Analyze the forecasted cash flow

  • 8 minutes

To analyze cash flow forecasting, you can use standard reports in Business Central, but you can also create your own customized account schedule. To get a graphical display of your forecasted cash flow, you can use the chart in your role center.

Analyze the cash flow availability by period

You can view the availability of each cash flow by period in an overview. The overview shows the individual periods in the rows, and the columns represent the categories in the cash flow. The periods can be days, weeks, months, quarters, or years. Additionally, you can select whether the amounts should be displayed as net changes or as balances at the period end dates.

To show the CF Availability by Periods page, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Search for Page icon in the top-right corner of the page, enter cash flow forecast, and then select the related link.

  2. Select Related > Cash Flow Forecast > CF Availability by Periods.

  3. Change any of the filter fields as required.

    Screenshot of the Cash flow Availability by Periods page.

Create cash flow forecast account schedules

If you aren't familiar with creating account schedules, the Configure financial reports by using account schedules in Dynamics 365 Business Central module of this learning path explains how to create account schedules.

Other than using G/L entries as a source, you can also create account schedules with cash flow entries as a source.

Screenshot of an Account schedule with cash flow entries.

To create account schedule rows for cash flow entries, in the Totaling Type field, select one of the following options:

  • Cash Flow Entry Accounts - In the Totaling field, select one or multiple cash flow accounts of the type Entry.

  • Cash Flow Total Accounts - In the Totaling field, select one or multiple cash flow accounts of the type Total or End-Total.

Configure the cash flow forecast chart in the role center

You can configure a chart in your role center to graphically display the cash flow forecast:

  1. Select the Search for Page icon in the top-right corner of the page, enter cash flow forecast, and then select the related link.

  2. Open the cash flow forecast card for the forecast that you want to display as a chart.

  3. On the General FastTab, enable the Show in Chart on Role Center field.

If you now return to your role center, you can find the cash flow chart.

Screenshot of the Cash flow forecast chart.

When working with the cash flow forecast chart, you should consider the following parameters:

  • You can only display one forecast at a time as a chart in the role center.

  • The cash flow forecast chart is only available for some role centers, such as the Accountant role center.