Cash Flow Planner

Cash Flow Planner — Getting Started & Help Guide

Thank you for your purchase! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get the most out of your Cash Flow Planner.

No accounting experience required. If you can fill in a table, you can use this planner.

1. Before You Begin

What You Need

  • Microsoft Excel 2016 or later — or —
  • Google Sheets (free, via Google Drive at drive.google.com)
Important: This planner uses modern spreadsheet features (LET, LAMBDA, dynamic arrays). Microsoft Excel 2013 and earlier are not supported. Google Sheets supports all features fully.

Opening the File

Excel:

  1. Download the .zip from your Etsy purchase.
  2. Unzip/Extract the .xlsx file.
  3. Open it in Excel. If you see a yellow "Protected View" bar, click "Enable Editing."

Google Sheets:

  1. Download the .pdf from your Etsy purchase.
  2. Click the link within the PDF to Make a copy.
  3. A copy will always be available in your Google Drive.

Make a Backup First

Before you start entering your data, save a clean copy of the original file somewhere safe. That way, if anything goes wrong, you can always start fresh.

2. Quick Start — Be Up and Running in 10 Minutes

Follow these 5 steps in order and you'll have a working planner quickly.

  1. Step 1 — Settings tab. Enter your name, the year you're planning for, and your currency symbol. Also add your income sources and expense categories to the lists on this tab.
  2. Step 2 — Income tab (Recurring section). Add all the income you receive on a regular schedule — salary, freelance retainers, government benefits, etc.
  3. Step 3 — Expenses tab (Recurring section). Add all your regular bills and subscriptions — rent, utilities, insurance, streaming services, groceries, etc.
  4. Step 4 — Savings tab. Add your savings goals (emergency fund, vacation, car, etc.) and any recurring contributions you make toward them.
  5. Step 5 — Overview tab. Select a month from the dropdown at the top. Your dashboard is now showing your complete financial picture for that month.

That's it! The rest of this guide explains every feature in detail.

3. Sheet-by-Sheet Guide
3A. Settings Tab

The Settings tab is where you personalize the planner. You only need to visit this tab once during setup.

Cell C12 — Your Name

  • Enter your name (or your household name, e.g. "Smith Family").
  • This is used in the greeting shown on the Overview dashboard.

Cell C13 — Budget Year

  • Enter the 4-digit year you are planning for (e.g. 2025 or 2026).
  • Every date-based calculation in the planner uses this year.
  • At the start of a new year, simply change this number and all calculations update automatically.

Cell C14 — Currency Symbol

  • Enter your currency symbol (e.g. $, €, £, ¥).
  • This symbol appears in all currency displays throughout the planner.
  • It does not affect calculations — it's purely for display.

Column E — Income Sources (rows 12 onward)

  • This is your master list of income source names.
  • These names appear as a dropdown menu in the Income tab, so you can select them consistently instead of typing them each time.
  • Add as many as you need. Leave no blank rows in the middle of the list, or the dropdown may show gaps.
  • Example entries: Salary, Freelance, Child Benefits, Rental Income, Side Business, Government Benefits, Pension.

Column G — Expense Categories (rows 12 onward)

  • This is your master list of expense category names.
  • These names appear as a dropdown menu in the Expenses tab.
  • Be as specific or as broad as you like.
  • Example entries: Mortgage, Groceries, Car Insurance, Netflix, Phone Bill, Gas, Gym Membership, School Fees.
3B. Overview Tab (Your Dashboard)

The Overview tab is your financial command center. Everything here is calculated automatically — you never type anything here except to choose which period to view.

The Month Selector (the dropdown at the top)

  • This single dropdown controls everything on the dashboard.
  • Choose any month (January through December) to see that month's numbers, or choose "ALL" to see the full year totals.
  • The dashboard updates instantly when you change the selection.

Total Income — the total amount of money coming in during the selected period. Includes both recurring income (salary, etc.) and any one-time or irregular income you've logged in the Variable Income section.

