A lot of people assume a cashflow statement is just another accounting formality, but it’s actually one of the most useful tools for understanding your finances. It’s the clearest way to see where your money is coming from and where it’s going. But creating one from scratch can be time-consuming and intimidating, particularly if you’re running a small business or studying and trying to focus on the bigger picture. In this guide, I’ll uncover the best sources for high-quality templates and a step-by-step walkthrough for customizing them in WPS Excel.
What Is a Cash Flow Statement & Why It Matters
The cash flow statement is like a financial health check-up for my business. It’s how I see exactly how money moves in and out over a given period. It’s not just about knowing my balance, but understanding where the cash is coming from and where it’s going. I’ve learned that unlike the income statement, which can look great even when I’m strapped for cash, the cash flow statement tells me whether I can cover next week’s expenses, invest in equipment, or ride out a slow month. By breaking things into operating, investing, and financing activities, it gives me a clear picture of my real financial position.
Think of it as a financial GPS. It doesn’t just tell you where you are, it shows where you’ve been and where you’re heading. Here’s why that matters:
Keeps you solvent: Ensures you have enough liquidity to cover day-to-day expenses and avoid financial strain.
Guides decision-making: Offers insights on whether to invest, expand, or hold back during uncertain times.
Highlights problem areas: Pinpoints where money is leaking or where collections are lagging.
In short, the cash flow statement is your financial truth serum: stripping away rosy projections to reveal the raw, real pulse of your business.
10 Recommended Free Cash Flow Statement Templates
When I first started tracking cash flow, I wasted over 6 hours working with spreadsheets, some so bare-bones they were useless, others so complex they made my head spin. The breakthrough came when I discovered a few well-designed free templates. They laid everything out clearly, crunched the numbers for me, and actually made it easier to see where my money was going. Here are ten free templates you can download today, each tailored for different needs, from small business owners to corporate finance analysts.
Vertex42 Cash Flow Statement Template
If you need a ready-to-use statement in the standard accounting format, Vertex42’s template is spot-on. It organizes your data into operating, investing, and financing activities just like GAAP requires making it suitable for presenting to stakeholders or auditors. Built-in formulas do the heavy lifting, so you can focus on accuracy rather than formatting. It’s a solid choice for small companies that want professional-grade reports without paying for premium software.
Another advantage is its compatibility. You can open and edit it in Excel, Google Sheets, or even LibreOffice without losing functionality. This makes collaboration easier, especially if multiple team members need access at the same time. Plus, since it’s pre-formatted for accuracy, it reduces the chances of calculation errors, which can be costly during audits or financial reviews.
Smartsheet Simple Cash Flow Template
If you manage finances for a growing business, this Smartsheet template gives you a bird’s-eye view of cash movements across the entire year. It’s useful for businesses with cyclical sales patterns or long-term contracts. Built-in formulas automatically calculate monthly and annual totals, letting you test different “what-if” scenarios without redoing all the math. It’s best suited for managers managing both short-term operations and long-term strategy.
To wrap it up, Smartsheet’s cloud-based nature means your cash flow statement is always accessible and up to date, whether you’re in the office or working remotely. You can easily share the sheet with team members, set permissions for editing or viewing, and even integrate it with other business tools for streamlined reporting. This makes it a flexible solution for companies that value collaboration, real-time insights, and data-driven decision-making.
Coefficient Daily Cash Flow Template
With Coefficient’s Daily Cash Flow Template, you’re creating a live, self-updating dashboard of your company’s financial health. By pulling real-time data directly from your accounting or sales systems into Google Sheets, it eliminates manual entry errors and saves hours of work. This level of accuracy and timeliness is ideal for businesses that need to make quick, informed decisions based on the most current figures available.
Because it continuously syncs with your live business systems, every balance, expense, and inflow stays up to date automatically. This constant visibility lets you spot cash shortages or surpluses instantly without waiting for month-end reports so you can act before issues escalate. For teams that value speed, precision, and proactive planning, it’s a dependable way to stay firmly in control of your cash position every single day.
Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) Cash Flow Statement
The Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) Cash Flow Statement template is tailored for finance professionals, analysts, and students who need a highly structured, presentation-ready format. Modeled to align with standard accounting practices, it clearly separates operating, investing, and financing activities, making it easy to track not only where cash is coming from, but also how strategic decisions impact liquidity over time. Each section is pre-formatted with consistent styling and labeled subtotals, which helps prevent confusion when reviewing multiple years of data.
