Cash flow can be defined as the way money moves into and out of your business; it is the difference between just being able to open a business and being able to stay in business. A cash flow analysis is a method of checking up on your firm’s financial health. It is the study of the movement of cash through your business, called a cash budget, to determine patterns of how you take in and pay out money. The goal is to maintain sufficient cash for firm operations from month to month.

What you need to do a Cash Flow analysis:

Your business computer or a ledger (accounts book)

The computerized accounting program you use, a calculator

All your sales receipts and expenses

How much cash you want to have on hand at all times

Your initial beginning cash balance

Four steps to do a cash-flow analysis;

1. Determine your incomes:

This type of cash flow analysis is called cash budgeting analysis. It is part of your firm's financial forecasting plan. Determine the amount of cash that will flow into your firm during the month. If you are just starting your business, you should include the beginning balance in cash that you want to have available every month. There would also be the amount of sales you have during the first month. Sales would include both cash sales and sales that you make to your customers who pay on credit.

2. Determine your expenditures

Determine the amount of cash that will flow out of your firm during the month. You will have expenses. You will probably have to buy office supplies. Other monthly expenses may include advertising, vehicle expenses, payroll expenses, just to name a few. You will have some quarterly expenses, such as taxes. You may have expenses that just occur occasionally, like purchases of computer equipment, vehicles, or other larger expenses.
Ideally, the incomes (Step 1) to be greater than the cash that will flow out of your firm (Step 2). This means that your monthly cash inflow needs to be greater than your monthly cash outflow so you will have sufficient cash to operate your firm.

3. Determine your balances

Your ending balance for the first month becomes the beginning balance for the second month. You do the same type of analysis. Each month, you may have to add more items to your cash flow analysis as your business grows. You need to decide what the minimum ending cash balance is that you find acceptable for your firm and aim toward that figure each month.

4. In case of losses…

If your cash flow turns negative for any one month, you will have to borrow money for that month from family or friends, investors, or from a bank or other financial institutions. Then, if your cash flow is positive the next month, you can repay that loan.
Keep on doing this each month for your forecasting period. Try to keep your borrowing to a minimum and your cash inflow greater than your outflows. Remember that this cash budget is a financial forecasting document but try to follow it as closely as possible.How to do a cash flow analysis for your business

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