Total Expenses — the total amount going out during the selected period. Includes recurring bills and any variable/one-time expenses logged.

Total Savings — the total amount being saved during the selected period. Includes recurring savings contributions and any manual deposits.

Net Cash Flow — what's left after expenses and savings:

Net = Income − Expenses − Savings
  • A positive number means you have money left over.
  • A negative number means your outgoings exceed your income.

Income Used (%) and Saved (%) — shows what percentage of your income went to expenses, and what percentage went to savings. Helpful for tracking financial ratios.

Top 6 Expenses Chart

  • Automatically ranks your top 6 expense categories by total amount for the selected period.
  • Each one shows a relative bar so you can instantly see which expenses dominate your budget.
  • Updates automatically when you switch months.

Savings Goals Panel — shows up to 6 of your savings goals with their progress percentage. Pulls directly from your Savings tab — no manual input needed here.

Emergency Fund Runway — shows how many months your safety-net savings can cover your current expense level. See Section 7 for a full explanation.

Greeting — shows a personalized greeting using the name from your Settings tab.

3C. Income Tab

The Income tab has two sections: Recurring Income (regular, scheduled income) on the left, and Variable Income (one-time or irregular income) on the right.

Recurring Income (columns B through G)

  • SOURCE (column B): Select from the dropdown (populated from your Settings tab). This identifies what the income is.
  • AMOUNT (column C): Enter the amount per payment — not a monthly total. Example: If you're paid $2,500 bi-weekly, enter 2500. The planner calculates how many times that payment falls in the selected period automatically.
  • FREQUENCY (column D): Select how often you receive this income. Options: Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Semi-Monthly, Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-Annually, Annually. See Section 4 for a full explanation of each frequency.
  • START DATE (column E): The date you first received (or will first receive) this income. If it's ongoing with no end, leave the End Date blank. The planner uses this date to count occurrences accurately.
  • END DATE — OPTIONAL (column F): Only fill this in if the income has a known end date. Example: A contract that ends on June 30. Enter June 30. Leave blank for ongoing income (salary, pension, etc.).
  • STATUS (column G — calculated automatically): You do NOT type in this column. It calculates itself.
    • 🟢 Active — income is currently ongoing
    • 🟡 Upcoming — start date is in the future
    • 🔴 Past Income — end date has passed
    Only Active and Upcoming entries are counted in your totals.

Variable Income (columns I through L) — for one-time or irregular income that doesn't follow a regular schedule. Examples: a tax refund, a bonus payment, selling something online, a one-time gift or inheritance.

  • SOURCE (column I): What the income is (type freely)
  • AMOUNT (column J): The dollar amount received
  • DATE (column K): The exact date you received it
  • NOTES (column L): Optional notes for your reference

Every entry here is included in the Income total for the month that matches the DATE you entered.

3D. Expenses Tab

The Expenses tab works exactly like the Income tab — two sections, same logic: Recurring Expenses (regular, scheduled bills) on the left, and Variable Expenses (one-time or irregular spend) on the right.

Recurring Expenses (columns B through H)

  • EXPENSE (column B): Select from the dropdown (your categories from the Settings tab).
  • AMOUNT (column C): The cost per occurrence — not a monthly total. Example: Car insurance billed every 6 months at $900? Enter 900 and choose "Semi-Annually" as the frequency. The planner will count it correctly for the year and show $0 for months it doesn't apply.
  • FREQUENCY (column D): How often the expense occurs. Same options as Income.
  • START DATE (column E): The date this expense began (or will begin).
  • END DATE (column F): Only fill in if the expense has a definite end date. Example: A car loan that ends December 2026. Enter that date. Leave blank for ongoing expenses.
  • STATUS (column G — calculated automatically):
    • 🟢 Active — currently ongoing
    • 🟡 Upcoming — hasn't started yet (but IS included in future totals)
    • 🔴 Past Expense — already ended (excluded from totals)
  • Calc_Amount (column H — calculated automatically): Calculates the dollar amount this expense contributes to the currently selected period. You do NOT edit this column — it is protected and automatic. Example: A $100/week grocery budget → shows $400 or $500 in January depending on how many Mondays fall in that month.

