One of the challenges that small and medium businesses in Australia face is cash flow, or more specifically, lack of it. Figures compiled by accounting software company Xero show that throughout 2017, an average of only 54 percent of Australian small businesses were cash flow positive. In today’s fast-paced business world where things can change in the blink of an eye, businesses need some help to be able to forecast what liquidity they will have at the end of the month. Luckily, there is help out there in the form of cash flow forecasting software. Continue reading for our in-depth and informative Float software review. https://vimeo.com/84207251
Fully integrated cash forecasting software
Float is a cash management and cash flow forecasting app that integrates with Xero, Free Agent, and QuickBooks Online. Users link Float to their accounting software during system setup and can be configured to up to ten user accounts. This makes it ideal for the small business owner and it will not break the bank. Pricing is based on the number of active team members you choose to schedule. Guest users who do not appear on the schedule, as well as archived members, are free. Projects, Clients, and Departments are all unlimited. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your account at any time. You can even get a 14-day free trial to try before you buy. Another advantage of Float is that it can also be used by accountants for bookkeeping and accounting services for clients. This means that the business owner and the accountant can coordinate data to draft strategic longer-term planning.
How Float works
The Float app is actually quite simple. It works by collating all invoices, bills, payments, and other transactions from Xero, Free Agent of QuickBooks Online. Float will automatically link to the bank account setup that the accounting software platforms are integrated with. Float also gives users the option to determine which of these accounts are included in Float’s cash flow forecast. When all data including bills and invoices have been imported into Float, users have the option to review them for accuracy. You can pull up information from your accounting application on a daily basis, so the information which Float projects is always current, provided you make the update.
The dashboard
Float creates cash flow projections by using the chart of accounts found in the users accounting application. As a strict cash flow app, Float does not provide profit and loss calculations. Instead, Float relies on information such as when payment will be received on an invoice, not when the invoice is created. In order to create an accurate cash forecast, users can enter expected cash totals in the budget tool that is included in the Cash In and Cash Out screen. These budgets can be created on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. The Cash Flow dashboard offers users a quick breakdown of reconciled and non-reconciled cash, as well as all starting balances, total cash received, total expenses, and a Net Cash Movement total at the bottom of the screen. The dashboard also allows users to see what bills and invoices are scheduled. The system is also flexible and provides users with a ‘what if’ scenario that allows you to simulate anything from invoices that are settled early, to an unexpected expense. This is a very useful tool that can help set worried minds at ease.
Quick budgets
Users can also create a quick budget in Float, with totals updated daily. Cash flow bars represent cash available throughout the month, so users can easily view the status. At the end of the month, the budget totals will automatically to actual figures so you can compare and contrast. Reporting options are limited to the various cash flow scenarios that are created. You can export the cash flow charts to a CSV file, or save as a PDF. Float uses encryption that uses secure socket layer technology (SSL) in order to keep transmission of secure data safe. Click here to learn more about Float and start your 14-day free trial.
Key features
- Drag & drop scheduling
- Powerful reporting
- Phone & email support
- API access
- Public holidays
- Overtime tracking
- Non-billable projects
- Tentative projects
- Real-time collaboration
- Time off management
- Repeating tasks
- Custom work hours
- Slack app
- Zapier app
- Calendar sync (iCal)
- SSO (Okta & OneLogin)
Learn more about using software to improve your cash flow
Dexterous Group fully embraces technology and software developments. We identify the best software out there to help businesses grow and make the most of their assets. We also write about accounting and bookkeeping apps, like this Float software review, to better help readers understand the benefits of the different apps. If you want to find out more about how to harness the power of modern software and apply it to your business model, drop us an email on hello@dexterousgroup.com.au or call us on 1300 996 928 to chat to one of our experts today.
