A 13-week cash-flow view is short enough to manage and long enough to reveal timing problems.
Begin with available cash
Use the actual beginning bank balance, not an estimate. Separate restricted funds or amounts already committed.
List expected cash receipts by week
Use realistic collection dates for invoices, recurring sales, contracts and other inflows. Do not assume every invoice will be paid immediately.
List obligations by timing and priority
Include payroll, taxes, rent, debt payments, essential vendors, insurance and other obligations. Identify which payments protect operations and which can be renegotiated.
Update the view every week
Replace estimates with actual results, move delayed receipts and revise assumptions. The value comes from using the tool as a living operating document.
A cash-flow forecast is a planning tool, not a guarantee. Actual timing and amounts will change.