Cash flow management involves tracking and controlling how much cash enters and leaves your business's accounts. Good management helps businesses maintain healthy amounts of working capital and liquidity and sets the foundation for growth and expansion.
Here are some of the typical tasks involved in cash flow management:
Financial planning and analysis (FP&A) teams need to monitor, analyze, and optimize their company's cash to make accurate forecasts about the future.
Cash management ensures that a business always has the necessary cash to pay its expenses.
Expenses might include:
When a business cannot pay its expenses, it goes insolvent, which can lead to a hit to its credit rating, legal actions by creditors, and even liquidation. Good cash management makes companies more secure by minimizing avoidable errors that lead to insolvency.
Cash flow management software is designed specifically to help businesses plan, monitor, and manage the movement of money in and out of the business. This software is crucial for ensuring that a company has enough liquidity to meet its operational needs and avoid financial distress.
These solutions can automatically connect income statement and balance sheet information from your accounting software and organize it into cash flow statements and reports, making it easy to uncover real-time insights into the nuances of your cash flow.
Not sure how software can improve your cash flow management? Here are some of the best benefits of using cash management tools:
Cash flow tools make it easy to see the impact of net income on your cash flow statement.
As a case in point, Cube gives you two quick options to set this up: you can import this data from the spreadsheet or set up logic in the back end to automatically propagate it.
For example, you buy a new piece of equipment and want to see how its depreciation affects your ending cash balance. Based on the logic you've built into Cube, you can expect the status of current and future assets to populate directly on your cash flow statement. With a better view of your ending cash balance, you can immediately assess the financial health of your business.
All of these steps are possible through manual work, but cash flow management software reduces the risk of errors and accelerates the processes so you can monitor your balance and be more agile in reacting to it.
Accurate, up-to-date cash flow data is at the core of informed financial decisions.
Cash flow software integrates with your accounting platform and bank accounts, so every sale, expense, and transfer is fed into one central database. These immediate updates give you a real-time snapshot of your current financial position at any time, even outside of office hours.
Previous cash flow systems would rely on periodic data transfers, rather than immediate updates. Therefore, when speaking to shareholders or superiors, finance teams would need to qualify their figures with projected estimations, leading to confusion and a lack of clarity.
With the best cash flow tools, you can now give an accurate, convincing report of how much cash is flowing into and out of your business at any time.
Detailed insights into financial data fuel more profitable business decisions from inventory management to risk mitigation.
It’s not just about knowing how much cash is available at a given moment. Automated cash flow platforms analyze income and expenditure patterns to pinpoint areas that improve profitability.
For instance, they can identify the most profitable products or services so businesses can adjust their sales strategies to capitalize on high-margin items.
Cash flow software that integrates with inventory management alerts you to purchase when prices are low and prevents you from overstocking. This dynamic approach to inventory management maximizes your return on investment when compared to less-communicative purchasing strategies.
Forecasting features empower businesses to evaluate the financial implications of different decisions. With these insights, you can better mitigate risks and avoid choices that lead to cash shortages or unnecessary stress.
Sure, most finance teams are more than capable of adopting these decisions by themselves. However, cash flow tech sees everything everywhere all at once, getting to the same conclusion with far less investment in time and resources.
For every software innovation like integration, automation, and artificial intelligence, the direction of traffic is the same—increased productivity in a shorter time frame and on a lower budget.
Cash flow management software combines all of these breakthroughs to save hours of manual work and runaway project budgets. They simplify routine but time-consuming tasks like data entry, transaction reconciliation, and report generation, allowing teams to focus on more strategic thinking that adds value to the business.
Automated data flow between apps not only saves time and effort in the short term but also reduces the likelihood of costly errors. And while it’s impossible to completely eliminate mistakes, smart accounting tools significantly impact the extent and frequency of crises.
As we’ve seen, there is no one-size-fits-all cash flow software. It all depends on your company’s size, level of expertise, and organizational needs. So to help you find the tool that will best improve your financial planning and analysis, we’ve created a checklist of factors to guide you in making a decision.
A user-friendly interface tops the list, enhancing adoption and productivity by reducing the learning curve. Essentially, a well-designed tool simplifies your daily operations, rather than adding complications. Usability includes devices too; if you’re often on the go, the ability to access and manage cash flow from your phone is crucial.
Look out for cash flow management software with a clear, intuitive layout with easy navigation. SAP may cover all possible bases, but all those features and customizations are overkill for companies that only need a minor streamlining of their current processes.
Seamless integration with existing systems is equally crucial, preventing data silos and ensuring a unified financial ecosystem. Constantly switching between programs can be extremely frustrating when the pressure is on, so ensure your systems sync together easily.
