# Google Sheets Cash Flow Report: Monthly In, Out and Runway

- URL: https://betteranalyst.com/data-connectors/google-sheets/cash-flow-report
- Published: 2026-11-02
- Updated: 2026-11-02
- Author: David Bressler, Founder (https://betteranalyst.com/authors/david-bressler)

> **Summary:** A cash flow report from Google Sheets groups bank transactions into monthly inflows and outflows, shows net cash flow and the ending balance, and estimates runway. Instead of maintaining a template, connect the sheet where you paste bank exports and ask Better Analyst to categorise and summarise it.

Data source: [Google Sheets](https://betteranalyst.com/data-connectors/google-sheets)

Turn bank transactions in Google Sheets into a monthly cash flow report: inflows, outflows, net cash flow, ending balance and runway, with sample output.

## Who this report is for

Founders, freelancers and small-business bookkeepers who export bank transactions into a Google Sheet and want a monthly cash picture without accounting software reports.

## What the report includes

*Metrics and dimensions in this report*

| Metric | Source field | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Transaction date | Transactions tab: Date column (your header) | Assigns each transaction to a month. |
| Amount | Transactions tab: Amount column (positive in, negative out) | Summed into inflows, outflows and net cash flow. |
| Category | Transactions tab: Category column, or AI-assigned from Description | Shows where cash goes: payroll, rent, software, taxes. |
| Net cash flow | Calculated: Inflows − Outflows per month | Whether the business added or burned cash that month. |
| Ending balance | Calculated: Opening balance + cumulative net cash flow | The cash position you reconcile with the bank. |
| Runway | Calculated: Ending balance ÷ average monthly net burn | How many months the cash lasts at the recent pace, if you're burning. |

## How to build it in Better Analyst from Google Sheets

1. Share the Google Sheet with sheets@betteranalyst.com. Viewer access is enough; the connector never edits your sheet.
2. In Better Analyst, open Connectors, choose Google Sheets, paste the sheet URL and click Connect. Better Analyst checks the sharing, reads the tabs and syncs the data.
3. Paste each bank export into the same tab with consistent columns: Date, Description, Amount and, optionally, Category.
4. Ask for monthly inflows, outflows, net cash flow and ending balance from your opening balance; if there's no Category column, ask Better Analyst to categorise transactions from their descriptions and review the result.

## Questions to ask

- “Summarise monthly inflows, outflows and net cash flow for 2026 from the Transactions tab.”
- “Starting from a $120,000 balance on January 1, what was the ending balance each month?”
- “Categorise these transactions and show the top five outflow categories by month.”
- “At the last three months' average net burn, how many months of runway do we have?”

## Sample output

Sample data for illustration, not real account data.

*Sample data: monthly cash flow (illustrative)*

| Month | Inflows | Outflows | Net cash flow | Ending balance |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jul 2026 | $48,200 | $61,700 | -$13,500 | $106,500 |
| Aug 2026 | $52,900 | $58,300 | -$5,400 | $101,100 |
| Sep 2026 | $61,400 | $57,900 | $3,500 | $104,600 |

## Charts to use

- **Inflows vs outflows** (Clustered column chart): Monthly cash in and cash out side by side.
- **Ending cash balance** (Line chart): Month-end balance trend, the number most owners watch.
- **Outflows by category** (Stacked bar chart): Which categories drive spending each month.

## Keep it up to date

Schedule the report monthly after you paste the latest export, or set an alert on the ending balance so you're told when it drops below a floor you choose.

## Further reading

- [Analyze monthly cash inflows and outflows](https://betteranalyst.com/blog/how-to-analyze-monthly-cash-inflows-and-outflows)
- [Categorize bank transactions](https://betteranalyst.com/blog/how-to-categorize-bank-transactions-in-excel)
- [Burn rate formula](https://betteranalyst.com/metrics/burn-rate)
- [Google Sheets connector](https://betteranalyst.com/data-connectors/google-sheets)

[Try Better Analyst free](https://betteranalyst.com/signup)

## Frequently asked questions

### Is this the same as a cash flow statement?

Not quite. A formal cash flow statement splits operating, investing and financing activities and starts from net income. A bank-based cash flow report is simpler: money in, money out, and the balance, which is what most small businesses manage day to day.

### How do I handle transfers between my own accounts?

Tag them as transfers and exclude them from inflows and outflows, otherwise they inflate both sides. Ask Better Analyst to find matching in-and-out amounts on the same day.

### Can I use a Google Sheets cash flow template instead?

Yes, templates work if you keep them updated. Connecting the raw transactions avoids copying numbers into a template and lets you ask follow-up questions about any month.

## Related reports

- [Budget vs Actual Report in Google Sheets: Category Variance](https://betteranalyst.com/data-connectors/google-sheets/budget-vs-actual)
- [Accounts Receivable Aging Report from SQL Server](https://betteranalyst.com/data-connectors/mssql/accounts-receivable-aging)