One of the biggest strengths of this template is its forward-looking design. In addition to past actuals, it includes forecast columns, allowing you to project several years ahead based on different business scenarios. This means you can run “what-if” analyses, like the impact of reducing capital spending or increasing dividends and see the effect on year-end cash balances instantly. Its compatibility with Excel ensures smooth data entry, and because it follows a logical structure, it can integrate seamlessly into broader financial models.
eFinancialModels 12-Month Cash Flow Projection
The eFinancialModels 12-Month Cash Flow Projection template is designed for businesses that want to look beyond a single month’s numbers and see the bigger financial picture. It lays out a full year of projected inflows and outflows, giving you a clear month-by-month breakdown of expected cash movements. This is particularly valuable for companies with seasonal fluctuations, subscription-based revenue, or cyclical expenses. The structure makes it easy to adjust variables like sales forecasts and instantly see how those changes ripple through the entire year.
What sets this template apart is its emphasis on forward planning rather than historical reporting. By forcing you to map out each month’s expectations, it helps spot potential cash shortfalls well before they become crises. For business owners and financial planners who want a proactive, prevention-focused approach to managing cash, this projection tool acts as both a roadmap and an early warning system.
WPS Monthly Cash Flow Templates (Top 10 Collection)
The WPS Monthly Cash Flow Templates (Top 10 Collection) offer a versatile set of tools for businesses aiming to track and manage their cash flow on a monthly basis with ease and clarity. This collection provides multiple template options tailored for different industries and business sizes, allowing users to select the format that best fits their unique needs. Each template breaks down income and expenses clearly, making it simple to monitor inflows and outflows every month and gain a comprehensive snapshot of your company’s financial health.
What makes this collection stand out is its user-friendly design and flexibility, enabling quick customization without requiring advanced financial knowledge. By focusing on clear monthly reporting, the WPS templates empower business owners to maintain steady financial control and make informed decisions based on up-to-date cash flow information.
WPS Indirect Cash Flow Statement Template
The WPS Indirect Cash Flow Statement Template is designed to simplify the process of preparing cash flow statements by using the indirect method, which starts with net income and adjusts for non-cash transactions and changes in working capital. This template is ideal for businesses that want to reconcile their net earnings with actual cash generated or used during a period, providing a clearer picture of liquidity and operational efficiency.
One key advantage of this template is its focus on bridging accounting profits with cash movements, making it easier for business owners and financial analysts to analyze cash generation in relation to reported earnings. With its organized layout and automated calculations, the WPS Indirect Cash Flow Statement Template helps reduce errors and saves time, offering a reliable tool for monthly or quarterly financial reporting and improving cash management strategies.
FormsBank Multi-Year & Personal Cash Flow Templates
The FormsBank Multi-Year & Personal Cash Flow Templates provide a comprehensive approach to managing both long-term business finances and individual personal budgets. The multi-year template is perfect for businesses planning several years ahead, helping forecast cash inflows and outflows over an extended period to support strategic decision-making and investment planning. Meanwhile, the personal cash flow template offers individuals a clear way to track income and expenses, making it easier to budget, save, and manage finances effectively.
Designed for both flexibility and clarity, these templates allow users to customize categories and time frames according to their unique financial situations. By offering a dual focus on long-term business forecasting and everyday personal finance, the FormsBank templates serve as practical tools for maintaining financial health, identifying potential shortfalls, and ensuring better control over cash flow across multiple years or personal budgets.
Template.net Free Cash Flow Statements
The Template.net Free Cash Flow Statements offer a simple and accessible solution for businesses seeking to monitor their cash inflows and outflows without the complexity of advanced financial software. These free templates are designed to help users quickly generate accurate cash flow reports, providing clarity on how much cash is available to cover expenses, investments, and other financial commitments. Their simplicity makes them helpful for small businesses, startups, or individuals who want to keep a close eye on their liquidity.
With customizable fields and ready-to-use layouts, Template.net’s cash flow statements enable efficient tracking and reporting, helping businesses maintain transparency and make informed financial decisions without unnecessary hassle.
Bizplanr Cash Flow Statement Templates
The Bizplanr Cash Flow Statement Templates are crafted to support entrepreneurs and business owners in creating detailed cash flow reports that clearly illustrate the movement of cash within their businesses. These templates focus on helping users track operational, investing, and financing activities. By breaking down cash flow into these key areas, Bizplanr’s templates enable businesses to better understand their liquidity and make strategic decisions with confidence.
A notable feature of these templates is their intuitive design tailored for business planning and pitching to investors. With easy-to-use formats and clear presentation, Bizplanr templates not only streamline financial tracking but also help communicate financial health effectively during fundraising or stakeholder meetings. This makes them a valuable resource for startups and growing companies aiming to maintain financial clarity and attract investment.
How to Edit Cash Flow Templates in WPS Excel & Export as PDF
Once you’ve chosen your template, the next step is making it your own using WPS Excel. When I started using it, I found it quite easy to edit cash flow templates without messing up important formulas. WPS Excel has a familiar layout and particularly useful features that let you update your income, expenses, and dates smoothly, while the spreadsheet handles all the calculations behind the scenes. After I tailored the numbers to fit my business, exporting the file as a PDF helped me keep everything looking sharp and ready to share. Here’s how you can do the same.
