Cash Flow Calculator
Calculate net cash flow from itemized inflows and outflows — monthly or annual — with each line's share and a clear positive/negative verdict. Free.
About the Cash Flow Calculator
Profit is an opinion; cash is a fact. This cash flow calculator lists your cash inflows (sales, other income) against your outflows (rent, salaries, utilities, stock purchases — add any lines you need) and computes net cash flow = total inflows − total outflows for the month or year. A positive number means the business or household generated cash; a negative one means it consumed cash and the gap had to come from savings, credit or capital.
The breakdown table shows every line's percentage share of its side, which is where the insight usually hides: if salaries are 55% of outflows or one customer is 80% of inflows, you can see the concentration at a glance. Small businesses use exactly this structure for a simple operating cash-flow statement, and households use it as an income-versus-spending snapshot.
Cash-flow problems sink profitable businesses — a shop can show profit on paper while receivables sit unpaid and rent is due in cash. Tracking monthly net cash flow, and keeping a buffer of two to three months of outflows, is the standard defence. All figures stay in your browser.
How to Use the Cash Flow Calculator
- 1Choose the period you are analysing — monthly or annual.
- 2List your cash inflows: sales, service income, other receipts.
- 3List your cash outflows: rent, salaries, utilities, purchases.
- 4Read the net cash flow, status and each line's percentage share.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate net cash flow with an example?
Total inflows minus total outflows. A shop collecting 800,000 in sales and 50,000 other income against 300,000 stock purchases, 150,000 salaries, 100,000 rent and 60,000 utilities has net cash flow = 850,000 − 610,000 = +240,000 for the month.
What is the difference between cash flow and profit?
Profit counts revenue when earned and expenses when incurred; cash flow counts money only when it actually moves. Sell 500,000 of goods on 60-day credit and profit records it today, but cash flow shows nothing until payment lands — meanwhile rent and salaries still leave in cash. That timing gap is why profitable businesses can still run out of money.
What does negative cash flow mean and is it always bad?
It means more cash left than came in during the period, with the difference drawn from reserves or borrowing. It is expected during expansion (buying stock or equipment) or seasonal troughs, but persistent negative operating cash flow is unsustainable — the percentage table helps identify which outflow to cut first.
How much cash buffer should a small business keep?
A common rule is two to three months of operating outflows. If your monthly outflows total 610,000, aim for a reserve of roughly 1.2–1.8 million. Businesses with seasonal revenue — common in retail around Eid or harvest cycles — should hold the higher end.
Should I track cash flow monthly or annually?
Monthly for management — problems appear (and can be fixed) month by month, and rent, salaries and utility bills are monthly rhythms. Annual totals suit reviews, tax planning and comparing years. This calculator's period selector just labels the same arithmetic either way.