Cash Flow Advisory Guide
A practical guide to running a cash flow forecasting meeting, updating the forecast with real information, and agreeing what needs to happen next.
A practical guide to running a valuable client cash flow session
The purpose of cash flow advisory sessions is to help your clients understand what is coming up, feel confident in the numbers, and leave with a clear set of actions.
A good session should have:
You owning the cash flow process, with a clear process for reviewing, updating, and presenting the forecast.
The client feeling informed, reassured, included in the process and clear on what needs to happen next.
For some clients, this is about staying in business and peace of mind.
For others, especially clients with healthy cash reserves, it is about understanding how much cash needs to be set aside, how much is available, and how best to use it.
Why regular cash flow meetings matter
Especially in the first session, it is important to explain why regular cash flow meetings are valuable.
The reason will vary depending on the client.
For some clients, the priority is staying ahead of cash pressure and reducing uncertainty.
For others, the priority is making sure cash is being used deliberately and not sitting idle or being spent without a clear plan.
For clients under cash pressure
Regular cash flow meetings help the client move from:
The benefits may include:
- clearer visibility of what cash is available now and what is coming up next
- earlier identification of shortfalls, timing issues, and pressure points
- better planning around tax, wages, supplier payments, drawings, and other major cash movements
- stronger control over accounts receivable by regularly reviewing overdue and upcoming incoming payments
- stronger control over expenses by regularly reviewing outgoing cash, supplier payments, and spending patterns
- a chance to catch issues before they turn into last-minute problems
- clearer priorities around what needs to be followed up or actioned
- greater peace of mind that someone is regularly reviewing the near-term cash position
For these clients, the value is in reducing uncertainty, improving control, and helping them stay ahead of potential problems.
For clients with strong cash reserves
Regular cash flow meetings help the client move from:
The benefits may include:
- clearer visibility of how much cash is genuinely available versus how much should be held as buffer
- better timing decisions around hiring, investment, drawings, tax, and other major cash movements
- stronger control over accounts receivable and expenses, even when there is no immediate pressure
- earlier detection of unusual transactions, unexpected changes, or patterns that may indicate errors, leakage, or fraud
- more confidence in decisions such as expansion, spending, or reinvestment
- a structured way to decide whether surplus cash should be retained, reinvested, or drawn out
- clearer use of resources rather than allowing cash to sit passively without a plan
- continued visibility of seasonal or timing-related pressure points that could still emerge despite healthy reserves
For these clients, the value is in making better use of resources, protecting optionality, and making deliberate decisions with confidence.
The goal of the session
The session is there to:
- review and update the forecast
- check that the forecast reflects the client's current understanding of the business
- identify any upcoming risks or opportunities
- support better decision making
- agree on actions before the next session
The goal is not just to present a chart. It is to make sure the forecast reflects the best current understanding of what is likely to happen and what needs to happen next.
Before the session
Update the source data
In Budgee, refresh from Xero to make sure the data is current. If you are instead using a spreadsheet, update the latest balances, receivables, payables, payroll, tax, and any other source data first.
Check:
- that the refresh or import completed successfully
- that balances look right (Budgee will warn you if they are not)
- that there are no issues in the import log or source files
- that the data broadly matches expectations
This is a quick check to make sure you are starting from a reliable position.
Clean up overdue forecast items
Review overdue invoices, overdue bills, and any forecast items that are now out of date.
In Budgee, this is usually faster because overdue items and forecast movements are already surfaced together. If you are instead using a spreadsheet, work through the receivables, payables, and forecast tabs and update dates manually.
Actions may include:
- archiving overdue forecasts that are no longer relevant
- moving invoices and bills if you know when they are likely to be paid
- removing noise that would distract from the real picture
The aim is to make the forecast as realistic and useful as possible before the meeting.
Sense check the forecast
Before the meeting, scan the forecast and ask:
- Is there a tax payment coming up? Tax payments are often missed in automatic forecasting, because historic payments are a bad way to predict income tax.
- Are wages, GST, PAYE, loan repayments, or drawings reflected?
- Does anything look too large?
- Is anything important missing?
- Are any averages smoothing over something significant?