Variable Expenses (columns J through M) — for any spending that isn't on a fixed schedule. Examples: a car repair, a medical bill, birthday gifts, a spontaneous purchase, restaurant meals you want to track.

  • EXPENSE (column J): Category or description
  • AMOUNT (column K): Amount spent
  • DATE (column L): Date of the purchase
  • NOTES (column M): Optional notes

This entry will be counted in the Expenses total for whatever month matches the DATE you entered.

How many rows can I use?

  • Recurring Expenses: up to 994 rows (rows 7 through 1000)
  • Variable Expenses: same range

This is more than enough for any personal budget.

3E. Savings Tab

The Savings tab has three sections: Goals Table (your savings targets and progress) on the left, Recurring Savings (regular contributions) in the middle, and Variable Savings (one-time deposits) on the right.

Goals Table (columns B through I) — this is where you define what you're saving for.

  • GOAL (column B): The name of your savings goal. Example: Emergency Fund, Hawaii Vacation, New Car, Home Reno. This name links everything together — it must match exactly what you use in the Recurring Savings and Variable Savings sections.
  • SAFETY NET? (column C): Select "Yes" if this goal is your emergency fund or any savings you could access in an emergency. Select "No" for goals that are earmarked (vacation, car, etc.). This is used to calculate your Emergency Fund Runway on the Overview dashboard.
  • TARGET AMOUNT (column D): Optional. The total dollar amount you're trying to save. Example: Emergency fund target of $20,000. Enter 20000. Leave blank if you don't have a specific target — the Progress % will instead show how you're tracking against your annual savings plan.
  • TARGET DATE (column E): Optional. The date you want to reach your goal by. For reference only — used for your planning awareness.
  • CURRENT BALANCE — ON SETUP (column F): Enter the balance of this savings account RIGHT NOW, today, when you first set up the planner. This is your starting point. The planner tracks growth from here.
  • AS OF DATE (column G): The date your "On Setup" balance is accurate as of. Usually today's date when you first set up. The planner uses this to calculate new contributions made after this date.
  • CURRENT BALANCE (column H — calculated automatically): Updates automatically as you log contributions in the Recurring Savings and Variable Savings sections. Formula: Setup Balance + all contributions after the "As Of" date. You do NOT edit this column.
  • PROGRESS % (column I — calculated automatically): If you set a Target Amount: shows Current Balance ÷ Target Amount. If no Target Amount: shows how much you've saved this year versus your planned annual contribution rate. Displayed on the Overview dashboard as a progress indicator.

Recurring Savings (columns K through Q) — use this for regular, scheduled contributions to your goals.

  • GOAL (column K): Select from the dropdown — must match a goal name from column B.
  • AMOUNT (column L): The amount per contribution.
  • FREQUENCY (column M): How often you contribute. Same frequency options as Income/Expenses.
  • START DATE (column N): When you started (or will start) making this contribution.
  • END DATE — OPTIONAL (column O): Leave blank if ongoing. Fill in if you plan to stop at a specific date.
  • STATUS (column P — calculated automatically): Same as Income/Expenses: Active, Upcoming, or Past Savings. "PAUSED" is also supported — manually type PAUSED in this column if you've temporarily stopped a contribution. It will be excluded from totals until you remove it.
  • Calc_Amount (column Q — calculated automatically): The calculated contribution amount for the selected period. Do NOT edit this column.

Variable Savings (columns S through V) — for one-time or irregular deposits to your savings goals. Examples: a bonus you deposited into your emergency fund, a one-time lump sum transfer to a vacation fund, a tax refund you put into savings.

  • GOAL (column S): Select from dropdown (matches your goal names)
  • AMOUNT (column T): The amount deposited
  • DATE (column U): The date of the deposit
  • NOTES (column V): Optional notes

This deposit will be counted in the month it was made (per DATE). It also increases your CURRENT BALANCE automatically.

