How to use free spreadsheet templates to manage weekly cashflow for cafés

Running a café means cash moves fast — cups of coffee, sandwiches, stock deliveries and wages all need to be tracked closely. I often recommend a simple, free spreadsheet as the first line of defence for weekly cashflow management. It’s flexible, quick to set up and gives immediate visibility of whether you’ll have enough cash to cover your next supplier bill or payday.

Why a spreadsheet (and not a fancy app) is a great starting point

Spreadsheets aren’t glamorous, but they’re practical. I use Google Sheets or Excel for quick weekly forecasts because:

• Immediate access: Google Sheets is free, cloud-based and easy to share with staff or your bookkeeper. Excel is ubiquitous and works offline if your internet is patchy.
• Customisable: Your café’s pattern — breakfast rush, lunchtime peak, quieter afternoons — can be reflected in formulas and notes.
• Low friction: No integration headaches or subscription fees while you’re still testing cashflow routines.
• Audit trail: You can keep a copy of each week and compare actuals to forecast easily.

What a weekly cashflow template should track

At minimum, the template needs to show cash movements you control (receipts, supplier payments, wages) and those you can predict (regular bills, rent). I break this into simple sections:

• Opening cash balance: What’s in the bank at the start of the week.
• Expected cash inflows: Daily takings from the till, card payments (e.g. Square, SumUp, Zettle), event income, and any other receipts.
• Expected cash outflows: Daily supplier payments, wage runs, VAT, rent, utilities and ad-hoc expenses such as equipment repairs.
• Closing balance: Opening + inflows − outflows (this is the crucial line).
• Variance section: A simple comparison of forecast vs actual to spot where you’re going off course.

Setting up a practical weekly template (step-by-step)

Here’s how I build a weekly spreadsheet that I actually use in cafes I advise. I usually create one tab per week and a rolling 4-week summary tab.

Step 1 — Create the header rows:

• Week starting (date).
• Opening cash balance (bank account available funds).

Step 2 — Add daily columns for the week (Mon–Sun) and a Total column.

Step 3 — Add rows for each cashflow category. Keep categories simple and consistent: Sales (cash), Card Sales, Supplier payments, Wages, Rent, VAT, Utilities, Other.

Step 4 — Use formulas to auto-calculate totals and closing balance. For example, closing balance = opening + total inflows − total outflows.

Step 5 — Add a small notes column where you record assumptions (e.g. “Saturday expected 20% higher due to event”).

Sample weekly table

This is intentionally simple — the goal is visibility, not overcomplication. I’ll usually add a conditional format to flag when the closing balance drops below a threshold (e.g. £500) so you can act early.

Where to find free templates and how to pick one

There are lots of free templates online. I prefer those that are:

• Weekly-focused: Many templates target monthly cashflow and that can hide short-term crunches. Look for “weekly cashflow” in Google Sheets templates or Microsoft Office templates.
• Editable: Avoid locked cells you can’t change.
• Clear formulas: Pick options where you can see and understand the math — this helps when you adapt it.

Good places to check:

• Google Sheets template gallery (search “cashflow” or “weekly cashflow”).
• Microsoft Office templates — open Excel and search “weekly cash flow”.
• Industry blogs and accounting firms — I share templates on my own site and you’ll also find useful worksheets from HMRC guidance pages and small business charities like the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Integrating real data (fast wins)

To make the spreadsheet useful, feed it with real numbers every day. Here’s how I recommend doing that without adding hours of admin:

• Export sales totals: Most EPOS systems (Square, Zettle, Lightspeed) let you export a daily sales summary. Paste the totals into the relevant day on your spreadsheet.
• Automate bank balance: If you use accounting software like Xero or QuickBooks, you can check the bank balance and paste opening cash at the start of the week. Some tools have short cuts or API connectors but that’s optional.
• List expected supplier payments: Check your supplier invoice due dates in your purchases inbox. Add those expected outflows to the day they leave the bank.
• Record wages: If you run weekly wages, place them on the payday line. For staff paid monthly, you can prorate into the week they will be paid.

What to do when the numbers look tight

When your closing balance is trending low, act quickly. These are the steps I take with café owners I work with:

• Delay non-urgent spend: Push discretionary purchases like new crockery or minor equipment that can wait a few weeks.
• Talk to suppliers: Ask for an extended payment term on a specific invoice — most suppliers prefer a short extension rather than a missed payment.
• Adjust payroll timing: If payroll is the issue, consider a short delay only after consulting with staff and ensuring you stay compliant with contracts and employment law.
• Boost short-term revenue: Swap in a promotion (e.g. lunch combo or loyalty deal) that increases average spend without heavy discounting.
• Use an overdraft sparingly: If you have a business overdraft, treat it as a temporary measure and reflect interest/costs in the sheet so you see the true impact.

Keeping the habit

Weekly cashflow is only valuable if you keep it updated. I recommend setting a recurring 20–30 minute slot each Monday (or the quietest day) to update the sheet, review variances and note decisions. Share the sheet with your manager or accountant so you get another set of eyes on cash pressure points.

If you’d like, I can share a simple starter Google Sheets template tailored for cafés — drop me a note with your most important categories (do you sell groceries, host events, or have catering?) and I’ll customise it so you can start tracking this week’s cashflow straight away.