1.3.9

Cash & Cash Flow

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Cash Flow

Cash is the money that a business can spend immediately (it doesn't include money that a business owes or is owed). Cash flow is the amount of money that is coming in and out of a business and the timings of these cash transfers.

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Cash inflows

  • Cash inflows is the cash coming into the business.
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Cash outflows

  • Cash outflows is the cash going out of the business.
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Net cash flows

  • Net cash flows is equal to cash inflows minus cash outflows.
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Opening balance

  • Opening Balance is the amount of cash that the business starts to trade with.
  • A negative net cash flow may not create a liquidity problem if the business has a high opening cash balance.
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Closing balance

  • Closing balance – the amount of cash that a business finishes trading with.

Cash Flow Forecasts

Cash flow forecasts are a business’ prediction of how much money will come in and out of the business in a given amount of time.

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Cash flow forecasts

  • Businesses will estimate all the possible sources of cash inflows (e.g. sales) and cash outflows (rent, salaries, costs of production).
  • They may be able to forecast these inflows and outflows using past data on sales and costs, as well as using market research.
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Forecasting liquidity problems

  • It is important for businesses to forecast this accurately to avoid liquidity problems.
    • A liquidity problem is when a business runs out of cash in the short-term. They won’t have enough cash to pay rent and employees’ wages.
    • To solve a liquidity problem, a business has to reduce (or delay) cash outflows and increase (or get sooner) cash inflows.

Jump to other topics

1Enterprise & Entrepreneurship

1.1The Dynamic Nature of Businesses

1.2Spotting a Business Opportunity

1.3Putting a Business Idea into Practice

1.4Making the Business Effective

1.5Business Stakeholders

2Building a Business

2.1Growing the Business

2.2Making Marketing Decisions

2.3Making Operational Decisions

2.4Making Financial Decisions

2.5Making Human Resource Decisions

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