4. Understanding Frequencies

When you enter a recurring item (income, expense, or savings), you choose how often it repeats. Here's exactly what each option means:

  • WEEKLY: Every 7 days from the start date. Example: $200 weekly groceries starting Jan 1. In January (31 days), there are 5 Wednesdays → total = $1,000.
  • BI-WEEKLY: Every 14 days from the start date. Common for bi-weekly paychecks. Some months will have 2 occurrences, some will have 3.
  • SEMI-MONTHLY: Twice per month, every month — always counted as exactly 2×/month. Use this for income paid on the 1st and 15th, for example. Annual total = 24 payments.
  • MONTHLY: Once per month. Annual total = 12 payments.
  • QUARTERLY: Once every 3 months. The planner counts how many 3-month cycles fall within the period. Example: Car registration paid every April. Set start date to April. When viewing "ALL" (full year) → counted once. Viewing April → counted once. Viewing January → $0.
  • SEMI-ANNUALLY: Twice per year (every 6 months). Same logic as Quarterly but every 6 months.
  • ANNUALLY: Once per year. Only shows up in the month that matches your start date's month. Example: Home insurance paid every March. Set start date to March. Viewing "ALL" → counted once. Viewing March → counted once. Viewing any other month → $0.
Tip: Always enter the AMOUNT PER PAYMENT, not a monthly average. The planner does the math for you.
Wrong: Car insurance $900/year → enter $75/month as Monthly.
Right: Car insurance $900/year → enter $900 as Annually.
5. Understanding Statuses

Every recurring entry (Income, Expense, Savings) shows a status that is calculated automatically based on today's date and the start/end dates you entered.

  • 🟢 ACTIVE: The entry's start date has passed and end date has not (or no end date was set). This item IS included in all calculations.
  • 🟡 UPCOMING: The start date is still in the future. This item IS included in calculations for future months and for the full-year "ALL" view. This is intentional — so you can plan ahead. Enter next year's car loan renewal now and it will appear correctly when that month arrives.
  • 🔴 PAST / ENDED: The end date has passed. This item is EXCLUDED from all calculations. Don't delete old entries — leaving them in the list gives you a history and keeps old totals intact if you ever look back.
  • ⏸️ PAUSED (Savings only): Manually type "PAUSED" in the Status column of the Recurring Savings section to temporarily exclude a contribution. Remove it to re-activate.
6. Switching Between Months and the Full Year

The dropdown on the Overview tab (the Month Selector) is the most important control in the entire planner.

How to use it

  • Click the cell with the dropdown on the Overview tab.
  • Choose any month name (January, February... December) to view that specific month's cash flow.
  • Choose "ALL" to view the full year totals.

What changes when you switch

  • Every number on the Overview dashboard updates.
  • The Top Expenses chart re-ranks based on the selected period.
  • The Savings panel updates based on contributions during that period.

What stays the same

  • All your data. Switching months never changes any of your entries. It only changes how the calculations are displayed.

Practical uses

  • Check January to see if you have enough income to cover that month's bills (some months have extra weekly expenses).
  • Check "ALL" at year-end to see your annual financial picture.
  • Check December in advance to prepare for holiday spending.
7. The Emergency Fund Runway

The Emergency Fund Runway answers this question:

"If all income stopped today, how many months could my savings cover my expenses?"

How it's calculated

  1. The planner adds up the current balances of all savings goals that have "Yes" in the Safety Net? column.
  2. It divides that total by your monthly burn rate (average monthly expenses for the selected period).
  3. The result is shown in months. Example: "4.2 months of safety net."

What the status messages mean

  • 🔴 Less than 3 months → Low protection. Consider prioritizing emergency fund contributions.
  • 🟡 3–6 months → Moderate protection. A reasonable buffer, but financial experts often recommend 6+.
  • 🟢 6+ months → Strong protection. You have a solid safety net in place.

How to set it up

  1. Create a goal in the Savings tab (e.g. "Emergency Fund").
  2. Set "Safety Net?" to "Yes" for that goal.
  3. Set the current balance of that account in the "On Setup" column.
  4. The runway calculation updates automatically.