This is the stage where professional judgement matters. The system provides the structure and broad guesses based on averages, but you need to sense check what it is showing.
Final update before the meeting
Do one last refresh and make any final adjustments so you are working from the latest picture. In Budgee, refresh again. If you are instead using a spreadsheet, recheck the latest cash position and any movements that have changed since the earlier update.
During the session
A good flow for the meeting is:
Suggested session structure
Start with the current position and dashboard view
Begin by showing the client their current cash position.
This may include:
- bank account balances
- the dashboard or chart view, or the summary sheet if you are instead using a spreadsheet
- recent change in cash
- top customers and suppliers
- any visible dips, peaks, or pressure points
- overdue incoming and outgoing items
This helps orient the client and gives them a quick overview of where things stand.
In the first session, this is also the right point to explain the purpose of regular cash flow reviews and how the process will work going forward.
Review overdue incoming and outgoing items
Go through overdue invoices and bills together and ask whether the client has a better understanding of when these are likely to be paid.
Questions may include:
- Is this still expected?
- Do you know when this customer is likely to pay?
- Should this bill be moved?
- Is this amount still right?
This helps move the forecast from a system-generated estimate to something based on the client's actual knowledge of the business.
Review the forecast assumptions
Once the client understands the overall picture, move into the more detailed forecast views and review the forecast assumptions.
In Budgee, this usually means the forecast assumptions in the sidebar. If you are instead using a spreadsheet, it usually means the driver rows, notes, and formulas behind the model.
Here you are reviewing:
- major incoming cash movements
- major outgoing cash movements
- the timing of expected payments and receipts
- whether key forecast lines make sense
- forecast settings
- key assumptions
- any automated or average-based logic
- any assumptions that may no longer be appropriate
- whether any settings need to be changed based on recent business changes
- whether the client agrees with the shape of the future forecast
Depending on the business, this may be done at customer or supplier level, by category, or at a more summarised level.
This is important because it shows the client what the forecast is based on and gives them confidence that it can be reviewed and updated rather than treated as a fixed output.
The aim is not to predict everything perfectly. The aim is to make sure the forecast reflects the best current understanding of what is likely to happen.
Sense check the updated forecast
Once the detail and assumptions have been reviewed, sense check the result.
Ask:
- Does this look right overall?
- Does the timing of major inflows and outflows make sense?
- Are there any periods of pressure?
- Are there any unexpected surpluses?
- Does the client agree this reflects their best understanding of the next few weeks or months?
One thing to check, if you are mid month, is whether the amount forecast for the remainder of the month makes sense. Half way through a month you may have a better understanding of what is coming in and going out, so you can remove mid-month forecasts across a variety of accounts.
At this point the forecast should feel grounded and credible.
Return to the dashboard
Once everyone is comfortable with the updated forecast, return to the dashboard or summary view.
This is where the client can clearly see the outcome of the work you have just done.
You can now show:
- the updated overall cash position
- any shortfalls or pressure points
- any periods of surplus
- the shape of the next few weeks or months
- the impact of any changes made during the session
Returning to the dashboard at this point gives the client a clear and simple summary of the agreed picture.
Run scenarios where relevant
Once the core forecast has been agreed and the client can see the updated picture, use scenarios to test decisions.
This works best after returning to the dashboard, because you are now testing options from a forecast that both you and the client already trust.
In Budgee, you can usually test and compare scenarios against the same live forecast. If you are instead using a spreadsheet, you will often make a copy, use a separate tab, or build custom scenario logic so the base forecast stays intact.
For example:
- hiring a new team member
- increasing marketing spend
- purchasing equipment
- taking drawings
- dealing with slower customer payments
- planning for tax or seasonal changes
For businesses under cash pressure, scenarios help answer questions such as:
- Can we get through the next 6 weeks?
- What happens if customers pay late?
- What should we delay or prioritise?
For businesses with stronger cash reserves, scenarios help answer questions such as:
- Is now the right time to invest?
- How much cash should be kept as buffer?
- Can we hire now without creating pressure later?
- Should surplus cash be reinvested, retained, or drawn out?
