60% of small business owners faced a cash flow crisis in the past year, according to QuickBooks — and most of them saw it coming too late to act. This Accounting gives you a 30, 60, and 90-day forward view so you’re never caught off guard.

What’s inside this Accounting template

• Revenue timing split — separate recurring revenue from one-off payments for cleaner forecasting
• Seasonal adjustment notes — flag months where cash flow is historically tighter
• Buffer target calculator — automatically shows how many months of runway you currently have
• Variance analysis — compare forecast to actual each month and adjust future predictions accordingly

How to use this Accounting template

1. Get access using the button above, then copy it to your Drive.
2. Set up your income categories — recurring, project-based, and occasional revenue separately.
3. Enter all fixed outgoings first so the baseline cash position is always accurate.
4. Update actuals each week as invoices are paid and bills are settled.
5. Use the variance column to understand why forecast and actual differ, and improve next month’s accuracy.

Why Google Sheets for Accounting?

For businesses turning over under €1M, the complexity of dedicated cash flow software rarely justifies the cost. This template covers 95% of what those tools do, for free, with the added benefit that you understand every formula because you can see it.

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead can I forecast with this template?

The template is set up for a 90-day rolling forecast. You can extend it to 12 months by adding columns — the formulas carry across automatically.

Can my accountant access this?

Yes. Share the Google Sheets link with view access and your accountant sees the same live forecast you do. No file sending, no version confusion.

What is the difference between cash flow and profit?

Profit is revenue minus costs on paper. Cash flow is the actual money in your account. A business can be profitable but cash-flow negative if customers pay late — this template tracks the cash, not the paper profit.