As a business owner, increasing sales can be a great mood lifter. But what happens if you get a large order and have no way to pay for the supplies? Sales don’t always equal immediate cash in hand, which can put a strain on your business accounts and your ability to deliver on time.

Below, we’ll share what the difference between revenue (sales) and cash flow is, and how it can affect your business.

More revenue, more problems

While the thought of increased revenue causing more problems for a business owner can seem counterintuitive, there are challenges that increased sales can bring forth. But first, let’s talk about what revenue is.

Revenue is the total income generated by business’s sales before expenses are deducted. This is also known as cash inflow. Most often, this is income from your primary operations. Your business may also have non-operating income, which is generated from interest bearing accounts and investments.

When you have sales come in on credit, or terms, it can be weeks or months before you receive the full payment for the order. Additionally, credit card processors can take up to three days to deposit monies from sales, depending on your merchant services provider. Meanwhile, your business still must cover any expenses like building materials, new inventory, or payroll.

That’s where managing your cash flow comes in.

The ins and outs of cash flow

Cash flow is simply how money moves in and out of a business or bank account. Just like you have to budget your paychecks, bills, and expenses in your personal accounts, you have to manage the cash flow for your business.

As stated above, cash inflow is your revenue and your non-operating income. Cash outflow, then, is comprised of anything your business has to pay for (i.e., rent, inventory, supplies, payroll, refunds, and merchant chargebacks).

Creating a forecast for expected expenses and payments, plus when they’re expected to take place, can help you see where any shortages could be expected throughout the month. Keep in mind, the forecast can be affected by delayed sales payments and unexpected expenses.

To create a buffer and give yourself some breathing room in your cash flow, consider:

• Raising capital: This means selling a portion of your company to investors for an influx in cash.
• Maintaining a business line of credit: This loan allows you to draw funds when needed for expenses and pay them off on a payment plan, or when the revenue you were expecting comes in. Any money you use will incur interest charges as outlined in your loan agreement.
• Delaying payments: By negotiating the terms of payments for invoices in supplies, you can limit the amount of cash leaving your account at once. You can make payments in installments throughout the terms of the invoice or pay the balance of the invoice on the due date.

Managing your cash flow is an essential part of business ownership and can keep your company moving forward while minimizing growing pains. Our team can help you review your cash flow system and identify areas of strength or for improvement; or we can assist you in setting up your cash flow system from scratch. Give us a call to get started today.