A useful estimate follows the timing of cash, not just a monthly sales total. Start with records you can explain, note where estimates are uncertain, and compare the same periods against the lender's written payment schedule. The exercise can surface questions for a lender or adviser; it does not predict approval or guarantee repayment safety.
Start with cash receipts and their timing
Record when customer money is expected to reach the business, not only when a sale is made or an invoice is issued. Separate dependable receipts from estimates, and note late-paying customers or gaps between completing work and collecting payment. A period with strong sales can still be tight if cash arrives after payroll, rent, suppliers, or a proposed loan payment is due.
Include recurring and irregular operating expenses
List regular costs such as payroll, occupancy, utilities, inventory, insurance, taxes, and supplier bills alongside irregular costs such as repairs, annual renewals, equipment, or seasonal staffing. Add existing loan, lease, card, and other payment obligations on their actual due dates. Leaving an expense off a projection does not make the cash need go away.
Look across seasonal highs and lows
Use periods that match how the business earns and spends money, then look across a full seasonal cycle when records allow. A monthly average can hide a low-cash week or a slow month. Mark busy periods, quieter periods, delayed collections, and expenses that rise or fall with demand so the projected balance reflects when money is available.
Compare the low point with the actual offer
Track the lowest projected cash balance after operating costs and existing obligations. Identify reserves set aside for emergencies, taxes, or other planned needs rather than treating every dollar in an account as available for debt payments. Then place the proposed loan payment on its actual cadence and due dates, and include fees and the net amount the business would receive. The exercise highlights timing questions to discuss; it cannot establish that a payment is suitable or safe for a particular business.
Before you apply
Small business cash-flow worksheet
Use a consistent weekly or monthly view that fits your business. Write down the source and timing for each estimate, and request the exact proposed payment schedule and fees from the lender.
For each week or month in the period you are reviewing, what customer receipts do you expect to collect, and when should the cash arrive?
Which periods are usually slower, and which invoices or customer payments are often late?
Which recurring operating expenses fall in each period, and when are they due?
What irregular expenses may come up, such as taxes, insurance renewals, repairs, inventory, or seasonal staffing?
What existing loan, lease, credit-card, or other payment obligations are due in each period?
After expected receipts, operating costs, and existing obligations, what is the lowest projected cash balance and when does it occur?
Which cash reserves are set aside for emergencies or other needs and are not planned for debt payments?
How would the projection change during a lower-revenue or higher-expense period?
What exact payment amount, cadence, due dates, fees, and net proceeds does the lender propose in writing?
Official business-planning resources
Build from your business records
The SBA's business-planning guidance discusses using financial projections with a funding request, including more frequent detail for the first year. Its business management guidance covers bookkeeping and tracking revenue, expenses, and cash flow. These are general planning resources; the terms and payment schedule for a specific loan depend on the lender and product.
- SBA: Plan your business includes business-plan and financial-projection guidance.
- SBA: Manage your business includes guidance on bookkeeping and business finances.
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You can review the application details and decide whether to continue. An application is not a promise of approval or funding.
Explore small business loan application informationThis worksheet is a planning aid, not individualized financial advice. Loan terms and payment schedules vary by lender and product. Review the actual written terms and consider consulting a qualified adviser about your business’s circumstances.