Unless you’re going for an all-in-one platform, check that your cash flow integrates with existing accounting, ERP, and banking software. Real-time data sharing between apps gives you a single source of truth, enhancing reliability and decision-making.
Forecasting capabilities are paramount in financial planning and analysis, and the more accurate your forecasts, the more confidence you have in creating strategies and roadmaps. Integrations will reduce the risk of human error by automatically entering data, but that’s not the end of the story.
Error-checking algorithms can flag anomalies, adding another level of accuracy to your reports and forecasts. Many cash flow management solutions also include audit trails that record all data changes so you can easily verify and correct potential mistakes.
The software's ability to provide real-time data access is a game-changer, allowing for agile cash management strategies. When you’re safe in the knowledge that you’ve got accurate information to hand, you can be more decisive, rather than putting off decisions until you can verify your data.
Tools with up-to-date data are ubiquitous now, so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding an application that meets your needs. Where it gets interesting is how they leverage immediate data transfer. Will your real-time updates identify trends, forecast future cash flows, and alert managers to potential cash shortfalls before they become problematic?
Customization options are key to tailoring the software to unique business needs. More than tailoring your tool to your way of working, flexible platforms allow you to seamlessly scale as your business expands.
Features like customizable dashboards, adjustable reporting capabilities, and the ability to handle increased transaction volumes all help you avoid frequent upgrades or replacements. Check customer testimonials to see if company claims align with reality.
Lastly, cost-effectiveness is a fundamental consideration, encompassing licensing fees, implementation costs, and additional expenses. By meticulously evaluating these aspects, businesses can make an informed choice, aligning their cash flow software with both current requirements and future financial success.
Many modern FP&A tools pitch their product through a return on investment calculator. While these are unlikely to be 100% accurate, they at least help you think beyond up-front costs and subscriptions.
New tools are stealing the limelight by communicating better with other apps and allowing finance teams to be more agile. Integrations, automations, and customizations empower finance teams to save time, improve accuracy, and operate in a way that works for them.
Of course, not all tools are the same. So to demystify the market, we’re going to look at the top cash flow management platforms, with their key features, benefits, pricing, and more details.
Cube is a next-generation FP&A platform that provides dynamic financial planning solutions. From preparing cash flows to scenario analysis and everything in between—Cube provides a robust solution to all your cash management processes in one place.
This platform is the only software to automatically transfer data from any spreadsheet into a multi-dimensional database.
All you need to do is connect all of your essential data sources to Cube, then its intelligent mapping transforms your data into a single source of truth that you can analyze, share, and derive insights from.
Key features
Integrations
Cube seamlessly connects with spreadsheet tools like Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, enabling users to perform advanced cash flow management in familiar environments. In accounting and finance, Cube integrates with Oracle NetSuite, Intuit QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Xero, and PeopleSoft. For HR and ATS, integrations include ADP, Greenhouse, SAP SuccessFactors, and Workday. Billing and operations are streamlined with ChargeBee and Zuora, while sales and marketing are supported by HubSpot and Salesforce. Additionally, Cube's business intelligence integrations with Power BI, MongoDB, Tableau, and Microsoft Azure SQL provide powerful data analysis capabilities.
Don't see what you're looking for? View all Cube integrations.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Cube offers three packages:
Visit our pricing page for more details.
Vena Solutions is a cloud-based financial planning and cash management system that enables financial teams to handle all of their financial data better.
This software has many solutions and tools to help facilitate better financial planning, cash flow management, financial reporting, and more.
Key features
Integrations
Vena Solutions has a robust array of integrations, pairing with Excel, Dynamics 365 Business Central, and SQL Server and facilitating seamless data handling within the Microsoft ecosystem. It connects with popular accounting and finance platforms such as Oracle, Sage Intacct, SAP, NetSuite, Salesforce, and Intuit QuickBooks. Vena also supports integrations with collaboration tools like OneDrive, SharePoint, and Dropbox, as well as data visualization through Power BI.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Vena doesn’t provide any set monthly pricing information. They offer a 7-day preview and will give you a demo of their software to help you decide if you contact them.
Cube embraces your existing models. You can customize your cash reporting in Cube with an ease that's impossible within Vena.
Modifying your templates or models is easier with Cube. We'll never charge you for support, whereas Vena makes money on their fee-based consultative business structure.
Scenario modeling is more intuitive in Cube because we integrate with Excel and Google without heavy coding language baked into our templates.
Anaplan is a cloud-native cash management app that helps orchestrate better business performance.
