A store can record sales and still struggle to pay its next supplier. Money may be tied up in stock, payment settlement or orders awaiting delivery. A weekly cash forecast helps you see when funds are expected to arrive and when payments are due.
This is a practical planning worksheet, not a statement of accounting profit or tax advice. Use your actual agreements and bank records; no payment-provider settlement timetable is assumed here.
Cash flow and profit answer different questions
Profit asks whether income exceeds the relevant expenses for a period. Cash flow asks when money enters or leaves the business. Buying inventory uses cash immediately or on agreed credit terms, while the accounting expense may be recognised at a different point.
For daily decisions, avoid treating placed orders as bank money. A COD order may not be delivered or collected, and a prepaid payment can have fees, refunds or a settlement delay. Track these stages rather than adding the entire order total to available cash.
A simple five-column forecast
| Week | Opening cash | Expected receipts | Planned payments | Closing cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,000 | ₹7,000 | ₹7,000 |
| 2 | ₹7,000 | ₹6,000 | ₹9,000 | ₹4,000 |
| 3 | ₹4,000 | ₹3,000 | ₹8,000 | −₹1,000 |
All amounts are fictional. Closing cash equals opening cash plus receipts minus payments. Carry each closing balance into the next week. The example exposes a ₹1,000 shortfall in week three before considering any minimum buffer. Strong sales expectations do not remove that timing problem.
1. Start with cash you can actually use
Use a reconciled opening bank balance and any business cash you genuinely hold. Separate money reserved for committed payments. Do not count an unused credit limit, a customer's screenshot or an unconfirmed settlement as cash already received.
If you include owner funding or a loan as a future receipt, label it separately from sales and record whether it is confirmed. A forecast should reveal dependence on extra funding instead of hiding it inside revenue.
2. Forecast receipts conservatively
Create supporting rows for payment-provider settlements, delivered COD remittances and other receipts. Use the terms and statuses available in your own dashboards. Mark uncertain amounts and expected dates. Where practical, build a cautious scenario with slower receipts or more cancellations.
Choose either net settlements with fees already deducted or gross receipts with separate fee payments, and apply that basis consistently. Counting net receipts and subtracting the same fees again understates cash.
3. List payments by due date
- Supplier deposits and balances
- Inward freight, packaging and courier bills
- Store subscriptions and approved apps
- Refunds and replacement costs
- Staff or service-provider commitments
- Tax payments and other obligations confirmed with your adviser
Include one-off costs and renewals. A small monthly subscription may be manageable on its own, while several renewals in the same week create pressure. Keep a separate commitments list for orders placed but not yet paid.
4. Decide what to do about a gap
First check the data for missing receipts, duplicates or optimistic dates. Then consider reducing a new purchase, splitting a planned order or agreeing different payment dates with the supplier before committing. Do not delay an existing obligation unilaterally or assume the next promotion will solve the problem.
A minimum cash buffer is a business choice based on volatility and commitments. There is no universal correct amount. Write down your rule so a tempting reorder does not consume money already needed elsewhere.
5. Update forecast against actuals every week
Add actual receipts and payments beside each estimate. Explain material differences: slower settlement, a freight adjustment, refunds or a supplier balance paid early. The forecast becomes useful when these lessons improve the next version.
What should a digital-product seller include?
There may be no physical inventory, but payment fees, software, content production, refunds, support and tax obligations can still matter. Lower fulfilment costs do not make every rupee of revenue available to spend.
Before your next purchase, forecast the next four weeks on one sheet. If a week goes negative, resolve the funding or spending decision before placing the order.
Continue with a practical guide
Leviative editorial guide · Reviewed 21 October 2026 · AI-assisted draft reviewed for factual claims, calculations and clarity.