University of rizal system2
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The document outlines 12 basic principles to consider when preparing cash flow forecasts and plans. Some key principles include: 1) Understanding cash flow contributions of different business units and product lines. 2) Involving managers who will be accountable for meeting cash flow targets. 3) Identifying and communicating key performance metrics to focus on. 4) Adapting cash flow planning processes to the organizational capabilities. 5) Encouraging open debate and fact-finding when preparing cash flow plans.
University of rizal system2
- 1. University of Rizal System Graduate Studies Antipolo Campus Subject: EM 205: Educational Planning Topic : Basic Principles of Planning Reporter: Imelda N. Limos Professorial Lecturer: Dr. Gloria P. Sarabia 12 Basic Principles to Consider When Preparing Cash Flow Forecasts and Plans Principle #1 Understand cash flow contributions of different product lines and/or business unit and overall strategies and risk. Aggregate numbers are not very useful for decision making . Break the forecast down into activities that are understandable and predictable. This process may also shed light on units or product that are abusive users of cash. Curtailing those activities may boost cash in time of need. Narrowing the scope of the cash flow planning can help to avoid some of the complications that make the planning process more difficult. Example: Product line seasonality, Customer payment patterns, terms and needs. Principle #2 Involve Those Who Will be Accountable. Accountability is one of the best, but most misapplied tools of business. Delega- ting authority and holding managers accountable for result has allowed corporations to become global in scope and allowed for the successful management of multibillion dollar enterprises. However, the crucial element in all accountability system is buy in by those who are to be held accountable for producing the results. The 13 week cash flow projection is a great tool for understanding the capabilities of the current management and financial team. On an ongoing basis, this discipline test the teams ability to forecast how the company’s cash will react in the coming week. Once such a discipline is in place, it can be even valuable in ensuring that managers at all levels are participating in building the business value and meeting or exceeding cash flow plans. Principle #3 Identify & Communicate Key Performance Measures When a business is in distress, a turnaround manager or CRO will usually establish a daily or weekly report that goes far beyond the typical borrowing base report, providing vital signs on the business and identifying the key drivers of weekly cash flow, like new shipments, cash balances, receipt and disbursements, overtime hours, changes in inventory, special collection report. This daily or weekly report helps
- 2. focus management attention on the actions needed to meet the goal outlined in the 13 week cash flow. Ex. Special Reprint:Copyright2006 Board Resources, all rights reserved. This approach should not be left to a CRO, but should be used in a disciplined way by management, so that a CRO will never have to be part of the company. The report could be valuable everyday tool of management. Healthy organization have the time to balance short term and longer-term needs. This allows them to build a longer term performance management system design to keep them healthy and build value for the longer term. Principle # 4 Adapt the Cash Flow Planning and Update Processes to the Organizational Capability and Needs Veterans of corporate turnarounds frequently state that the companies they joined to turn around did not have basic controls in place to manage the business. Thus it is not surprising to hear that many distressed companies that have sought downsizing solutions do not have the capacity to do all the thing that need to be done such as, manage ongoing operations, execute critically needed improvements, update forecast and plans and manage key negotiations. Principle #5 Encourage Open Debate and Fact- Finding in Preparing the Cash Flow Plan Facts are friendly , knowing that there will not be enough cash to pay back the bank helps everyone in the organization focus on how to solve the problem. Once committed to dealing with the true facts, management must learn how to be increasingly more accurate. Experience shows that the first forecast or plan is not always the best, and plans are typically biased in one way or another. An outsider can often be the best referee between insiders and stakeholders because he /she is unbiased and experienced and can see the situation more objectively. The ideal situation is to develop an environment that encourage an open fact based debate on all of the issues by all relevant levels of management. Principle #6 Quantify the Magnitudes and Likelihood of Risks and Opportunities embedded in the base plan No plan is without risk or opportunities! Armed with this understanding, managers can use a discussion of risks and opportunities to Special Reprint: copyright 2006 Board Resources, all rights reserved, uncover bias in the cash flow plans. Insiders know risk and opportunities associated with detailed operations. While outsiders cannot identify and quantify risks and opportunities associated with the plans and strategies much better than insiders. Once the risk and opportunities have been included in the debate, it is helpful to rank them by quantifying the magnitude and likelihoods of the various risk.
