Cash Flow Calculator

A cash flow calculator shows how your cash position changes over a period by comparing the money coming in against the money going out. You enter your opening cash balance, total inflows, and total outflows, and the tool returns the net cash flow for the period along with your closing balance. Net cash flow is simply inflows minus outflows, and the closing balance is your opening cash plus that net figure, so you can see at a glance whether you finished the period stronger or weaker than you started. This is one of the most useful checks a business can run, because profit on paper does not always mean cash in the bank. A company can be profitable yet run short of cash if customers pay slowly or stock ties money up, which is why tracking actual cash movement matters as much as the income statement. Small business owners, sole traders, and finance teams use it to plan, to spot a looming shortfall before it bites, and to time large payments such as tax, wages, or supplier bills. A few habits make the numbers more reliable. Build a rolling forecast covering at least the next few months so surprises have somewhere to show up early. Be conservative with inflows and realistic with outflows, since optimism here is expensive. Keep a buffer for the unexpected, and review the actuals against your forecast each period so your estimates keep improving. Use this tool to test scenarios, model a quiet month, or check how a big purchase changes your closing position. All figures are in New Zealand dollars and the result is an estimate to support your own planning.

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$7,000
Net cash flow
Closing balance$17,000

Net cash flow = inflows - outflows. Closing = opening + net. Estimate only, not financial or tax advice.

How it works

The calculator subtracts total outflows from total inflows to get the net cash flow for the period. It then adds that net figure to your opening cash balance to find the closing balance. A positive net means your cash grew over the period.

Worked example

With $25,000 of inflows and $18,000 of outflows, the net cash flow is $7,000. Adding that to the opening cash of $10,000 gives a closing balance of $17,000.

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Frequently asked questions

What is net cash flow?

Net cash flow is the difference between the cash coming in and the cash going out over a period. A positive figure means you took in more than you spent. A negative figure means your cash position shrank.

How is cash flow different from profit?

Profit measures income against expenses, including non cash items and amounts not yet paid or received. Cash flow tracks the actual money moving in and out. A business can be profitable but still short of cash if customers pay late.

What counts as an inflow or outflow?

Inflows include customer payments, loans received, and other cash coming into the business. Outflows include wages, supplier bills, rent, tax, and loan repayments. Use the totals for the period you are reviewing.