It’s designed to help businesses of all sizes solve financial-related challenges. Using the suite of tools in the Anaplan platform, users can streamline financial processes and better understand everything from day-to-day cash flow to complex financial solutions.
Key features
Integrations
Anaplan enhances its capabilities through integrations with Google Sheets and Microsoft 365, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint, facilitating robust data manipulation and presentation. Anaplan’s integration with Salesforce supports seamless CRM data management, while integrations with Boomi, Informatica, MuleSoft, and SnapLogic enhance data integration across various systems. For advanced analytics, Anaplan integrates with Power BI and Tableau. Additionally, Cloudworks, DocuSign, and Workiva Chains integrations expand their functionality for document management and workflow automation.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Anaplan has four different pricing plans, although they do not have any set pricing plans. You’ll need to talk with a member of their team to work out a custom plan that meets your needs.
Cube’s approach is particularly beneficial for organizations looking to enhance their existing spreadsheet-based processes without significant changes. On the other hand, Anaplan requires a total overhaul and a steeper learning curve.
Similarly, Anaplan doesn’t integrate as smoothly with Excel as Cube, often requiring users to adapt to its native modeling environment. This departure from traditional spreadsheet tools makes it noticeably less user-friendly than Cube.
Adaptive Planning by Workday is an enterprise-level budgeting and financial planning software.
This software facilitates financial planning and collaboration across an entire organization without needing spreadsheets and other manual processes.
You can easily create budgets and forecasts, run scenarios, and track expenses and sales. You can also create custom cash flow schedules and sheets.
Key features
Integrations
Workday Adaptive Planning shares standard integrations with Microsoft Excel, and major ERP systems like Oracle, NetSuite, SAP, and Sage Intacct. The platform supports Salesforce for CRM data synchronization and integrates with Microsoft Dynamics (Great Plains), Deltek Vision, Epicor, Plex, and Multiview, providing support across various business functions.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Workday Adaptive Planning does not make any pricing plans public. They offer free trials and demos of their software and will work out a custom quote if you reach out to their team.
The main difference between Cube and Workday Adaptive Planning is the scale of their target audience. Cube is aimed at environments where Excel and Google Sheets models are already up and running, seamlessly integrating and enhancing them without major workflow upheaval.
Workday requires a great deal of adaptation to its ecosystem, while Cube is much easier to integrate with familiar tools.
Planful is a cloud-based financial planning and analysis platform that is a robust solution for cash flow analysis and continuous planning.
The platform is split into structured planning, dynamic planning, consolidation, and reporting.
These elements take you through all the FP&A stages you need to get visibility into your financials and make informed decisions.
Key features
Integrations
Like most other tools, Planful integrates with Microsoft Excel, Salesforce, Google Sheets, Oracle, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct. Beyond that, you can link up with Google Drive, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Intuit QuickBooks, and less common apps such as Paylocity, Workday, Acumatica, ADP, and Boomi.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Planful doesn’t make any pricing plan public. You’ll need to reach out to their sales team for a quote.
Planful is another cash flow management software package with enterprise-level features that make adopting the tool somewhat cumbersome. On the other hand, Cube comes with more automations, a single platform, and compatibility with Google Sheets and Mac.
Centage is a cloud-based intelligent planning, budgeting, and forecasting platform. This software delivers a sophisticated financial intelligence tool that helps organizations of any size better manage their financial data.
With clear visibility of financial health and intelligent insights, Centage helps organizations make faster decisions.
This software has a robust suite of financial tools, an intuitive UI, a long list of integrations with other tools, and much more.
Key features
Integrations
Centage integrates with a variety of financial platforms including Intuit QuickBooks, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT. You can run enterprise resource planning through Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and SYSPRO and specialize with Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Centage does not provide any set pricing plans. You can get a quote and see a demo of the software by reaching out to their sales team.
Centage is undoubtedly an impressive cash flow management system, but it is mainly aimed at small to mid-sized businesses. This is fine, but as a stand-alone product, it loses some of the flexibility that Cube offers. Cube’s faster onboarding, easier administration, and fully customizable reporting make it a tool that assists you rather than slowing you down.
Abacum is an FP&A tool that helps finance teams at mid-market companies create faster revenue forecasts and OPEX breakdowns.
They're a cloud-based tool that gets you out of Excel and into their planning platform.
Abacum maintains office locations in New York City and Barcelona. We were unable to determine if they provide multilingual support.
Key features
Integrations
Abacum boasts a broad range of integrations from Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, through NetSuite, Intuit QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, and Xero, all the way to HR apps like HiBob, BambooHR, Workday HR Management, Gusto, and Factorial HR. In terms of data analytics, Abacum integrates with Tableau, Looker, Snowflake, and BigQuery, while Stripe and Chargebee handle billing and subscription management.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Abacum does not have transparent pricing. You'll need to contact their Sales team to get more information.
