Cash flow forecast

How to create a cash flow forecast in Sage 50 Accounts.

To prepare a forecast cash flow

1. Click Bank accounts then click Cash flow.
2. Click Forecast up to and enter the date up to which you want to include transactions.
3. Select the Include? check box for each bank account you want to include.
4. To include or exclude a transaction in the cash flow forecast, select or clear the Inc? check box.
5. If required, enter manual entries. When you close the Cash Flow Forecast window, the following information saves:
   
   • Updated forecast dates for each line
   • Manual entries

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The Cash Flow Forecast window

NOTE: Each time you select or clear a transaction for inclusion, all values on the Cash Flow Forecast window recalculate. The values also recalculate when you select or clear the bank accounts and when you change the Forecast up to date.

Dates

Date	From the drop-down list choose the required forecast period, for example, Next 7 days. When you choose a period, the Forecast Up To date and the cash flow transactions automatically update.
From	This displays the date 60 days before the program date. You can enter a different date, if required.
Forecast up to	A future date based on the forecast period you chose in Date. If required, enter the date up to which you want to prepare the cash flow. If you amend this date, the information in the cash flow refreshes. Alternatively, use the Date drop-down list to choose a different period.

Summary

The values calculate as follows:

Book Balance for Bank Accounts	The total starting book balance for the selected bank accounts.
Regular Payments	The total value for all regular payments, such as recurring bank payments, recurring purchase payments on account and recurring journal credits.
Forecast Payments	The total value for all forecast payments, such as the payment of outstanding purchases, sales credits and entries with a credit value.
Regular Receipts	The total value for all regular receipts within the period, such as recurring bank receipts, recurring sales receipts on account and recurring journal debits.
Forecast Receipts	The total value for all forecast receipts, such as the payment of outstanding sales, purchase credits and entries with a debit value.
Forecast Book Balance for Period	The forecast closing balance for the bank accounts. It’s calculated as Book Balance for the bank account - Regular Payments - Forecast Payments + Regular Receipts + Forecast Receipts.

Bank Accounts

Use this area to select the bank accounts you want to include in the cash flow. Each time you select or clear a bank account, the transaction list automatically refreshes.

When you select a bank account it remains selected until you change it, even if you close and reopen the Cash Flow Forecast window.

NOTE: Foreign currency bank accounts are available from the Bank Accounts area, but their values appear in the company's base currency.

Transaction list

Transactions dated on or before the Forecast up to date appear on this list. The All tab displays all transactions. A more specific breakdown of Cash Flow areas is available through the Regular Payments, Forecast Payments, Regular Receipts and Forecast Receipts tabs.

The list shows the following transaction types:

Sales invoices	The due date calculates as the invoice date + Payment Due Days from the customer record. The forecast date calculates as the invoice date + Average Time to Pay from the customer record. If you've marked the invoice as disputed, it appears in the cash flow, but isn’t selected by default.
Purchase invoices	The due date and forecast date calculate as the invoice date + Payment Due Days from the supplier record. If you've marked the invoice as disputed, it appears in the cash flow, but isn’t selected by default.
Sales credits	Credits aren't subject to payment terms.
Purchase credits	Credits aren't subject to payment terms.
Recurring bank / cash / credit card payments	The due date is the Next Posting Date from the Recurring Entry window.
Recurring bank / cash / credit card receipts	The due date is the Next Posting Date from the Recurring Entry window.
Recurring journal debits / credits	The due date is the Next Posting Date from the Recurring Entry window.

The following information also appears on the transactions list:

Forecast	Displays the forecast date for the transaction. This is the date on which you expect to receive or make the payments. By default, for invoices, this information is the transaction date + the average time to pay. For all other transactions, it’s the due date. If required, you can amend the information in this column.
Due	Displays the due date of the transaction.
A/C Ref	For sales or purchase invoices, or recurring sales or purchase payments on account, this column shows the customer's or supplier's account reference. If the transaction is a bank payment, a bank receipt, a bill or a recurring journal debit or credit, this column displays the nominal code.
Details	Displays the details for the transaction.
Overdue	Displays the number of days difference between the due date and the program date. If the program date is before the due date, this box is blank. If the program date is the same as the due date, there’s a zero in this box. If the program date is after the due date, the number of days difference appears. NOTE: This calculation doesn’t consider the Start Period Ageing on the first day of the month after Transaction Date setting, in the Customer Defaults.
Disp?	If you've marked the invoice as disputed, a d appears in this column.
Inc?	You can select or clear which transaction values to include in the cash flow.
Receipts	Displays the amount outstanding on the transaction. Receipt amounts show for sales invoices, recurring bank receipts, recurring journal debits, recurring sales payments on account, and any manual debit transactions. You can only amend the information in this column if the transaction is a manual entry.
Payments	Displays the amount outstanding against the transaction. Payment amounts appear for purchase invoices, recurring bank payments, recurring supplier payments on account, recurring journal credits and any manual credit transactions. You can only amend the information in this column if the transaction is a manual entry.
Balance for Day	On the last line for each day, this box shows the running total of the forecast Book Balance for the selected accounts, per forecast date. The balance calculates as: Opening balance for the day + the total debit amounts for the day - the total credit amounts for the day. If the day's balance is below zero, or you only select one account and its balance is below the limit, it appears in red.