Step 1: First, open your browser to visit WPS Office click the "Free Download" button to start the download.
Step 2: The download will finish in a few seconds. Once done, run the installation file like you would for any other app or software.
Step 3: WPS Office will show you a few simple terms and conditions. Accept them, then click the "Install Now" button to begin the installation.
Step 4: After you’ve launched WPS Office, click “Sheets” from the left sidebar and hit “Create from Template” to launch WPS Spreadsheet using your desired template.
Step 5: In the template gallery’s search bar, type “cash flow statement” to see all available cash flow statement templates ready for use.
Step 6: Just click on any template that fits your needs to open it and start customizing your cash flow statement right away.
Step 7: Customize your template by entering your own financial data, adjusting dates, and modifying categories to match your specific cash flow needs.
Step 8: Once you’re done customizing your template, click on “File”, then select “Export to PDF” to save your cash flow statement in a polished, shareable format.
Tips for Automating or Customizing Your Cash Flow Statement
Over time, I learned that a cash flow statement isn’t just about plugging in numbers. It’s actually about making those numbers work for you. Learning how to create a cash flow statement by customizing the layout and adding some automation lets you turn a basic spreadsheet into a powerful tool that provides real-time insights and saves hours of manual work. Getting comfortable with these adjustments made managing my finances much less stressful and way more effective.
Here are some key ways to enhance your cash flow statement:
Use formulas: Incorporate functions like =SUM, =IF, and =VLOOKUP to automate calculations and reduce errors.
Link data sheets: Connect multiple worksheets so updates in one place flow through your entire workbook seamlessly
Apply conditional formatting: Use color codes to quickly distinguish between cash inflows and outflows or highlight critical values
Customize charts: Build visual dashboards that help you spot trends and anomalies at a glance.
With these strategies, your cash flow tracking will become more accurate and efficient, freeing up your time to focus on growing your business or project.
Where to Download More Free Cash Flow Statement Templates
Let’s get one thing straight: there is no perfect cash flow statement template. Some sources offer beautifully designed, easy-to-use spreadsheets, while others can be overly complicated or lacking key features. Over time, I found a handful of reliable platforms that consistently deliver high-quality, free templates suited for different needs. Knowing where to find these trusted resources saved me hours of searching and made customizing my cash flow statements much easier
WPS Template Store
The WPS Template Store is a fantastic resource for professionally designed cash flow statement templates that are both free and easy to use. These templates are built specifically for WPS Office, ensuring full compatibility with WPS Spreadsheet and preventing formatting issues. You can find a wide range of templates, from simple monthly cash flow trackers to detailed financial statements suited for various industries and purposes.
The store’s user-friendly interface lets you preview templates before downloading, helping you pick the perfect one for your needs. Frequent updates also bring new templates and tools, so you’ll always have fresh options to help manage your finances effectively.
WPS Academy
While the WPS Template Store focuses on providing a wide variety of ready-made templates, WPS Academy takes it a step further by combining those templates with in-depth tutorials and practical guidance. This platform helps you understand not just how to use the cash flow statement templates, but also how to customize them, build effective financial dashboards, and interpret your data for better decision-making.
The templates are designed to meet real business needs and are frequently updated to stay aligned with current financial practices. If you’ve been googling free cash flow statement templates excel, WPS Academy is a great choice because it not only provides high-quality templates but also helps you develop the skills needed to manage your cash flow efficiently and confidently.
Accounting/Finance Education Portals
Accounting and finance education portals provide a unique mix of detailed explanations and practical templates that help you understand and create cashflow statements more effectively. Unlike generic template sites, these portals take you through each section of the cash flow statement, making it easier to grasp the financial concepts behind the numbers. Many of these portals offer free downloadable Excel templates tailored for various business needs, from startups to large corporations.
Trusted resources like Breaking Into Wall Street and Workiva not only provide professionally designed templates but also offer educational content that helps you interpret and optimize your cash flow. Using these portals, students, analysts, and business professionals can enhance their financial literacy while managing cash flow with confidence.
FAQs
1. Are WPS templates compatible with Microsoft Excel?
Yes. WPS templates are in .xlsx or .xls format, so they work in both WPS Excel and Microsoft Excel.
2. What’s the difference between direct and indirect cash flow statements?
The indirect method adjusts net income for non-cash items; the direct method lists actual cash transactions.
3. How often should I update my cash flow statement?
Monthly for small businesses, or quarterly for internal reporting.
4. Can I use these templates for personal budgeting?
Absolutely. Just rename categories to reflect personal income and expenses.
5. Are free templates secure to download?
Yes, if you download from trusted sources like WPS, Vertex42, or Smartsheet.
