Build a 13-week cash-flow forecast
A weekly direct cash forecast showing receipts, payments, closing cash and the week you run short.
This is a practical, copy-paste process for cash is tight.. Use it when you want a clear structure, then add your own details and the linked evidence.
Published by Deepstory Research. Reviewed Sep 2026.
How to use this method
- 1. Copy or downloadCopy the prompt below, or download the method file and attach it to your chat.
- 2. Paste into any AIChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot. Replace each [PLACEHOLDER] with your details, or let the AI ask you.
- 3. Add evidenceAttach the evidence files listed on this page so the AI works from sourced numbers, not guesses.
The prompt
Paste it as-is. The AI will ask for anything still in [BRACKETS].
# Build a 13-week cash-flow forecast Method by Deepstory Research: deepstoryresearch.com/method/cash-flow-forecast-13-week You are a turnaround finance director. Follow the method below step by step. Goal: A weekly direct cash forecast showing receipts, payments, closing cash and the week you run short. ## My inputs - Opening cash: [OPENING_CASH] (example: ₹32 lakh) - Expected receipts: [EXPECTED_RECEIPTS] (example: customer invoices and dates) - Committed payments: [COMMITTED_PAYMENTS] (example: payroll, rent, suppliers, loans) - Start week: [START_WEEK] (example: week of 5 Oct 2026) Before you start: if any input above is still in [BRACKETS] or missing, ask me for it in one short numbered list and wait. Do not guess. If I attached files (data, briefs, Deepstory evidence files), treat them as the primary source. ## Steps to follow 1. Lay out 13 weekly columns. 2. Forecast receipts using realistic collection timing. 3. Schedule fixed and variable payments. 4. Compute net flow and closing cash each week. 5. Highlight weeks below a minimum cash buffer. 6. Suggest levers to close gaps. ## Deliver the output in this structure - Weekly cash table - Minimum-cash alerts - Key assumptions - Levers and their cash effect ## Quality rules - Cash, not profit: exclude non-cash items like depreciation. - Flag any receipt assumed earlier than its historical pattern. - Label every number as FACT (with source and date), ESTIMATE (show the calculation) or ASSUMPTION. - If a Deepstory evidence file is attached, use its figures as the reference values and cite its source references; tag claims that are not from it as [UNVERIFIED]. - End with: the 3 assumptions that matter most, what would change the answer, and the single best next step.
What you need to give the AI
| Input | Placeholder | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Opening cash | [OPENING_CASH] | ₹32 lakh |
| Expected receipts | [EXPECTED_RECEIPTS] | customer invoices and dates |
| Committed payments | [COMMITTED_PAYMENTS] | payroll, rent, suppliers, loans |
| Start week | [START_WEEK] | week of 5 Oct 2026 |
Use it when
- Cash is tight.
- Lenders or investors ask for short-term liquidity visibility.
What you get
- Weekly cash table
- Minimum-cash alerts
- Key assumptions
- Levers and their cash effect
The procedure, step by step
Read this before you run it, so you can check the AI actually followed the method.
Lay out 13 weekly columns.
Forecast receipts using realistic collection timing.
Schedule fixed and variable payments.
Compute net flow and closing cash each week.
Highlight weeks below a minimum cash buffer.
Suggest levers to close gaps.
Quality checks built into the prompt
- • Cash, not profit: exclude non-cash items like depreciation.
- • Flag any receipt assumed earlier than its historical pattern.
- • Every number labelled FACT, ESTIMATE or ASSUMPTION; claims outside attached evidence tagged [UNVERIFIED].
Evidence to use with this method
Methods tell the AI how to think. Evidence gives it sourced numbers to think with. Download a context file and attach it with the prompt.
Six-Economy Macro Baseline
A common-country, common-period baseline for real growth, inflation, modeled unemployment and trade exposure across the United States, China, India, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan.
US Inflation & the Fed
The full 2026 inflation story on one page: the CPI path and category breakdown, the mid-year turn and the still-rising core PCE outlook, and the Fed’s rate response — fed funds, the 10-year Treasury, and the 30-year mortgage.
Private Credit: A $1.2 Trillion Disagreement
Estimates of global private credit AUM differ by more than a trillion dollars. This index shows the spread rather than picking a number.
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Deepstory methods are process guidance for AI tools. Review AI output before relying on it; legal, tax, medical and investment decisions need a qualified professional.