Cash flow report
The cash flow report lists money moving in and out of your payment accounts, one transaction at a time, with a running balance after each. Filter it by account, date and transaction type to follow cash through the business.
Cash flow in SeroPOS
Debits and credits
Each transaction shows as money in or money out on the account it touched.
Running balance
A balance column updates after every line, so you can see the account's position at any point.
Filter by account
Look at one account, such as the bank or the cash box, or at all of them together.
Filter by date
Narrow the list to a day, a week or a month to match a bank statement.
Filter by transaction type
Show only one kind of transaction when you are tracing a particular movement.
Built from linked payments
Sales payments, supplier payments, expenses, deposits and transfers appear once linked to an account.
Where cash came from and where it went
Profit tells you whether the business made money. Cash flow tells you whether the money is actually there. The cash flow report in SeroPOS lists each debit and credit on your payment accounts with a running balance, so you can watch an account go up with sales deposits and down with supplier payments and expenses.
It is in the web back office under Payment Accounts, as Cash Flow. Like the other account reports, it needs the Account module switched on in Business Settings under Modules, and a role with access to accounts. Once on, Payment Accounts appears in the sidebar with the cash flow report beside the balance sheet, trial balance and payment account report, so all the account views sit together.
Filters that match how you check
Three filters do most of the work. Account picks which payment account to look at. Date sets the period. Transaction type narrows the list to one kind of movement. To check a bank statement, choose the bank account and the statement dates, then read down the debit and credit columns against the statement lines.
The running balance is the column to watch. If it matches the statement's balance at the end of the period, the account is in order. If it drifts, scroll back to the first day the two disagree and look at that day's lines. The cause is usually a payment not linked to the account, or a transaction entered against the wrong one.
- Account: one payment account or all
- Date range: any start and end date
- Transaction type: one kind of movement
- Columns: debit, credit, running balance
What gets onto the report
Money only shows on an account once it is linked to that account. Payments for sales, payments to suppliers and expense payments can all be linked, and you can set a default account for each payment method at each business location, so card payments go to the bank and cash goes to the cash box without anyone choosing.
Movements made directly in Payment Accounts appear too. A fund transfer from the cash box to the bank shows as a credit on one account and a debit on the other, and a deposit adds to the account it was made into. Anything left unlinked is listed on the payment account report, where you can link it.
A cash flow report and a cash flow statement
This report is a transaction list with a running balance, which is what most owners want day to day. Accountants sometimes mean something different by cash flow: a statement of cash flows that groups movements into operating, investing and financing activities. That statement is usually prepared for year-end accounts or for a lender. It answers a different question from the day-to-day list on this report.
If you need that statement, the Accounting add-on module includes a Statement of Cash Flows using the indirect method, alongside its trial balance, balance sheet and ledger report. For checking an account against the bank, the Payment Accounts cash flow report is usually the quicker tool. Many owners never need the formal statement.
Frequently asked questions
How do I see the running balance of my bank account?
Set up the bank as an account under Payment Accounts and link payments to it. Then open Payment Accounts, Cash Flow, choose that account and a date range. The report lists each debit and credit with a running balance after each line.
Why is a sale missing from the cash flow report?
The payment for that sale is probably not linked to a payment account. Open the payment account report to see unlinked payments and link them. To stop it happening, set a default account for each payment method on each business location.
Can I reconcile my bank statement with this report?
You can check it line by line. Filter by the bank account and the statement dates, then compare debits, credits and the closing running balance with the statement. There is no automatic bank matching on this screen, so it is a manual check.
Do expenses show on the cash flow report?
Yes, once the expense payment is linked to a payment account. The payment then shows as money out on that account, with the running balance reduced. Expenses not yet paid, or paid without an account, will not appear until they are linked.
Is this the same as a statement of cash flows?
Not quite. This report is a list of account transactions with a running balance. A statement of cash flows groups movements by activity. The Accounting add-on module provides that statement, using the indirect method, if your accountant needs it. For checking an account against the bank, this report is quicker.