Sales forecast is simply a predication of the volume of units or financial sales expected (normally in a year) A manufacturing company will forecast both unit and financial expectant as they will use the information to establish increases/decreases in raw materials, labour and plan etc.
Cash flow is looking at the money in and out of the business, where its from/ going to and financial risk of a minus financial event where out going exceeds incoming.
Yes cash flow projection is same like sales forecast. In sale forecast market data is used to determine the future sales while in cash projection all sales purchases projection is done to find out when will cash inflow and outflow occur.
What conditions would help make a percent-of-sales forecast almost as accurate as pro forma financial statements and cash budgets?
Cash forecast is the estimate of the timing and amounts of cash inflows and outflows over a specific period (usually one year). A cash flow forecast shows if a firm needs to borrow, how much, when, and how it will repay the loan. Also called cash flow budget or cash flow projection.
A cash flow forecast but do not include any grants or loans in this forecast, if you go to the chambers of commerce website they have a cash flow template to download. Kind Regards Andrew Swift
Problems that may occur in a cash flow forecast can range in many ways. An example of an issue is if a sales manager provided an estimated revenue of sales, and was not able to meet his expectations. This would pose a problem for the company's budget, as it expected a certain amount of revenue, and did not earn as much as anticipated.
To make a percent of sales forecast nearly as accurate as pro forma financial statements and cash budgets, it is essential to have reliable historical sales data, a clear understanding of fixed and variable costs, and well-defined market conditions. Regularly updating the forecast based on real-time sales trends and economic indicators can enhance accuracy. Additionally, integrating advanced analytics and forecasting tools can help refine projections by accounting for seasonality and external factors. Lastly, close collaboration between sales, finance, and marketing teams ensures alignment and responsiveness to market changes.
In cash sales, payments are made instantly by the buyer/customer to the seller, where as in credit sales, the payments are generally made after a specific period as agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.
Cash forecast is a forecasting activity in which future is predicted while in cash flow statement only cash inflows and outflows are shown which are already done.
A forecast is based on assumptions which may not come true. For example, we expect sales to be X and expenses to be Y. When reviewing a forecast it's important o understand the assumptions nad determine whether you think they are reasonable. Analysts are trained in this area.
explain the difference between cash and credit transaction
A cash budget helps minimize current assets by providing a forecast of inflows and outflows of cash. It also encourages the development of a schedule as to when inventory is produced and maintained for sales (production schedule), and accounts receivables are collected. The cash budget allows us to forecast the level of each current asset and the timing of the buildup and reduction of each.
In cash sales, payments are made instantly by the buyer/customer to the seller, where as in credit sales, the payments are generally made after a specific period as agreed upon between the buyer and the seller.