As a web-based solution, Abacum requires ripping and replacing your existing Excel models and comes with a learning curve.
However, Cube facilitates everything you need to do in the spreadsheet and lets you keep your existing account hierarchies and custom-built reports.
Causal lets you build and share financial models with interactive, visual dashboards. It's mostly a modeling and reporting platform geared toward small businesses.
It uses plan-English formulae to build models out of variables, making them easier for non-finance folks to understand.
Causal integrates with Excel and Google Sheets but you won't be working in spreadsheets with Causal. Instead, you'll use their UI.
Key features
Integrations
Causal integrates with Google Sheets and BigQuery, as well as major HR platforms like Bob, Gusto, and Humaans to get payroll data in one place. For accounting and finance, Causal supports NetSuite, Intuit QuickBooks, Xero, and PostgreSQL, while Salesforce and HubSpot integrations enable efficient CRM data management. Snowflake, Looker, and Puzzle offer advanced data visualization and analysis, and Stripe allows for smooth billing and payment processing.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Causal has three pricing tiers.
As a web-based solution, Causal comes pre-built with some rigid templates that, while helpful, some organizations might outgrow more quickly than anticipated.
Cube keeps you where you're comfortable, has transactional drill-down in Excel and Google Sheets, and gives you extreme power over your reporting.
Tesorio is an "A/R Cash Flow Performance Platform" designed to replace cash flow forecasting and collections processes.
Its key value is allowing teams to collect cash faster. Tesorio synchronizes with ERP systems so that nothing slips through the cracks.
Tesorio isn't a complete FP&A platform and gets your cash flow management out of spreadsheets, so that's a consideration for scaling teams.
Key features
Integrations
Tesorio has an impressive integration list, with Google Sheets handling data manipulation, Intuit QuickBooks for comprehensive accounting capabilities, and Stripe, Sage Intacct, Xero, and NetSuite ensuring robust financial data integration.
Snowflake provides advanced data analytics, while Workday and Blackbaud are for HR and non-profit financial management. It links to Acumatica and PLEX for manufacturing and business management solutions while security and identity management are enhanced with Okta, OneLogin, and Azure integrations.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Tesorio is another company that nudges you toward a demo before revealing its pricing structure.
Tesorio and Cube are fundamentally different use cases. Tesorio is more of an accounting system, so it lacks a lot of the planning power that Cube offers. If you’re looking for cash forecasting or using insights to plan or budget, Cube is by far the better option.
Prophix is a cloud-based financial performance platform that helps companies budget, consolidate data, plan, and report. Like many other tools on this list, Prophix is designed to rip and replace the spreadsheet with new software.
Key features
Integrations
Prophix integrates with the Microsoft suite like many other products on this list. When it comes to ERP systems, it features a detailed list of options such as Acumatica, Deltek, Ellucian, QAD, Sage Intacct, SYSPRO, TOTVS, and Viewpoint.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
If you’re interested in Prophix, you need to request a demo to get a quote.
Compared to Prophix, Cube is a far more user-friendly solution that can be quickly and confidently integrated. While the usability isn’t bad, Prophix’s inability to keep existing reports and templates is rather disappointing.
HighRadius is a fintech enterprise SaaS company that sells AI-based technology to help companies automate their cash management processes.
They offer solutions for autonomous receivables and autonomous treasury, optimizing processes across order-to-cash, treasury, and record-to-report cycles.
Key features
Integrations
HighRadius integrates with popular ERP systems like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, SAP, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct. It also supports HR and financial platforms like Workday and Stripe for streamlined payment processing. In terms of banking institutions, HighRadius connects with major banking institutions such as JPMorgan Chase & Co, Bank of America, BBVA, and Wells Fargo. Additionally, it integrates with Salesforce for CRM, Prophix for financial planning, and logistics providers like UPS, FedEx, Target, and Walmart.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
HighRadius directs you to a consultant who assesses your level of customization before making a quote.
Cube enhances financial planning and analysis by extending spreadsheet functionalities. HighRadius specializes in automating the accounts receivable and treasury functions, focusing on streamlining cash applications, credit management, and collections.
While Cube is tailored for financial analysis and planning, HighRadius is more for automating the order-to-cash cycle for businesses.
Jirav is a driver-based planning tool that replaces your Excel model. Jirav has cash flow analysis and forecasting capabilities, so it's an option for teams who want a different approach to their cash management.
Jirav is best for small-to-medium-sized businesses that aren't reliant on their Excel models.
