actuals.
  3. Update the five largest customers' expected receipts.
  4. Check the next four weeks' statutory and EMI dates.
  5. Flag any week below your minimum cash.
Stage 8 · Avoid

Mistakes that make forecasts useless

  • Receipts on due dates instead of real behaviour.
  • Leaving out GST, TDS, PF and advance tax.
  • Using the bank balance instead of drawing power.
  • Mixing your decisions with certain payments.
  • Building it once and never updating it.
Reference

Official sources and guidance

Rules, rates and thresholds change. Check the current position at these official sources before acting.

Reference

Key terms in plain English

3 terms
13-week forecast
A rolling weekly cash forecast for the next quarter.
Drawing power
The amount you can draw on a CC, based on your stock statement.
Advance tax
Income tax paid in instalments during the year.
Reference

Questions owners also ask

Why 13 weeks?

It's long enough to see a quarter's statutory dates, payrolls and big payments, and short enough to forecast accurately week by week.

What dates should an Indian business include?

Salaries, PF and ESI, TDS, GST returns, advance tax instalments, EMIs, LC maturities and large supplier payments. Check due dates on the official portals.

Can I do this in Excel?

Yes. The tool above gets you started, and CFOAvatar keeps it current from your accounting data.

Want a CFO to work through this with you?

If you'd like a 13-week forecast built and kept current for you, A CFOSurge CFO can go through it with you using your actual numbers.

  • Plans from ₹50,000 a month, fixed after a free assessment
  • Free consultation with a senior CFO
  • No cost, no obligation
  • Pay nothing if you don't see value in the first 2 weeks

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CFOSurge India · General information only. It isn't financial, tax or legal advice for your circumstances. Worked examples use illustrative figures. · Follow us on YouTube · LinkedIn