Statement of Cash Flows
The Cash Flow Statement shows how cash actually moved in and out of your business over a period. Unlike the Profit & Loss — which records income when invoiced and expenses when billed — the Cash Flow Statement shows when money was actually received or paid.
How to View the Cash Flow Statement
- Go to Reports
- Select Statement of Cash Flows
- Choose your date range
- The report loads automatically
Report Structure
The report is divided into three sections:
1. Operating Activities
Cash generated from your core business operations — net profit adjusted for non-cash items and working capital changes.
2. Investing Activities
Cash spent on or received from long-term assets — purchases of equipment, property, or investments.
3. Financing Activities
Cash from owners or lenders, and repayments — share capital contributions, loans taken, and loan repayments.
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net Profit AED 48,000
Adjustments (non-cash) AED (2,000)
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Net Cash from Operations AED 46,000
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Purchase of Equipment AED (15,000)
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Net Cash from Investing AED (15,000)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Loan Received AED 20,000
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Net Cash from Financing AED 20,000
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
NET CHANGE IN CASH AED 51,000
Cash at Beginning of Period AED 10,000
CASH AT END OF PERIOD AED 61,000
P&L vs Cash Flow — Key Difference
| Profit & Loss | Cash Flow | |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Accrual — records when invoiced/billed | Cash — records when money moves |
| Shows | Profitability | Liquidity |
| Use for | Are we making money? | Can we pay our bills? |
A business can be profitable on paper but cash-poor if customers are slow to pay. The Cash Flow Statement exposes this gap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my net profit different from my cash movement?
Because profit is accrual-based. You may have invoiced clients (income on P&L) but not yet received payment (no cash impact). The Cash Flow Statement reconciles these differences.
My business is profitable but I'm running out of cash — why?
Common causes: slow-paying customers (check Receivable Ageing), large capital purchases (Investing section), or loan repayments (Financing section).
What period should I run this for?
Monthly to track liquidity trends, quarterly or annually for financial review.
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