| name | cash-flow |
| description | Cash flow forecasting and payroll planning. Generate 4-13 week cash projections, assess payroll feasibility, chase overdue invoices to close gaps, and provide next-month outlook. Triggers on: cash flow, runway, payroll risk, can we make payroll, month ahead. |
Cash Flow Forecasting & Payroll Planning
Overview
Build a rolling 4–13 week cash flow projection, assess whether the business can make payroll, identify and chase overdue invoices to close gaps, and provide a next-month outlook with risk flags.
Workflow
Step 1: Build Cash Flow Snapshot
Collect from user:
- Current bank balance(s) and date
- Expected inflows by week: confirmed receivables, recurring revenue, other income
- Expected outflows by week: payroll, rent, loan payments, vendor payments, discretionary spend
Build a weekly projection table:
| Week | Starting Balance | Inflows | Outflows | Ending Balance | Min Cushion |
|---|
| W1 | | | | | |
| ... | | | | | |
- Minimum cushion = 2 weeks of fixed costs (payroll + rent + loan payments)
- Flag any week where ending balance < minimum cushion in red
Step 2: Assess Payroll Feasibility
For each payroll date in the projection window:
- CLEARED — Ending balance ≥ payroll amount + 2-week cushion after payroll
- TIGHT — Ending balance ≥ payroll amount but < cushion after payroll
- SHORTFALL — Ending balance < payroll amount
If SHORTFALL: immediately escalate to Step 3.
Step 3: Close Gaps (If Shortfall or Tight)
Prioritized gap-closing actions:
- Chase overdue invoices — Run invoice-chase skill on top-priority AR
- Defer non-critical spend — List discretionary outflows that can shift ≥ 1 week
- Accelerate receivables — Offer early-pay discounts (1–2%) on outstanding invoices
- Tap credit line — If available, calculate minimum draw needed
- Owner draw delay — Flag owner distributions that can be postponed
Step 4: Next-Month Outlook
Summarize:
- Projected opening and closing balance for the month
- Largest risk items (biggest outflow, most uncertain inflow)
- Key dates to watch (payroll, rent, loan payments, large receivable due dates)
- Confidence level: HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW (based on % of inflows that are confirmed vs. estimated)
Step 5: Output Action Plan
Deliver:
- Cash flow projection table (weekly)
- Payroll assessment with status per pay date
- Gap-closing action list ranked by speed-to-cash
- Next-month outlook summary
- "Do this today" — top 3 actions ranked by urgency
Notes
- Always use the most recent bank balance available; note the date
- Separate "confirmed" inflows (signed PO, scheduled payment) from "expected" (verbal, habitual but not committed)
- Flag any projection that assumes > 50% unconfirmed inflows as LOW confidence