- 3. Ex. The impact of a product recall that is being contemplated could be highly significant, so there might need to be specific contingency plans added to the cash flow planning, on the other hand, the potential impact of a new product launch is being scaled cautiously upward over several months. This may require only a footnote to the cash forecast. Organization in financial distress will focus their discussion of risks and opportunities on the weekly cash flow forecast, while healthy organizations will focus their discussions of risk and opportunities on longer-term environment and competitive threats and opportunities. Principle #7 Monitor Execution Weekly or Daily People respond to deadlines, Good operators focus on daily, date specific and weekly metrics, breaking the year into bite-sized chunks. They recognized that plans and deadlines that are not acted on are a waste of time. Short term cash forecasting, such as the 13 Week cash flow, is all about building understanding by tracking changes, errors and sources of errors in receipts and disbursement and then formulating appropriate responses. Having the right cash flow metrics and reports is not enough! Managers need to review the reports, improve metrics and act on them! The 13- week cash flow invokes a weekly discipline. It is a most effective tool for dealing with crisis. In healthy organization managers have their fingers on the pulse of operations and take corrective action when planned results are not achieved. Disciplined processes are in place to identify and correct problems before they get out of control. Principle #8 Update Assumptions and Renew Outlook Weekly There is something magic about the weekly management meeting. Managers plan most effectively when they discuss events regularly, and learn to accept that only change is inevitable. In cash crisis situations, short term planning and rolling weekly updates are the norm. No one should be allowed to fall in love with the plan or key assumptions that are not being realized. Very few companies remain at the top of their industries for more than 10 to 15 years. Success has a way of breeding overconfidence that can eventually lead to decline and financial distress. Truly successful companies continuously review all Special Reprint: Copyright 2006 Board Resources, all rights reserved. The assumptions upon which their business models are based. They make changes before they are out of cash. Principle #9 Communicate Thoroughly Misunderstandings abound in distressed situations, where they can be least afforded! Face-to-face communication is best , but managers should strive to become adept at communicating in all possible modes in today’s internet speed world. Top management must convince the entire organization of the required discipline, so that the facts get into the planning process as soon as possible. To reduce the chances of miscommunication, key assumptions and request should always be put in writing .
- 4. Misunderstandings are likely to occur thus direct communication on the issues should be complete and thorough to reduce future problems. In healthy organizations, the discipline of meeting or exceeding expectations becomes part of the culture and communication is effective. Principle #10 Recognized Owner & Stakeholder Priorities Every successful plan needs to strike a balance among the needs of all key stakeholders. Planners should communicate enough with the various parties at interest to understand the goals and objectives that are held by the different parties. Ex. some stakeholders value today’s cash and the security it can bring while others are willing to take moderate liquidity risks to achieve higher levels of cash and value in the future. Lender want to get repaid, Developing an understanding of the needs of all key stakeholders and rebalancing them is an ongoing challenge for all companies. When a company falls into distress, the setting of priorities may be best accomplished by an independent outsider. Sometimes it requires a legal process and a judge- either in or out of bankruptcy. Principle # 11 Focus on Significant Improvements and Strategic Initiatives A 13 week cash flow can take a company in many directions. It may force needed changes to avert a cash crisis. It may be used to buy the time to execute a transaction or to build a new understanding of an impending of an impending crisis. To some organization it will mean avoiding the embarrassment of a missed payroll or eventual liquidation. For the healthy organization, a handful of strategic initiatives that produce cash and build long term value can help motivate the organization to make the changes needed. Principle #12 Measure and Monitor for Results Short term cash flow forecasting can be a great mutual training ground to imp- rove business discipline and focus, for all levels of management. The accuracy of results of such a process can be easy to measure. At times when cash flow is far ahead of corporate Special Reprint: Copyright 2006 Board Resources, all rights reserved. needs, the precision of the cash flow may not be the only thing that matters, because of the other benefits that can arise from the discipline and insight of the process. The 13 week cash flow planning process helps the organization evaluate management capabilities, understand ownership goals, analyze existing contracts, develop plans for continual renewal and more. Healthy companies that focus on generating cash over the long term will build value for all stakeholders. The discipline of the cash flow forecast on each new investment is just as important to them as the 13 week cash flow is to the survival of the financially challenged organizations.
- 5. Reference: Hass, William J. “ Basic Principle for Better Cash Flow Planning & Forecasting www. vtpi. org/planning.pdf
- 6. University of Rizal System Graduate Studies Antipolo Campus EM : 205 EDUCATIONAL PLANNING Basic Principles of Planning Submitted by: Imelda N. Limos Submitted to: Dr. Gloria P. Sarabia