Cashflow forecasting for automotive businesses
Rolling forecasts, scenario planning, and KPI-driven alerts tuned for dealerships, fleets, and repair shops.
Why specialized cashflow forecasting matters
Automotive operations have lumpy revenues, parts cycles, and capital-intensive maintenance needs. Our forecasting approach blends historical transaction data, inventory timing, and payroll cadence to maintain positive liquidity and avoid expensive short-term financing.
- Rolling 13-week and 12-month models
- Inventory and receivables timing adjustments
- Scenario stress tests for supply or demand shocks
Automated imports
QuickBooks, bank feeds, and DMS integrations to keep forecasts current.
Custom rules
Apply dealership-specific lag rules for trade-ins, parts, and service cycles.
Alerts & thresholds
Real-time alerts for covenant breaches, overdraft risk, and critical vendor payments.
Tools & integrations
We connect to your accounting system and operational data to build a unified cash picture:
- QuickBooks Online & Desktop
- Bank feeds (Plaid-compatible)
- DMS exports and inventory snapshots
Sample 13-week cashflow (illustrative)
| Week | Opening Cash | Inflows | Outflows | Net | Closing Cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | $120,000 | $45,000 | $55,000 | -$10,000 | $110,000 |
| W2 | $110,000 | $60,000 | $58,000 | $2,000 | $112,000 |
| W3 | $112,000 | $40,000 | $62,000 | -$22,000 | $90,000 |
| W4 | $90,000 | $75,000 | $65,000 | $10,000 | $100,000 |
| W5 | $100,000 | $55,000 | $60,000 | -$5,000 | $95,000 |
Columns update dynamically when connected to live feeds; this is a static example.
Scenario planning
Base case uses recent 12-week trend and normal receivables timing. Liquidity buffer: $75k.
Downturn reduces inflows by 20%; highlights weeks where overdraft occurs and when to delay discretionary capex.
Expansion adds new inventory purchases; flags need for short-term working capital or staged vendor terms.
Case study — Regional fleet operator
A 120-vehicle fleet used rolling forecasts to smooth maintenance cycles and reduced short-term borrowing by 38% within 6 months.
- Improved parts purchasing cadence
- Negotiated 30-day vendor terms aligned with payment cycles
- Visual cash runway for C-suite decision-making
FAQ
Weekly updates are common for cash management; daily rolling views can be used during high volatility.
Yes — we migrate historical data and maintain scheduled exports to keep forecasts accurate.
Cash runway, days-payable-outstanding, days-sales-outstanding, inventory turnover, and covenant thresholds.
Meet your forecasting partner — Alex Martinez
Alex has 12 years in automotive finance and leads our forecasting engagements with a hands-on modeling approach.
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