I need help making my balance sheet balance

Hello everyone,

I'm new to financial modeling and I'm building a 5 years projection for my startup business.

I'm stuck on the balance sheet/cash flow statement...the cash from the cash flow is not balancing the balance sheet.

If you are interested in helping me, please let me know, and I will share all the needed info with you.

Thank you

2 Comments
 

Hey there,

I'd be more than happy to lend a hand! It sounds like you're having a bit of a monkey's time with your balance sheet and cash flow statement. Don't worry, it's a common issue when you're new to financial modeling.

Firstly, remember that your cash flow statement is essentially a bridge between your income statement and balance sheet. It shows how the money you made (or lost) during the period has affected your cash and cash equivalents, and how those effects are reflected on your balance sheet.

If your cash flow statement isn't tying back to your balance sheet, it could be due to a number of reasons. Here are a few things to check:

  1. Make sure you've correctly calculated your net income at the top of your cash flow statement. This should be the same as the net income on your income statement.
  2. Check your calculations for changes in non-cash working capital (current assets and current liabilities). These should reflect the changes in these accounts on your balance sheet.
  3. Ensure you've correctly accounted for any investing and financing activities during the period. These should also tie back to changes in your long-term assets and liabilities/equity on your balance sheet.

If you're still having trouble, I'd recommend checking out the WSO Academy's courses on financial statement modeling and cash flow statement construction. They're packed with helpful tips and tricks that can help you navigate these tricky waters.

And remember, even the best of us get our tails twisted from time to time. Keep at it, and you'll get the hang of it in no time!

Sources: https://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forum/investment-banking/need-help-with-cashflow?customgpt=1, Need to Brush up on your Accounting Skills?, Modeling Cash Flow Statement from 10-k

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