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Cash flow vs. profit check calculator

Start with total sales or your existing profit, then follow the steps to an estimated bank balance.

Profit & loss Break-even Profit margin & markup Unit price & margin Cash flow vs. profit check Credit card & loan interest Job estimate & profit Pay yourself

Your inputs

You can type or paste amounts like $2,780.00. Use one period. Losses and decreases are negative, such as -$600.

USD. Use one consistent period or unit. Example values are provided.

First, let’s find your profit

Choose one month or another consistent period. Total sales means everything sold during that period—not one product’s selling price and not just payments received.

Where would you like to start? Help me calculate my profit I already know my profit

From sales to profitTotal sales for this periodAll sales recorded for the period, after refunds. Include unpaid sales; this is not just customer payments received.

Cost of the products or services soldOnly costs belonging to what you sold this period. Do not enter all stock purchases or the selling price again.

Everyday business expensesExpenses recorded for the same period, such as rent, wages, software and marketing. Count each cost once.

Other recorded income or expenses, if needed

Other recorded incomeIncome outside the sales above, if any. Do not include borrowing or money the owner puts into the business.

Other recorded expensesExpenses not already included above, such as interest or depreciation recorded for this period. Do not include loan principal or an equipment purchase already being treated separately.

Use recorded income and expenses for the same period, including unpaid sales and costs already incurred. This is profit before income taxes. If your records only total cash received and paid, check which method applies before using the cash adjustments.

Next, follow the cash

Enter changes during the same period, not whole ending balances. Profit has already counted your recorded costs.

Money in the bank at the startOpening bank cash for the same period—not sales or profit.

Expenses recorded without cash leaving this periodOptional: expenses already deducted from profit but not paid in cash this period.

Change in unpaid customer invoicesOptional: ending minus starting unpaid customer invoices. Enter a decrease as a negative number, such as -600.

Change in stock at costOptional: ending minus starting inventory at cost. Enter a decrease as a negative number.

Change in unpaid supplier billsOptional: ending minus starting unpaid supplier bills. Enter a decrease as a negative number.

Equipment purchases paid separatelyOptional: cash spent on equipment not already expensed in your profit input.

New borrowing or owner investmentOptional: cash added through new borrowing or your own investment.

Loan principal repaidOptional: the borrowed balance repaid, excluding interest already counted in profit.

Owner withdrawalsOptional: cash taken by the owner, excluding payroll already counted in profit.

Income taxes paidOptional: income taxes paid in cash that are not already in the profit input.

Additional cash reserveOptional: cash you want to leave aside. This does not change the estimated bank balance.

Your result

Print results opens your device’s print window, where you can print or choose Save as PDF. Download for Excel or Google Sheets saves your results as a spreadsheet-compatible file (.csv). Open it in Excel or import it into Google Sheets. It contains your calculated numbers, not a working calculator.

Educational estimates based on your inputs. Not financial, tax, or legal advice.

How this calculator works

Calculations stay in this browser. Saving a result sends its inputs to your verified account. Free Members can keep three results. Pro adds unlimited saved results.

Understand the process →

Learn as you go · Free lesson

Understand your cash flow vs. profit check result

Start with the calculator above. Then follow the example below, one step at a time.

What this calculator does

Profit can be positive while cash feels tight. Choose Help me calculate my profit to start with total sales, or I already know my profit to use a figure from your records. Total sales means everything sold in the period, not one product’s price or only the customer payments received. This tool uses records that count income and expenses when earned or incurred, often called accrual bookkeeping.

Use it to understand the gap, not to replace a bank reconciliation. A reconciliation means matching your records with your bank statement. If your records simply total cash received and paid, ask your bookkeeper which adjustments apply before using this bridge.

How it works

In the guided option, enter total sales, the cost of products or services sold, and everyday business expenses for the same period. Add other recorded income or expenses only if needed. Each cost belongs once. Your profit carries forward automatically; do not subtract those costs again. If you already know your profit, use the shortcut instead. Then enter opening bank cash. Add back noncash expenses already deducted from profit, such as depreciation. No money left the bank for that charge during this period.

Then enter changes in unpaid customer invoices, inventory and unpaid supplier bills. Each change means ending amount minus starting amount—not the whole balance. More unpaid customer invoices or more stock can tie up cash. More unpaid supplier bills can leave cash in the bank temporarily.

Next account for equipment purchases, new borrowing or owner investment, loan principal repayments, owner withdrawals and the cash tax payments described by the input. Avoid entering a payment twice. Your additional reserve stays in the bank; it only reduces what you consider available.

Cash change = profit + noncash expenses − increase in unpaid customer invoices − increase in inventory + increase in unpaid supplier bills − equipment purchases + new funding − loan principal repaid − owner withdrawals − entered tax payments. Ending cash = opening cash + cash change.

Worked example

Example only. These are fictional business numbers, not recommended targets.

Example: Zaria’s fictional shop has $10,000 in sales. Subtract $3,500 for products sold: $6,500 remains. Subtract $3,000 in everyday expenses: profit is $3,500. The guided option carries that profit forward automatically.
Unpaid customer invoices increased by $2,000 and stock at cost increased by $1,000. Subtract these changes from $3,500 profit: $500 of operating cash flow remains. Other noncash expenses and supplier-bill changes are zero. This $500 is a cash-movement subtotal, not the bank balance.
Subtract $800 paid for a printer and $300 of loan principal repaid. Net cash movement is $500 − $800 − $300 = −$600. Opening cash of $2,000 plus that movement gives $1,400 estimated ending bank cash. All other adjustments and the reserve are zero.
Check the same example another way: customer receipts are $10,000 sales minus the $2,000 increase in unpaid invoices, or $8,000. Stock payments are $4,500: the $3,500 cost of products sold plus $1,000 extra stock, with supplier bills unchanged. Stock payments plus $3,000 bills, $800 printer and $300 principal total $8,600. That is $600 more paid than received. Do not subtract the full $4,500 again from profit; the calculator needs only the $1,000 stock change.

How to read your result

A positive cash change means cash increased in this model, not necessarily that trading was profitable. New borrowing can increase cash too. A negative change means cash decreased; equipment purchases or owner withdrawals may explain part of it.

If estimated ending cash differs from the actual statement, find the difference before relying on the available amount. This simplified bridge does not include every possible change in your records. A negative estimate deserves a review of inputs and payment timing, not an assumption that the bank can fund it.

Common mistakes

Entering the full unpaid-invoice balance instead of its change.
Adding noncash expenses that were not deducted from the profit input.
Subtracting an owner payroll payment already included as a profit expense.
Subtracting a reserve as if the money had left the bank.

FAQ

What are accounts receivable?

They are unpaid customer invoices. An increase means more money is owed to you, but that extra amount has not arrived as cash.

What are accounts payable?

They are unpaid supplier bills. An increase can leave cash in the bank for now, but the bills still need paying.

Can I enter a negative change?

Yes, in fields labeled as changes. If unpaid customer invoices fall from $900 to $600, enter −$300, not $600.

Is a reserve an expense?

Not in this tool. It is money you choose to protect, so it reduces available cash rather than the estimated bank balance.

Does this show every business cash movement?

No. It is a simplified learning and planning bridge. Use complete records and help from your bookkeeper to explain any remaining difference.

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