13-Week Cash Flow Template for Turnarounds: How to Build It and Run the Weekly Review

What a 13-week cash flow is (and why it matters in turnarounds)

A 13-week cash flow template is a weekly, short-horizon forecast built from direct cash movements: cash receipts and cash disbursements. In a turnaround, it becomes the main control point for liquidity tracking and restructuring cash management, because it drives near-term decisions like which payments get approved and what actions fix shortfalls.

Unlike a budget, a turnaround cash forecast is designed for weekly decisions. It should be easy to update, easy to reconcile to actuals, and specific enough that owners can change outcomes (collections, terms, timing, and approvals).

Sources: [S1], [S2], [S3], External:
Deloitte,
McKinsey,
AICPA-CIMA

Internal support:
corporate turnaround and restructuring,
performance improvement,
interim management.

What does 13-week rolling mean?

“13-week rolling” means the view always stays 13 weeks forward. Each week you:

1. Replace last week’s forecast with actuals.
2. Drop the oldest week off the front.
3. Add a new week at the end.
4. Refresh assumptions, then assign owners to close gaps.

Sources: [S3], External:
AICPA-CIMA

13-week cash flow template (copy/paste) for receipts and disbursements

Use this as your cash receipts disbursements template. Build it as a weekly cash flow template in Excel, then keep categories stable so trends are real.

Columns (left to right)
- Line item group (Receipts, Disbursements, Financing, Summary)
- Line item name
- Owner
- Notes / drivers
- Week 0 Actual (last completed week)
- Week 1 Forecast
- Week 2 Forecast
...
- Week 13 Forecast
- Variance (Week 0 Forecast vs Actual)
- Variance reason (picklist)
- Action / next step
- Action owner
- Action due date

Summary block (bottom)
- Beginning cash balance
- Total receipts
- Total disbursements
- Net cash change
- Ending cash balance
- Minimum cash policy (target)
- Liquidity headroom (ending minus minimum)
- Revolver / credit draw (if applicable)
- Revolver availability (if applicable)
          

Receipts
- Customer collections (top customers listed if needed)
- Card or marketplace settlements
- Other operating receipts
- Tax refunds (if expected)
- Asset sale proceeds (if expected)

Disbursements
- Payroll (salary and hourly)
- Payroll taxes and benefits
- Rent and facilities
- Critical vendors (top 10)
- Other AP run-rate
- Debt service (interest and principal)
- Capex (only committed)
- Legal and advisory (if in restructuring)

Financing
- Revolver borrow / repay
- DIP borrow / repay (if applicable)
- Equity or owner support (if applicable)
          

Sources: [S5], External:
Wall Street Prep

How to build the model in a turnaround

Step 1: Lock the scope and the “cash truth”

Start with the bank balances and what counts as cash (all operating accounts, lockboxes, and restricted cash called out separately). Set a minimum cash policy, even if it is temporary, so decisions can be made consistently.

Step 2: Build week 0 actuals, then forecast forward

In a turnaround, speed matters. Load the most recent week as actuals (week 0), then build weeks 1 to 13. Do not wait for perfect detail. Your goal is decision-grade accuracy and fast learning through reconciliation.

Step 3: Drive receipts from real collections logic

Base receipts on invoicing, expected payment timing, and active collection actions. If customers are concentrated, list the top accounts as separate lines so owners can influence outcomes.

Step 4: Control disbursements with rules, not hope

Define which payments require approval and which must be paid (payroll, taxes, critical suppliers). In restructuring cash management, this is where the weekly meeting creates control.

Step 5: Add financing and covenant visibility where relevant

If you have a revolver, show availability and the expected draw or repay. If lenders are involved, align the model to what they need to see weekly (headroom, debt service timing, and key risks).

Sources: [S1], [S2], External:
Deloitte,
McKinsey

Run the weekly review: agenda, rules, and outputs

The weekly cash cadence is the operating system. Without it, the sheet becomes a report instead of a control tool.

1) Open with last week actuals (10 minutes)
- Ending cash vs forecast
- Top 5 variances with reasons

2) Approve payments (15 minutes)
- Payroll, taxes, critical vendors
- Non-critical payments: approve, defer, or renegotiate

3) Receipts focus (10 minutes)
- Top collections actions by owner
- Expected timing changes for major customers

4) Next 2-week liquidity view (10 minutes)
- Lowest projected cash point
- Funding needs or draws
- Immediate risk items and mitigations

5) Actions log (5 minutes)
- Owners, dates, and what “done” means
          

Outputs to require every week:

• Updated forecast with week 0 actuals.
• A one-page variance summary.
• An actions log tied to cash impact and owner.
• A short list of decisions made (payments approved, terms changes, escalations).

