Cash Flow Forecast Template for SaaS & Startups
A 13-week rolling cash flow forecast built specifically for SaaS and tech startups. Includes scenario planning, runway analysis, and working capital tracking. Used by 47+ UK companies.
What's Included in the Template
Everything you need to forecast cash flow accurately, whether you are pre-revenue or scaling past £5M ARR.
13-Week Rolling Cash Forecast
Week-by-week visibility of cash inflows and outflows, updated automatically as actuals land.
Scenario Planning
Model best-case, base-case, and worst-case scenarios side by side so you can stress-test every decision.
Runway Calculator
See exactly how many months of runway you have at your current burn rate, and how it changes with each scenario.
Cash Receipts & Payments Breakdown
Separate recurring revenue collections, one-off receipts, payroll, supplier payments, and tax obligations.
Working Capital Analysis
Track debtor days, creditor days, and the cash gap between invoicing and collection.
Monthly vs Weekly View
Toggle between a 13-week detailed view for short-term management and a 12-month view for board reporting.
VAT & Tax Timing
Built-in HMRC quarterly VAT payment schedule and corporation tax instalment timing for UK companies.
Actuals vs Forecast Comparison
Overlay actual cash movements against your forecast to measure accuracy and improve future predictions.
Why Cash Flow Forecasting Matters for SaaS
Cash kills more UK startups than bad products. According to CB Insights, 38% of startups fail because they run out of cash or fail to raise new capital. A P&L showing profit does not mean you have cash in the bank — especially for SaaS companies where revenue recognition, deferred income, and billing timing create a significant gap between accounting profit and actual cash.
For UK SaaS companies, this is even more critical. HMRC VAT obligations create quarterly cash outflows that can blindside founders. Corporation tax instalments, PAYE, and pension auto-enrolment add further timing complexity. A proper cash flow forecast accounts for all of these — not just your subscription revenue minus costs.
If you are calculating runway by dividing your bank balance by your P&L loss, you are almost certainly getting it wrong. Cash flow forecasting gives you the real answer: when will you actually run out of money, and what can you do about it?
How to Use a Cash Flow Forecast
Three steps to go from a blank template to a forecast you can share with your board.
Input Your Starting Position
Enter your current bank balance, outstanding invoices, and committed payments. If you use Xero or QuickBooks, most of this comes from a simple export.
Map Your Cash Inflows & Outflows
Add your recurring revenue, expected new sales, payroll dates, supplier payments, loan repayments, and tax deadlines. The template groups these by category so nothing gets missed.
Review & Stress-Test
Run your scenarios: what happens if a major client pays late? What if churn doubles? What if you delay that next hire by two months? Each scenario updates your runway instantly.
Cash Flow Forecasting vs P&L Forecasting
Cash Flow Forecast
- Shows when cash actually enters and leaves your bank account
- Accounts for billing timing, payment terms, and collection delays
- Includes VAT, PAYE, and tax payment dates
- Tells you your real runway in weeks
- Captures working capital movements (AR, AP, deferred income)
P&L Forecast
- Shows revenue and expenses on an accrual basis
- Recognises revenue when earned, not when cash is received
- Does not capture VAT or working capital movements
- Can show profit while you are running out of cash
- Essential for board reporting, but not for cash management
Both are essential. A P&L forecast tells you whether your business model works. A cash flow forecast tells you whether you will survive long enough to prove it. Most SaaS companies that fail had a viable product — they just ran out of cash before they could scale it.
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Free 30-minute call. I'll walk you through the template and tailor it to your business.