The net amount of cash moving in and out of a business over a given period. Positive cash flow means more money is coming in than going out.
Cash flow is the movement of money in and out of your business over a period of time. Positive cash flow means more money is coming in than going out. Negative cash flow means the opposite — and if it continues, your business will eventually run out of money regardless of what your profit figures say.
Operating cash flow — money generated from your core business activities (selling products, delivering services, paying suppliers and staff)
Investing cash flow — money spent on or received from long-term investments (buying equipment, selling property, acquiring another business)
Financing cash flow — money from or to investors and lenders (taking out loans, repaying debt, issuing shares, paying dividends)
A business can be profitable on paper and still run out of cash. This happens when:
Example: You invoice £100,000 in December with 60-day payment terms. Your income statement shows the revenue in December, but the cash doesn't arrive until February. In the meantime, you still need to pay rent, salaries, and suppliers.
Cash flow is the lifeblood of any business. You can survive without profit for a while (many startups do), but you cannot survive without cash. Monitoring cash flow lets you:
The amount of time a company can continue operating before it runs out of cash, based on its current spending rate and available cash.
The amount of money left after all expenses, taxes, and costs have been subtracted from total revenue. Also known as the bottom line.
Anything of value owned by a business that can be converted into cash. Assets are listed on the balance sheet and include cash, equipment, property, and intellectual property.