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Cash Flow Variance Report
Reconcile one period of forecast and actual cash. Calculate the cash bridge, record causes and follow-up owners, then save or export your report.
Enter your own assumptions, calculate and keep a backup. Load the fictional example to see a filled-in report.
Set up your worksheet
Your report
Enter your details, then calculate to review results.
Save or download your work
Work stays in this page until you choose Save on this device. Device saves belong to this browser and can be removed by clearing browser data. JSON keeps an editable backup; CSV and PDF keep a report.
Cash Flow Variance Report: complete guide
What this worksheet does
Forecast closing = forecast opening + forecast receipts − forecast payments. Actual closing uses actual cash. Cash impact is actual minus forecast for receipts and forecast minus actual for payments. Reasons are entered manually; this is not a statutory cash flow statement.
Keep up to 100 editable entries. The worksheet runs in your browser and does not send its entries to another service. The calculations use the inputs you provide; currency selectors label amounts without conversion.
How to use it
- Set a descriptive worksheet name and complete the settings for your planning period.
- Add one entry per record. Use consistent units and keep the evidence behind your assumptions.
- Calculate and inspect the report, including any review notes. Change an input and calculate again to replace the old result.
- Save an editable backup before changing a scenario. Use the related guide below for the wider operating workflow.
Inputs and units
| Field | Rule |
|---|---|
| Worksheet name | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Currency | Required for calculation. Choose USD, GBP, CAD, AUD, EUR, NZD. |
| Period covered | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Forecast opening cash | Required for calculation. 0–1000000; up to two decimal places. |
| Actual opening cash | Required for calculation. 0–1000000; up to two decimal places. |
| Cash movement | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Direction | Required for calculation. Choose Receipt, Payment. |
| Forecast amount | Required for calculation. 0–1000000; up to two decimal places. |
| Actual amount | Required for calculation. 0–1000000; up to two decimal places. |
| Reason to investigate | Required for calculation. Choose Timing, Amount, Unclassified. |
| Follow-up owner | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Follow-up date | Required for calculation. Valid calendar date, 1900–2200; no timezone shift. |
| Evidence and next action | Optional. Up to 600 characters. |
Calculation and scope
Forecast closing = forecast opening + forecast receipts − forecast payments. Actual closing uses actual cash. Cash impact is actual minus forecast for receipts and forecast minus actual for payments. Reasons are entered manually; this is not a statutory cash flow statement.
Fictional worked example
Load the fictional example to reproduce this report. The sample is an original illustration, not a customer result or a market benchmark. The dollar figures below use USD.
| Result | Sample value |
|---|---|
| Forecast closing cash | $1,700.00 |
| Actual closing cash | $1,300.00 |
| Closing cash difference | -$400.00 |
| Opening balance difference | $0.00 |
| Cash movement | Direction | Forecast | Actual | Cash impact | Entered cause | Owner | Follow-up date | Evidence / action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer collection | Receipt | $1,500.00 | $1,200.00 | -$300.00 | Timing | Owner | 2026-10-16 | Confirm whether the remaining 300 is still collectible. |
| Supplier payment | Payment | $800.00 | $900.00 | -$100.00 | Amount | Owner | 2026-10-16 | Compare the final invoice with the quote. |
Reconciled forecast-to-actual bridge
| Bridge step | Cash amount |
|---|---|
| Forecast closing | $1,700.00 |
| Opening cash difference | $0.00 |
| Net movement cash impact | -$400.00 |
| Actual closing | $1,300.00 |
Save, restore and export
Save on this device writes an explicit save to this browser; it does not download a file or sync across devices. Clearing browser storage can remove it. Download backup keeps an editable JSON file for this exact worksheet. Import previews the backup before replacing current entries; save again if you want to replace the device save. CSV contains the calculated report, not an editable import format. Print / Save PDF opens the browser print dialog; choose Save as PDF where available.
Questions and limits
Is the example my result?
No. It is fictional data. Replace its assumptions with your own records, then calculate again.
Does saving share my worksheet?
No. Device saves belong to this browser. Move an editable worksheet with its JSON backup and keep sensitive information out of a shared device.
Does a report establish that my plan is correct?
No. Arithmetic can be consistent while the input assumptions are wrong. Keep evidence, review the scope described above and check any decisions against your real records.
Continue the workflow
Cash Flow Forecast Template: Free 13-Week Excel Example. Cash Flow Report Template: Forecast vs Actual Variance.
Cash variance and budget variance answer different questions
A fictional $300 invoice included in revenue but collected next month can leave this month’s cash $300 below forecast without changing that invoice’s revenue amount. Record the collection timing in this report; use the budget worksheet to investigate changes in sales and expense amounts. Do not count the same invoice as new revenue when the cash arrives.
Choose your next planning step
- monthly budget variance worksheet: Compare revenue and expense performance separately from the timing of bank movements.
- invoice collection schedule: Give a delayed receipt a dated collection follow-up.
Plan the next cash period
Use Cashflow-13 OS to review its documented forward-planning workflow after reconciling this period. CashFlow 13 OS — Offline 13-Week Cash Flow Planner. Paid products are separate; the free JSON backup is not a paid-product import file.