This allows the client to explore decisions before making them and understand the likely impact on cash.
Discuss decisions and actions
Once the updated forecast and any relevant scenarios have been reviewed, agree what needs to happen next.
The client should leave with a short action list.
This might include:
- chasing an overdue invoice
- delaying a non-urgent payment
- confirming the timing of tax or wages
- reviewing drawings
- deciding whether to proceed with spending or hiring
- gathering more information on a large expected payment
This is where the advisory value becomes practical. The outcome is not just a forecast. It is a forecast plus decisions and actions.
Tip: taking notes during "Review overdue incoming and outgoing items" can help flesh out the majority of this task.
Practical action plan
At the end of the session, the client should leave with a short practical action plan.
This should focus on the priority items that need attention before the next session, rather than trying to list every overdue invoice or every internal follow-up task.
A good action plan is:
- short and focused, usually 3 to 6 items
- centred on the actions the client needs to take
- clear about who owns each action
- tied to real amounts where useful
- focused on what will affect cash, timing, or decisions most
Use the due date of the action, not just the date the money is expected in. If the timing of the cash itself is important, mention that in the action.
Where there are many overdue items, group smaller items together and focus on the most important ones.
You may also want to keep your own separate follow-up list for internal tasks, rather than mixing those into the client's action plan.
Example
| Type | Action | Owner | Due date | Amount | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts receivable | Follow up top 3 overdue invoices | Client | Fri 21 Mar | $14,200 | We need clarity on likely payment dates before Tue 25 Mar, when cash is forecast to tighten |
| Accounts payable | Confirm whether supplier payment can be delayed | Client | Thu 20 Mar | $3,100 | Reduces pressure early next week |
| Decision | Confirm whether owner drawings will proceed this month | Client | Mon 24 Mar | $5,000 | Affects the forecast low point |
Why this format works
- Type helps group the actions into simple categories such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, tax, or decision.
- Action keeps the focus on what needs to be done, not just what is being observed.
- Owner makes it clear who is responsible for following the action through.
- Due date shows when the action should happen.
- Amount helps with prioritisation.
- Why it matters links the action back to the cash position or decision being made.
What the client should leave with
At the end of the session, the client should leave with:
a forecast updated with current information
a clear view of upcoming cash movement
a short practical action plan
The role of the advisor
Your role is not just to present numbers.
You are there to own the cash flow process on behalf of the client. That means guiding the review, keeping the forecast current, identifying what matters, and making sure each session ends with clear next steps.
Your role is to:
- keep the forecast current
- help the client understand what is likely to happen
- identify where attention is needed
- support practical decision making
- leave the client with clarity and next steps
A simple monthly cadence
A typical monthly advisory rhythm might include a main monthly session, plus an optional shorter check-in if timing is tight:
Monthly session
- refresh the source data
- review dashboard and current cash position
- check overdue items
- review detailed forecast and supporting assumptions
- update timing and assumptions where needed
- return to dashboard
- test any relevant scenarios
- agree top actions
Optional mid-month check-in
A short mid-month review can be useful if:
- a major payment is delayed
- there is an unexpected cost
- the client is considering a decision
- there is concern about short-term cash timing
Simple summary
A regular cash flow advisory session helps the client move from uncertainty to clarity.
It gives them:
That is what makes the service valuable.
Run this process without spreadsheets
In Budgee, you can review and update the forecast with clients in real time. If you are instead using a spreadsheet, the same process still works, but updates, scenarios, and version control are manual.
FAQ
What should be included in a cash flow forecasting meeting?
A good cash flow forecasting meeting should cover the current cash position, overdue items, the key forecast assumptions, the updated result, any relevant scenarios, and a short list of actions.
How often should you review a cash flow forecast?
For many clients, a monthly review is enough. A shorter mid-month check-in can also help when timing is tight or an important decision is about to be made.
Who should run a cash flow review meeting?
These meetings can be run by an accountant, advisor, finance lead, or another team member who owns the process and can guide the conversation clearly.
When should you run scenarios in a cash flow review?
Run scenarios after the base forecast has been reviewed and agreed. If you start with scenarios too early, the conversation gets noisy fast.