Preparing the Cash Receipts and Disbursement Balance Sheet
The cash receipts and disbursement balance sheet, sometimes referred to as the cash flow statement, is an important financial report which provides a summary of the total amount of cash coming in and going out of your business. It shows the sources and uses of cash over the period being reported on and provides the reader with a useful insight into your business’ financial position.
Understanding Your Business
It is important to be familiar with the way cash moves through your business. Spending, income and borrowing all affect your cash position, and understanding the big picture is vital when preparing your cash flow report. When you understand how cash flows in and out of your business, you can more accurately plan for the future.
Gathering Data
The data used to create a cash flow statement can come from various sources such as accounting software, accounts receivable, accounts payable, bank accounts, and merchant accounts. In order to accurately report revenues and expenditures, it is vital that the data used is detailed and complete.
Analyzing Data
Once all the data has been gathered, it is important to analyze the numbers in order to ensure accuracy and completeness. This could include looking for any discrepancies or inconsistencies in the data and ensuring that all transactions are included in the report. This can often be a time consuming process, so it is important to plan ahead and be thorough.
Preparation of the Cash Flow Statement
The first step to preparing the cash receipts and disbursement balance sheet is to calculate the net change in cash position. This includes all activity over the period being reported on, including income, expenditures and borrowing. This gives you a picture of the total amount of cash coming into and going out of the business during the period in question.
Next, the net change in cash from operations must be calculated. This includes cash generated from sales and services, cash paid for purchases, wages and other expenses. This will help you determine whether cash is increasing or decreasing as a result of your operations.
In order to give a full picture of your cash position, any cash flows from investments and financing activities must also be taken into account. These activities include capital acquisitions, issuance of bonds, repayment of loans and other transactions.
Analysis of the Statement
Once the statement is prepared, it is important to analyze the results. This can include comparing the total cash inflow and outflow figures to previous periods and looking for any discrepancies or unexpected changes. It can also be useful to look at the composition of your cash receipts and disbursements to gain a better understanding of your cash position.
It is also a good idea to compare the results to your budget and goals in order to assess if cash flows are meeting expectations. This will help you identify areas of strength and weakness, and can provide helpful information that can be used to improve business operations.
Conclusion
The cash receipts and disbursement balance sheet is an important financial report which provides a useful insight into your business’ financial position. It is important to understand the way cash moves through your business in order to accurately report your financial results, and being familiar with the sources of data is essential. Gathering and analyzing the data can take some time but is important for accuracy, and the statement should also be analyzed to assess your cash position and make any necessary adjustments. Overall, a well-prepared cash flow statement can be a valuable tool for monitoring and managing your business’ financial operations.