Cash Flow Forecasting
A cash flow forecast projects the cash coming into and going out of your business, week by week, so you can see a shortfall before it happens. Corvus Accounting builds and maintains 13-week and 26-week forecasts, both tracked week over week, plus 52-week forecasts for annual planning, for trades and service businesses.
Profit and cash are not the same thing. A profitable business can still miss payroll if customers pay late, a big supplier bill lands, or a quarterly tax payment comes due in the same week.
By Suzanne Leonard, Founder, Corvus Accounting · Last reviewed November 2026
Free, no-obligation consultation. Serving small businesses nationwide.
The Basics
A 13-week forecast covers one quarter, week by week. It starts with your real bank balance and adds expected customer payments, then subtracts payroll, materials, rent, loan payments, owner pay, and taxes. The result is a projected cash balance for every week. Thirteen weeks is far enough out to act, and close enough to be accurate.
A 26-week forecast works the same way, week over week, but covers two quarters. It gives you a longer runway to plan through a slow season, a large project, or a loan or hiring decision, without losing weekly detail.
| 13-Week Forecast | 26-Week Forecast | 52-Week Forecast | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detail | Weekly, line by line | Weekly, line by line | Weekly or monthly, by category |
| Covers | One quarter | Two quarters | A full year |
| Best for | Payroll, bills, short-term cash gaps | Slow seasons, large projects, loan or hiring decisions | Annual planning, hiring, equipment, growth plans |
| Updated | Weekly | Weekly | Monthly, rolled forward |
Most clients pair a week-by-week forecast (13 or 26 weeks) to manage cash with a 52-week forecast to plan the year.
Who It's For
Landscaping, HVAC, pools, and roofing companies with slow months to plan around.
You pay for materials and labor before the customer pays you.
Big jobs, retainage, or customers who pay on their own schedule.
A hire, a truck, new equipment, or a loan on the horizon.
How It Works
We anchor the forecast to your actual cash balance.
Open invoices, scheduled jobs, and payment timing, against payroll, vendors, debt, owner pay, and taxes.
We flag any week where cash drops below your minimum safe balance.
We compare forecast to actual and update the forecast on a regular schedule.
Put It to Work
FAQ
Profit is measured when work is invoiced or earned, but cash moves when money actually clears. Slow-paying customers, up-front material costs, debt payments, owner draws, and tax payments all reduce cash without showing up as expenses on your P&L. A cash flow forecast shows exactly where that gap comes from and when it will hit.
The first few weeks are usually very accurate because they’re based on known invoices, payroll, and bills. Later weeks rely more on estimates. That’s why we compare forecast to actual results and roll the forecast forward regularly. Over time it gets more accurate as we learn your real payment patterns.
We need access to your accounting software, bank and credit card accounts, open invoices and bills, payroll schedule, loan payments, and any upcoming large expenses. If your books are behind, we can catch them up first through our bookkeeping add-on.
Yes. We build estimated tax payments into the forecast so the money is set aside before it’s due. Paired with our Tax Liability Advisory, you see what you owe and when you’ll pay it, all in one view.
Choose a 13-week forecast if your priority is managing payroll, bills, and near-term cash gaps. Choose a 26-week forecast if you need to see through a slow season, a large project, or a loan decision; it is tracked week over week, just like the 13-week. A 52-week forecast is best for annual planning, hiring, and equipment purchases. Many clients pair a weekly forecast with a 52-week plan.
Cash flow forecasting is scoped and quoted after your free consultation, based on the complexity of your business and how often you want the forecast updated and reviewed.
Related: Fractional CFO & Strategy · Tax Liability Advisory · Job & Project Costing
Beyond the Numbers
Book a free, no-obligation consultation and we’ll show you what a week-by-week cash plan looks like for your business.
Stuck on one specific problem? Book a free problem solving session →
