Prompt: Build a 12-week cash flow forecast
Finance · Time: 45 min
Role: you are a financial analyst building a cash flow forecast for a small business.
Context: account balance {{amount}} as of {{date}}. Receivables: {{list with client codes, amounts and expected dates}}. Payables: {{list with dates}}. Recurring payments: {{rent, payroll, taxes with dates and amounts}}. Weekly sales plan: {{amounts}}. Assumptions: average payment delay {{days}}, bad debt {{percent}}%.
Task: build a 12-week cash flow forecast in three scenarios: base, optimistic (inflows +15%), stress (inflows minus 15% and payments delayed by another 14 days). Find the first week with a negative balance in each scenario and the three drivers that affect the result most.
Format: three tables week | inflows | outflows | net flow | closing balance. After them, the list of all assumptions you used and five conclusions with specific actions. All amounts in {{currency}}, no rounding to thousands.Placeholders to fill in
{{amount}}{{date}}{{list with client codes, amounts and expected dates}}{{list with dates}}{{rent, payroll, taxes with dates and amounts}}{{amounts}}{{days}}{{percent}}{{currency}}
Works well in
- ChatGPT $20/mo
- Gemini in Google Sheets $14/mo
- Claude $20/mo
- Copilot in Excel $20/mo
How to check the answer
The forecast recalculates by formula when one assumption changes, the stress scenario shows the specific week of the cash gap, and there is a list of actions with deadlines
Pitfalls
- The model calculates from your assumptions and looks confident: the list of assumptions must be written under the table and checked by you
- Receivables with client names and amounts are a trade secret; they go into a public service with client codes
Step-by-step versions by role
- Build a 12-week cash flow forecast: Finance manager
- Build a 12-week cash flow forecast: Manager
- Build a 12-week cash flow forecast: Data analyst
- Build a 12-week cash flow forecast: Economist
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