Start with the conversation you need

A weekly cash review should help the team understand what is happening next. It does not have to begin with an elaborate dashboard. A simple view of available balances, expected receipts and planned payments can provide a shared basis for discussion.

Choose a consistent review day and identify who updates each part of the picture. The aim is to make assumptions visible, not to present a forecast as a certainty.

1. What cash is available today?

Begin with the accounts included in the review and the time they were last checked. Make it clear whether you are looking at current bank balances or figures from the accounting records. Explain differences such as a payment that has been entered but has not yet cleared.

Avoid mixing personal and business funds in the working view. If an amount is earmarked for a particular purpose, show that clearly so the team understands the basis of the discussion.

For software-specific steps, see Intuit’s guide to monitoring cash balances in QuickBooks Online.

2. Which customer receipts are expected next?

Review open invoices with the people who know the customers. Distinguish an agreed payment date from an assumption based on an invoice due date. Mark overdue, disputed or uncertain receipts so they are easy to discuss.

A follow-up owner and date are often more useful than a broad instruction to chase payments. Keep the notes brief and specific.

3. What payments are coming up?

Bring supplier bills, payroll dates and recurring commitments into the same view. Record which payments are approved and which are still being checked. Confirm the schedule with the responsible team rather than treating every draft amount as final.

The review should make commitments visible. Changes to payment timing should be discussed with the relevant parties, not assumed in a spreadsheet.

A consistent month-end bookkeeping checklist helps keep the underlying records organised for these discussions.

4. Which assumptions changed?

Compare the latest view with the previous week. Did an expected receipt move? Was an additional expense approved? Did the team discover a duplicate or an amount already paid?

Keep a short change log. It helps explain why the outlook moved and prevents the same uncertainty from being hidden inside an updated total.

When responsibilities change, document them using a bookkeeping handover checklist so the next reviewer knows who owns each update.

5. What action follows?

Finish with a small action list: confirm a receipt date, resolve a disputed invoice, check an upcoming bill or update a missing balance. Assign a person and deadline to each item.

At the following review, begin with those actions before adding new questions. Over time, this rhythm can make the discussion clearer and keep the working view connected to what is actually happening in the business.