Check cash reserves, expected payments and upcoming expenses to estimate any shortfall. Start with recipe sheets, supplier invoices and stock counts. Each example below uses hypothetical values you can replace.
Days of Operating Cash
Translate cash on hand into days of average operating payments.
Cash days = cash / (period payments / period days)
Show example inputs and result
| Available unrestricted cash | 24,000 |
|---|---|
| Operating payments in period | 36,000 |
| Days in period | 90 |
Result: 60 days.
This excludes future receipts and uses historical average payments, so it differs from net-burn runway.
Open days of operating cashCash Runway
Estimate the time until cash is exhausted under constant net burn.
Runway = available cash / (outflow − inflow)
Show example inputs and result
| Available unrestricted cash | 50,000 |
|---|---|
| Monthly cash outflow | 20,000 |
| Monthly cash inflow | 15,000 |
Result: 10 months.
Profit recognition and payment dates differ. Use cash receipts and payments here, not invoice revenue alone.
Open cash runwayMonthly Cash Projection
Model a constant monthly cash movement over an entered horizon.
Ending cash = opening cash + months × (receipts − payments)
Show example inputs and result
| Opening cash | 20,000 |
|---|---|
| Expected cash receipts | 15,000 |
| Expected cash payments | 12,000 |
| Projection horizon | 3 months |
Result: 29,000 .
Payments may occur before receipts. Check a weekly cash schedule even when the month ends with positive cash.
Open monthly cash projectionWorking Capital Gap
Compare current assets with liabilities and a chosen buffer.
Surplus after buffer = current assets − current liabilities − desired buffer
Show example inputs and result
| Current assets | 75,000 |
|---|---|
| Current liabilities | 45,000 |
| Desired additional liquidity buffer | 20,000 |
Result: 10,000 .
Inventory and receivables need conversion into cash. Review asset quality and payment timing separately.
Open working capital gapLargest Client Revenue Exposure
Measure the share of revenue dependent on one customer.
Revenue exposure = largest customer revenue / total revenue × 100
Show example inputs and result
| Revenue from largest customer | 18,000 |
|---|---|
| Total period revenue | 60,000 |
Result: 30 %.
Use the same reporting period. Revenue exposure does not directly measure profit or replacement probability.
Open largest client revenue exposureExpected Uncollected Revenue
Explore a collection-loss scenario before committing that cash.
Expected loss = credit revenue × uncollected share × (1 − recovery)
Show example inputs and result
| Credit revenue exposed | 50,000 |
|---|---|
| Expected uncollected share | 2 % |
| Expected recovery of unpaid amount | 10 % |
Result: 900 .
The loss and recovery rates are entered assumptions. This is not an accounting-standard provision calculation.
Open expected uncollected revenueUse the results in your plan
For a catering business, review ingredients, staffing, and delivery across the complete workflow. Use one consistent period and delivery unit: a event order. Compare the assumptions with recorded outcomes after delivery, then update the estimate.
Explore all relevant catering calculators