Sources: [S3], [S7], External:
AICPA-CIMA,
AFP

How often should your 13-week trend analysis report be viewed?

Review it weekly, in the same decision meeting that approves payments and assigns actions. If liquidity is tight, teams may monitor a shorter set of daily indicators (bank balance, expected receipts, urgent disbursements), but the formal 13-week trend review should still happen weekly so accountability stays clear.

What to include in a simple trend view

• Ending cash by week and the lowest projected week.
• Liquidity headroom vs minimum cash policy.
• Receipts trend: collections vs plan.
• Disbursements trend: payroll, critical vendors, debt service.
• Top risks and dependencies with owners.

Sources: [S1], [S3], External:
Deloitte,
AICPA-CIMA

How to create a 12 month cash flow forecast (and connect it to 13 weeks)

A 12-month cash flow forecast is for planning and scenario decisions. Keep it monthly and driver-based (revenue, margin, working capital movements, capex, and debt schedules). Use it to answer “what if” questions and to align leadership on the path, while the 13-week model controls near-term payments and liquidity.

Practical steps

1. Start with a monthly revenue and expense view, then tie it to collections and payment timing.
2. Model working capital changes (AR, inventory, AP) as drivers, not as afterthoughts.
3. Add capex and debt service schedules.
4. Run at least three cases: base, downside, and recovery.
5. Reconcile monthly outcomes to what the 13-week model is showing near-term, then adjust assumptions.

Sources: [S4], [S6], External:
AICPA-CIMA,
Corporate Finance Institute

Common searches: free Excel downloads, PDF templates, and “13 week cash flow model CFI”

If your team is searching for any of the following, use the template above as the control version and keep a single owner responsible for updates:

• Free 13 week cash flow template for turnarounds
• Free 13-week cash flow template Excel
• 13 week cash flow template for turnarounds Excel free
• 13 week cash flow template for turnarounds Excel free download
• 13 week cash flow template for turnarounds PDF
• Weekly cash flow template Excel
• 13 week cash flow model CFI

Optional external references (not affiliated) that people commonly use for examples and downloadable sheets:

• Wall Street Prep: 13-week cash flow model in Excel
• Corporate Finance Institute: monthly cash flow forecast model
• Deloitte: 13-week cash flow forecasting

Sources: [S5], [S6], External:
Wall Street Prep,
Corporate Finance Institute

Sources

• S1. Deloitte, “13 week Cash Flow Forecasting.” Accessed 2025-12-30. https://www2.deloitte.com/ro/en/pages/finance/solutions/13-week-cash-flow-forecasting.html
• S2. McKinsey, “Scenario-based cash planning in a crisis: lessons for the next normal.” Accessed 2025-12-30. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/scenario-based-cash-planning-in-a-crisis-lessons-for-the-next-normal
• S3. AICPA-CIMA, “How a 13-week cash flow cycle can help your business.” Accessed 2025-12-30. https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/article/how-a-13-week-cash-flow-cycle-can-help-your-business
• S4. AICPA-CIMA, “Cash flow modelling.” Accessed 2025-12-30. https://www.aicpa-cima.com/resources/article/cash-flow-modelling
• S5. Wall Street Prep, “Demystifying the 13-week cash flow model in Excel.” Accessed 2025-12-30. https://www.wallstreetprep.com/knowledge/demystifying-the-13-week-cash-flow-model-in-excel/
• S6. Corporate Finance Institute, “Monthly Cash Flow Forecast Model.” Accessed 2025-12-30. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/financial-modeling/monthly-cash-flow-forecast-model/
• S7. Association for Financial Professionals, “10 Best Practices in Cash Forecasting.” Accessed 2025-12-30. https://www.financialprofessionals.org/training-resources/resources/articles/Details/10-Best-Practices-in-Cash-Forecasting
• S8. Deloitte, “Improving working capital with LiquidityIQ” (mentions weekly 13-week direct cash forecasting). Accessed 2025-12-30. https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/services/consulting/services/how-to-improve-working-capital.html

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