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Complete Format Reference

Cash Flow Statement Template & Converter

Complete reference for cash flow statement formats. Direct and indirect method templates, formulas, Excel specifications, and instant PDF-to-Excel conversion with 99.6% accuracy. Powered by Zera AI—unlimited conversions for $79/month, no per-page fees.

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Quick Reference: Three Sections

Operating Activities

Core business cash flows: Net income ± adjustments

Investing Activities

Asset purchases/sales: CapEx, acquisitions, investments

Financing Activities

Capital transactions: Debt, equity, dividends

Net Change in Cash = Operating + Investing + Financing

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What is a Cash Flow Statement?

A cash flow statement is one of the three core financial statements that shows how cash moves in and out of a business during a specific period. Unlike the income statement which shows profitability on an accrual basis, the cash flow statement tracks actual cash transactions across three categories: Operating Activities (core business cash flows), Investing Activities (asset purchases/sales), and Financing Activities (transactions with owners and creditors).

Companies prepare cash flow statements using either the indirect method (95% of companies) which starts with net income and adjusts for non-cash items, or the direct method (FASB preferred) which lists actual cash receipts and payments.

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Direct vs Indirect Method: Complete Comparison

Understanding both methods is essential for financial analysis. 95% of companies use the indirect method, but FASB prefers the direct method.

Indirect Method

~95% of public companies

Starting Point:

Net Income from Income Statement

Advantages

  • Easier to prepare from accrual accounting records
  • Shows reconciliation between net income and cash
  • Highlights differences between accrual and cash accounting
  • Most commonly used and accepted format
  • Ties directly to income statement

Disadvantages

  • Doesn't show actual cash received/paid
  • Less intuitive for non-accountants
  • Obscures operating cash flow sources

Used by:

Apple Inc., Microsoft, Amazon, Most Fortune 500 companies

Direct Method

~5% of companies (FASB preferred)

Starting Point:

Actual cash receipts and payments

Advantages

  • Shows actual cash inflows and outflows
  • More intuitive and understandable
  • Better for cash flow forecasting
  • Preferred by FASB (ASC 230)
  • Easier to analyze for cash budgeting

Disadvantages

  • Requires detailed cash records by category
  • More time-consuming to prepare
  • Must still provide indirect reconciliation
  • Less common, may confuse readers

Used by:

Some financial institutions, Companies with sophisticated accounting systems, Entities following IPSAS standards

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