Limited Company Forecasting | Barton Accountancy

Forecasting

Accounts tell you what happened. Forecasts tell you what's next.

Most businesses only look forward when there's a crisis. By the time a cash flow problem is visible in last month's bank balance, you're already three weeks late acting on it. A good rolling forecast changes that — it shows you problems weeks or months in advance, while you can still do something.

For growing limited companies, we build rolling 13-week cash flow forecasts, annual budgets with quarterly reviews, and scenario plans for big decisions (hiring, capex, raising finance). Not complicated Excel models — clean, simple tools that you can actually use.

What's included

Forecasting & planning.

Everything is included in your fixed monthly fee. No extras, no surprises.

13-week cash flow

Rolling 13-week view updated monthly. Spot gaps before they bite.

Annual budget

Built with you at the start of the year, reviewed every quarter.

Scenario planning

"What if we hire?" "What if we raise prices?" Real answers with real numbers.

KPI dashboards

The 5-10 metrics that actually matter for your business.

Board-pack reporting

For funded or investor-backed companies, monthly investor-ready packs.

Cash flow coaching

Help understanding debtor days, stock turnover and working capital.

Sound familiar?

Most businesses don't have an accountant.
They have a filing service.

If any of these ring true, you're not getting what you should be.

01

You only hear from them at year-end

No check-ins, no planning, no conversation. Just a bill and a set of accounts you don't fully understand.

02

You're never sure where you stand

Your numbers are months out of date. You're making decisions based on gut feel, not real figures.

03

Surprise invoices keep landing

An email here, a phone call there — and suddenly your bill is twice what you expected. No one told you.

Common questions

Things people ask us.

Do I need forecasting if I have management accounts?

Management accounts show you where you've been. Forecasting shows you where you're going. Both matter. Bigger or more complex businesses definitely benefit from both.

How accurate are cash flow forecasts?

Near-term (4-6 weeks), very accurate — you mostly know what's coming in and out. Longer term (3-6 months), less accurate but still incredibly valuable for spotting trends. We update forecasts monthly so they stay grounded in reality.

Can you do forecasting in Xero?

Xero has basic cash flow tools. For serious forecasting we usually use Fathom or Float alongside Xero. We'll pick the right tool for your business complexity.

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