Goals marked "No" (vacation funds, car funds, etc.) are NOT counted in the runway — only true emergency savings count.

8. Tips & Best Practices
  • ✨ Start with recurring items first: Your recurring income and expenses form the backbone of your budget. Get those in first, then add variable items as they happen throughout the month.
  • ✨ Log variable expenses regularly: The planner is most useful when your variable expenses are up to date. Consider logging purchases weekly — it only takes a few minutes and keeps your numbers accurate.
  • ✨ Use specific category names: The Top Expenses chart on the Overview groups spending by category. The more specific your categories, the more insight you get. "Groceries" and "Restaurants" are more useful than just "Food."
  • ✨ Don't delete old entries: If an expense ends (you paid off a car loan, cancelled a subscription), enter the end date in the End Date column. This keeps your history intact and the planner will automatically stop counting it.
  • ✨ Update the year each January: At the start of a new year, go to Settings and change C13 to the new year. Review your recurring entries — update any start/end dates as needed — and you're ready to go.
  • ✨ Check the "ALL" view at year-end: Switching to "ALL" in December gives you a clear picture of your entire year: total income earned, total spent, total saved, and net position. Great for tax prep and setting next year's goals.
  • ✨ Savings goals work best when named consistently: The goal name in the Goals Table must exactly match the name selected in the Recurring Savings and Variable Savings sections. If they don't match, the balance won't update correctly. Use the dropdown — don't type the goal name manually in those columns.
9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Setup & Getting Started

Q: I opened the file and some cells show errors or zeros. Is it broken?

A: Not at all — this is normal for an empty planner. The formulas are waiting for your data. Once you add entries to the Income, Expenses, and Savings tabs, the numbers will populate correctly. The Overview dashboard will also show zeros until data is entered.

Q: Can I rename the tabs?

A: It's best not to rename the tabs (Settings, Overview, Income, Expenses, Savings, Data). The formulas reference these sheet names internally. Renaming them will break the calculations. You can rename them, but you would need to update every formula reference.

Q: Can I add more rows to the tables?

A: The tables are already very large: Recurring Income has 48 rows, Recurring Expenses has 994 rows, and Savings Goals has 60 rows. This is designed to be more than enough for personal use. If you genuinely need more, contact us and we can advise.

Q: Can I add new columns or sheets?

A: You can add new sheets for your own notes without any issue. Adding columns inside the existing tables is not recommended as it may shift formula references.

Q: Can I use this for a business budget?

A: This planner is designed for personal/household use. It handles income, expenses, and savings goals very well at that level. For full business accounting (invoicing, tax tracking, P&L), you would need a dedicated accounting tool.

Data Entry

Q: What do I enter for AMOUNT — per payment or per month?

A: Always enter the amount per payment occurrence. Paid $3,200 bi-weekly? Enter 3200 (not $1,600/week or $6,933/month). Car insurance $900 every 6 months? Enter 900 with Semi-Annually. The planner figures out how much that equals for any given month.

Q: My salary varies. What should I enter?

A: Enter your typical or average payment amount. If your pay varies significantly, use the Variable Income section each payday to log the actual amount received instead of (or in addition to) the recurring entry.

Q: I have an expense that started years ago. What start date do I use?

A: Use the actual original start date if you know it — this helps the planner calculate occurrences accurately, especially for annual or quarterly items. If you don't remember the exact date, use the first day of the relevant month and year as an approximation.

Q: Can I track expenses in a foreign currency?

A: The planner uses a single currency symbol (set in Settings). It doesn't do currency conversion. If you have expenses in a foreign currency, convert them to your local currency before entering.

Q: The dropdown in the Income/Expense column is empty. What do I do?

A: You need to add your income sources and expense categories in the Settings tab first. Column E for income sources, Column G for expense categories. Once you add them there, they will appear in the dropdowns automatically.

Calculations & Numbers

Q: Why does my monthly total look different from what I expected?

