Cash flow statement
Turn on Accounting in Settings, pick a start date, then open Accounting > Cash Flow. The report reads from that date on.
Turn the books on.
Settings, Accounting, Turn on accounting. Pick the start date: invoices and payments before it never appear in the books, and the date cannot be changed later. Confirm it with your accountant first.
Open the report.
Accounting > Cash Flow, then the Cash Flow tab. Pick the period above the report (Today, Week, Month, Quarter, Year or a custom range).
Read the three sections.
Operating activities: net income plus what customers paid and what you spent on materials, subs and payroll. Investing activities: equipment and vehicles you bought or sold. Financing activities: draws, loans and payments you took or made.
Check the bottom line.
Net change in cash, then Cash at start of period and Cash at end of period. The end figure should match the bank; if it does not, the report says to check the account types.
Export or print.
Use the browser's print to save the report as PDF, or copy the numbers into your accountant's spreadsheet.
What each section means
Operating activities start with net income from the profit and loss, then add and subtract the money that actually moved: collections from clients, payments to subs and suppliers, and payroll. It answers whether the job's work generates cash.
Investing activities are purchases and sales of equipment, vehicles and other long-term assets — money that leaves or comes back for things the company keeps.
Financing activities are money the company borrows, repays or takes out: loan payments, owner draws and equity you put in.
When the bank does not agree
Cash at end of period should match the bank account. If the report says Cash flow does not match the bank accounts, an account is set to the wrong type (bank, credit card, loan or equity). Fix it in Settings, Accounting and the report recalculates.
Questions
Do I have to turn accounting on first?
Yes. Settings, Accounting, Turn on accounting, and choose a start date. Nothing before that date appears in any accounting report.
Can I change the start date later?
No. The date is locked once you turn accounting on, so invoices and payments before it never appear. Confirm it with your accountant before you save.
Does this cost extra?
No. Accounting is part of every plan.
Can my accountant read it?
Yes. The report follows the indirect method and reads like a standard cash flow statement: operating, investing, financing, and the change in cash.
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