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Use reports to track cash flow in QuickBooks Online

by Intuit•41• Updated 5 days ago

Learn how to use reports to track your cash flow in QuickBooks Online.

Use QuickBooks Online reports to track your cash flow and to view current and future finances. Here's how.

Some of your reports will look different depending on whether they're in the classic view or new enhanced experience. Learn more about the new enhanced experience.

Make sure your data is accurate

Make sure your QuickBooks data is accurate for cash flow reports. Use modern view to create custom reports in QuickBooks Online. Start with clean and correct information.

Make sure you’ve entered all your transactions in QuickBooks.
Reconcile your accounts in QuickBooks and help ensure they match your bank and credit card statements.

Note: If your reconciliation report matches your account statement, you can start running reports. If not, here's how to fix beginning balance issues in QuickBooks.

Make a cash flow forecast

A cash flow forecast shows how long your business can keep going. You can plan for different situations by changing your income and costs.

Tip: You may download the forecasting worksheet to plan and test possible situations by changing your income and costs. Set a three-month goal to keep your cash in line.

Run a profit and loss report

Run a profit and loss report to check your income and expenses for the last three months.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the Business overview, select Profit and Loss.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown, then select Since 90 days ago, or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.

Run an open invoices report

Open invoices show all unpaid invoices and statement charges with customer totals.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From Who owes you, select Open Invoices.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown. Or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.

Run an unpaid bills report

An unpaid bills report shows bills with due dates and days past due. It helps you understand your short-term cash flow.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the What you owe section, select Unpaid Bills.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown, or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.
To filter your data, select Filter.
1. Select the Filter by ▼ dropdown, then select Due date.
2. Select the Options ▼ dropdown, then select equals.
3. Select a date or enter a specific date.

Optimize your cash flow

Find ways to improve your cash flow. Use data from key QuickBooks reports to increase income and cut spending.

Step 1: See which customers owe you

See which customers owe you money and when it's due. Focus on payments to keep your business running.

Note: If you’re using QuickBooks Online Advanced, you can find customers who might delay payments. Set up AI enhanced reminders in workflows based on past payment patterns.

Run an open invoices report

The open invoices report will show customers who owe you the most. Increase your cash flow by managing these accounts.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From Who owes you, select Open Invoices.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown, or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.

Run a customer balance detail report

To see customer balances and due dates, run a customer balance detail report.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the Who owes you section, select Customer Balance Detail.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown, or select Custom and select the day or date you want to see.
Select Run report.

Note: To find the right customers to contact, select Sort and use the due date to see the customers with the most overdue invoices.

Step 2: Lower your fixed expenses

Your rent and insurance cost a lot of money every month. Lowering costs can boost your company's available cash.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the For my accountant section, select Transaction Detail by Account.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown, or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.
To get the average monthly expenses, select Filter.
1. Select the Filter by ▼ dropdown, then find and select Account.
2. Select the Options ▼ dropdown, then select equals.
3. Select the placeholder ▼ dropdown.
  - For Rent - find and select the appropriate rent accounts.
  - For Insurance - find and select the appropriate insurance accounts.

Step 3: See which bills are due

It helps to start with bills that are due. Some vendors may offer flexible timing or payment plans.

Run an unpaid bills report

View overdue bills and due dates in the unpaid bills report. This helps with your short-term cash flow.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the What you owe section, select Unpaid Bills.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown, or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.
To filter your data, select Filter.
1. Select the Filter by ▼ dropdown, then select Due date.
2. Select the Options ▼ dropdown, then select equals.
3. Select a date. Or enter a specific date.

Run an expenses by vendor summary report

Run an expenses by vendor summary report and sort by expense total. This will help to focus on which vendors to contact.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the Expenses and vendors section, select Expenses by Vendor Summary.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown, or select Custom and select the day or date you want to see.
Select Run report.
Select Sort and choose to sort by total in descending order.

Step 4: Reduce your money out

Work with vendors, lenders, and governments to change terms and rates to make your money last. Here’s a tip on communicating with vendors.

Identify which lenders to contact

To identify which lenders or noteholders to contact about deferring loan payments, use the transaction detail by account report.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the For my accountant section, select Transaction Detail by Account.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown. Or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.
To filter your data, select Filter.
1. Select the Filter by ▼ dropdown, then select Account type.
2. Select the Options ▼ dropdown, then select equals.
3. Select Long Term Liabilities.

Identify which tax agencies to contact

Run a taxable sales detail report. It'll show your taxable products and services, and how much you owe.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
In the Sales tax section, select Taxable Sales Detail.
Select a time frame from the Report period ▼ dropdown.
Select Month from the Group by ▼ dropdown.
Select Run report.
Find the Settings ⚙️ on the report and select Show More.
Find and select the Tax Amount and Tax Name to show how much you owe by month.

Calculate your payroll tax

Use the payroll cost report to calculate your payroll tax.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the Payroll section, select Total Payroll Cost.
Select a time period from the date range ▼ dropdown.
Select Apply.

Step 5: Minimize your discretionary spending

Manage your spending. Find things you don't need and cut back on them.

Go to Reports (Take me there).
From the For my accountant section, select Transaction Detail by Account.
Select a date range from the Report period ▼ dropdown. Or select Custom dates for dates you want to see.
To get the specific average of discretionary spending, select Filter.
1. Select the Filter by ▼ dropdown, then select Account.
2. Select the Options ▼ dropdown, then select equals.
3. Select the placeholder ▼ dropdown.
  - For other dues and subscription expenses - find and select Memberships & Subscriptions.
  - For other operational expenses - find and select Advertising & Marketing.
  - For subsistence expenses - find and select Meals.

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