Changing the Displayed Frequency
You can easily change the displayed frequency of your cashflow plan from the date selector in the top left-hand corner of the app. This lets you switch between daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly views.
Steps to Change the Frequency:
Locate the Date Selector: In the top left-hand corner of your cashflow plan, find the date selector.
Select the Desired Frequency: Click on the frequency dropdown menu and choose your preferred frequency (e.g., weekly, monthly).
View Your Updated Cashflow Plan: Your cashflow plan will now display data grouped according to the selected frequency.
💡 Note: The displayed frequency can only be larger than your forecast input frequency. For example, if your forecasts are input weekly, you can display weekly, monthly, or yearly frequencies, but not daily.
Understanding the Impact of Changing Frequency
When you change the displayed frequency, the app groups the time periods together. For example, days are grouped into weeks, and weeks into months. This impacts how cell values and completion rates are calculated and displayed.
Impact on Cell Values
The calculation of cell values remains consistent, but transactions and forecast values are grouped based on the new frequency.
Past Periods:
Cell Value = Sum of non-ignored paid transactions.
Current Period:
Cell Value = The higher of either the forecast or the sum of all non-ignored transactions.
Future Periods:
Cell Value = The higher of either the forecast or the sum of non-ignored expected transactions.
Impact on Cash Balances
Changing the displayed frequency does not affect the computation of cash balances. Cash balances remain consistent regardless of the frequency selected.
Effect on Completion Rates
When you increase the displayed frequency (e.g., from weekly to monthly), completion rates are recalculated based on the grouped periods.
Grouped Forecasts: All past forecasts within the current grouped period are considered achieved.
Current Period Completion: Only the remaining periods within the current grouping are considered for calculating the gap to forecast.
Completion Rate Calculation
The completion rate is calculated using the following formula:
If Forecast = 0 (or not entered):
No percentage displayed.
If Forecast > 0:
Gap to Forecast > 0:
Percentage = (1 - Gap to Forecast ÷ Forecast) × 100%
Gap to Forecast = 0:
Percentage = (Cell Value ÷ Forecast) × 100%
Example:
Scenario: You're in week 3 of the month and switch to a monthly view.
Impact: Forecasts from weeks 1 and 2 are considered achieved, which may result in a higher completion rate for the month, even if those forecasts weren't fully met.
Handling Weeks Spanning Two Months
When displaying data in a monthly frequency, some weeks may span across two months. The app allocates transactions and forecasts to the corresponding days in each month.
Simple Cases
No Transactions (Only Forecast): The week's forecast is divided equally among each day, and each portion is allocated to the appropriate month.
Transactions Matching Forecasts: Transactions are allocated to their respective days and months, adjusting the forecast accordingly.
Complex Cases
If transactions only partially fulfill the forecast, the remaining gap is divided equally among the days without transactions and allocated to the respective months.
Steps:
Calculate Gap to Forecast: Subtract the sum of transactions from the forecast.
Count Days Without Transactions: Identify the days in the week without transactions.
Divide Gap Equally: Split the gap to forecast equally among the days without transactions.
Allocate to Months: Sum the allocated amounts for each day within their respective months.
Example:
Weekly Forecast: $1,000
Transactions: $400 on Tuesday
Gap to Forecast: $600 remaining
Days Without Transactions: 6 days
Allocation per Day: $600 ÷ 6 = $100
Month Allocation:
Month 1: $400 (transaction) + $200 (2 days × $100) = $600
Month 2: $400 (4 days × $100) = $400
💡 Tips
Plan Your Analysis: Adjust the frequency to match your analysis needs, whether you're focusing on short-term or long-term trends.
Review Completion Rates Carefully: Be aware that grouping periods may affect how completion rates are displayed.
Stay Informed: Understanding how grouping impacts calculations helps you make more accurate interpretations of your cashflow data.
FAQ ❓
Why does my completion rate change when I adjust the frequency?
Changing the frequency groups multiple periods together. In grouped periods, past forecasts within the current group are considered achieved, which can alter the completion rate displayed.
How can I ensure accurate completion rates?
For the most precise completion rates, view your cashflow plan using the same frequency as your forecast inputs. This way, each period's performance is evaluated individually.
Does changing the frequency affect my cash balance?
No, changing the displayed frequency does not impact your cash balance computation. The cash balance remains consistent regardless of how you choose to display your data.