A: The most common reason is frequency math. For example, a weekly expense of $100 won't always be $400/month — some months have 5 occurrences of a given day, resulting in $500. This is actually more accurate than a flat monthly average. Check the Calc_Amount column (column H in Expenses) to see exactly what the planner is counting for each row.

Q: An annual expense shows $0 for most months. Is that correct?

A: Yes, that is correct behavior. An annual expense (like car registration or an annual subscription) only appears in the month that matches its payment month. View "ALL" to see it included in your yearly total.

Q: My "Current Balance" in Savings doesn't look right.

A: Check these things in order: 1) Is the "On Setup" balance correct and accurate as of the date in the "As Of Date" column? 2) Do the goal names in Recurring Savings and Variable Savings exactly match the goal name in the Goals Table? (Case and spelling must match — use the dropdown.) 3) Are the start dates in Recurring Savings before today?

Q: The Progress % shows a strange number when I have no Target Amount.

A: When there's no Target Amount, Progress % shows how much you've actually saved this year compared to your planned annual savings rate. If you've saved more than planned, it can exceed 100%. If you haven't set up any recurring savings for that goal, it will show 0%. Set up a recurring contribution to see this track.

Q: The Emergency Fund Runway shows 0. Why?

A: One of two reasons: 1) No savings goals have "Yes" in the Safety Net? column — the planner doesn't know which savings to count. 2) The balances in those goals are still 0 (you haven't entered your starting balance in the "On Setup" column yet).

Technical Questions

Q: The formulas look very complex. Did I break something if I see a formula in a cell I shouldn't have edited?

A: The Calc_Amount columns (H in Expenses, Q in Savings) and the Status columns (G in Income/Expenses, P in Savings, H and I in the Goals Table) are automatic formula columns. If you accidentally deleted a formula in one of these columns, you can copy it from the row above and paste it down.

Q: Can I use this on my phone or tablet?

A: The Excel app on iOS and Android supports this file, though the dashboard layout is designed for a widescreen view (laptop/desktop). Google Sheets also works on mobile, with the same limitation. We recommend using a laptop or desktop for the best experience.

Q: I'm using Google Sheets and some things look slightly different. Is that normal?

A: Yes. Google Sheets renders fonts, column widths, and colors slightly differently from Excel. All the formulas and calculations work identically. The layout may need minor adjustments to match the original formatting.

Q: Can multiple people use this at the same time (shared household)?

A: In Google Sheets, yes — you can share the file with your partner or family members and both edit it in real time. In Excel, you would need to share the file via OneDrive and enable co-authoring.

Q: Is my financial data private? Does anything get sent anywhere?

A: Absolutely nothing is sent anywhere. This is a local spreadsheet file — your data stays entirely on your device (or in your own Google Drive if using Google Sheets). We have no access to your data whatsoever.

Q: Will this file work in LibreOffice or Apple Numbers?

A: It is not officially supported for LibreOffice or Apple Numbers. These applications have limited support for the advanced Excel functions (LET, LAMBDA, MAP) used in this planner. Some or all calculations may not work correctly.

Purchases & Updates

Q: I bought this — can I share it with family members?

A: Your purchase is licensed for personal/household use. You're welcome to share it within your household. Please do not distribute, resell, or share it publicly — it takes a lot of work to build and maintain these tools.

Q: Will I get updates if you improve the planner?

A: If significant improvements are made, we'll release an updated version. Etsy doesn't automatically push updates, but we'll note major updates in the listing. Feel free to message us through Etsy if you have questions about the latest version.

Q: Something isn't working as expected. How do I get help?

A: Send us a message through Etsy with a description of the issue. Include which tab you're on, what you entered, and what you expected to see versus what you're seeing. We're happy to help.

Q: Can you add a feature I'd like?

A: We love feedback! Send us a message with your idea. While we can't promise every request, customer suggestions directly influence what we build in future versions.

Thank you for using the Cash Flow Planner. We hope it helps you build a clearer, more confident financial future.