Key features
Integrations
Jirav offers a huge range of integrations covering accounting software like Intuit QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, and Sage Intacct, as well as data processing classics such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. For payroll and HR management, Jirav integrates with ADP, Gusto, Paychex, Justworks, BambooHR, Paylocity, TriNet, and UKG, while CRM integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, and PipeDrive.
Additionally, Jirav connects with data-handling apps like Google Analytics, Tableau, Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL. Stripe and Shopify help e-commerce users, while Jira and Zendesk help you organize cash flow management projects.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Jirav has three pricing tiers: Starter, Pro, and Enterprise. Additional fees may apply.
It's easy to dynamically compare scenarios in Cube, whereas Jirav can feel more limiting. As a bonus, Cube has unlimited scenarios, but with Jirav you'll need to pay extra. Some of Jirav’s integrations are somewhat complicated. This contributes to higher implementation costs and longer timelines; you'll need to rebuild your back-end logic in Jirav.
SAP Cash Management is part of the larger SAP ecosystem. It's a powerful cash management platform, but teams not already using SAP might find that the cost outweighs the benefits.
Key features
Integrations
Integrations include SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Payroll, and SAP ERP HCM Payroll. SAP Master Data helps you maintain accurate and consistent financial data across the organization, while SAP Concur is great for efficient travel and expense management. That said, the lack of third-party integrations is highly restrictive for most cash flow managers.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
SAP requires you to request a demo before discussing pricing structures.
Companies that go for Cube often have their own systems up and running and are happy with them. Cube unites them all into one central space without diminishing the advantages of each app.
On the other hand, SAP Cash Management implicitly nudges decision-makers to migrate all of their operations to the SAP ecosystem. As one of the industry leaders, SAP software has a strong reputation, but unless you’re already using SAP, the costs and learning curve are pretty off-putting.
Kolleno is a "smart credit control platform" and automated accounts receivable solution for businesses looking to streamline their financial operations.
It helps finance teams with payment processing, improved credit control, and accuracy in their accounts.
Key features
Integrations
Kolleno streamlines your accounts receivable and cash flow management processes through integrations with payment processing systems like Stripe and GoCardless. It also connects with major accounting software such as NetSuite, Intuit QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Xero, and Sage Intacct.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Kolleno has three pricing tiers aimed at small firms, mid-market firms, and enterprises, but doesn't list any prices on its website. You'll need to book a 15-minute demo before trying out their software and agreeing on a subscription model.
Cube and Kolleno are essentially designed for different aspects of financial management. Cube’s focus is largely on financial planning and analysis, whereas Kolleno focuses on automating and optimizing accounts receivable processes. Even so, you get a lot more bang for your buck with Cube, which offers a much broader solution for cash flow management.
PlanGuru is a planning tool for budgeting, forecasting, and performance reviews for small and mid-sized companies. It integrates with Quickbooks and Excel, making it easy to use and use for cash management.
Key features
Integrations
PlanGuru doesn’t advertise a great deal of integrations. However, it does cover some of the most common, including Microsoft Excel, Xero, and Intuit QuickBooks
Pros
Cons
Pricing
PlanGuru offers two pricing tiers:
PlanGuru caters to a slightly different audience within financial management. It focuses mainly on budgeting and forecasting, and while you can create comprehensive financial models and multi-year projections, there isn’t much PlanGuru does that Cube can’t take care of.
With a more user-friendly approach, Cube enhances workflows right across the board.
Float is designed primarily for cash flow forecasting and scenario planning. It integrates with Xero, QuickBooks Online, and FreeAgent accounting software, with real-time data syncing. Float uses this data to display a company’s financial future on detailed forecasts and models so they can make more informed decisions regarding their cash flow.
Float is great for teams that deal with complex project-based financial planning, offering tools to assess outcomes based on varying scenarios.
Key features
Integrations
Float connects you to a range of accounting, calendar, productivity, and project management tools. Chief among them are the Microsoft and Google suites, but you can also find Intuit QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Xero, Slack, Trello, Asana, and Jira to streamline your cash flow forecasting and management.
Pros
Cons
Pricing
Float offers three transparent pricing tiers, each aimed at different business sizes.
Cube and Float both specialize in cash flow forecasting and real-time financial analysis. However, Float encourages users to forget spreadsheets. While this is a good option for some, it puts an unnecessary limitation on its own product, making it unsuitable for many FP&A teams.
Cash flow management doesn’t need to be a challenge or a chore. Referencing this list is a great place to start to enhance your existing financial tools with sophisticated analytical and forecasting features.
Want to learn why our customers trust Cube for cash flow management? Book a free demo today to see the benefits for yourself.