Construction cash flow forecasting dashboard showing projected cash position across multiple projects

Cash Is King

You are profitable on paper but scrambling to make payroll. Progress claims sit with clients for 45 days. Subcontractors need paying in 14. Materials suppliers want payment before delivery. And you have $385,000 in retention that will not be released for months.

Every month, you check the bank balance and wonder if there is enough. You delay supplier payments to cover wages. You avoid starting new projects because you are not sure you can fund the early costs. You make decisions based on gut feel instead of data.

The reality: More Australian builders go under from cash flow problems than from lack of work. ASIC data shows construction has the highest insolvency rate of any industry in Australia, with cash flow cited as the primary cause in over 60% of cases.

Forecasting Capabilities

Six tools that give you complete visibility over your construction cash flow

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Project-Level Cash Flow

See the cash flow impact of every active project individually and combined. Know which projects are cash-positive and which are draining your reserves. Understand the timing difference between costs incurred and revenue collected on each job.

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Progress Claim Scheduling

Model when each progress claim will be submitted, when clients are likely to approve, and when payment will actually arrive based on historical patterns. Stop hoping money arrives and start knowing when it will.

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Retention Tracking

Track retention held across all projects with expected release dates tied to practical completion milestones. See total retention locked up at any point and when it will be released back into your cash flow.

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Subcontractor Payment Forecasting

Model subcontractor payment obligations per project and across your entire operation. Align subbie payment schedules with client payment receipts to avoid cash gaps between paying out and getting paid.

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Scenario Modelling

Ask "what if" questions: What if the $800K claim is disputed? What if we win that new tender? What if materials costs increase 10%? Model multiple scenarios to prepare for different outcomes.

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Early Warning Alerts

Automated alerts when your projected cash balance drops below safety thresholds. Get warned 4-8 weeks before a cash gap, giving you time to arrange overdraft facilities, accelerate claims, or adjust payment schedules.

A Real Scenario: Can You Answer These Questions?

Builder with 5 Active Projects

Contract Value

$8.7M

Claims Outstanding

$2.3M

Retention Held

$385K

Subbies Due (30d)

$1.1M

Wages (30d)

$280K

Materials On Order

$420K
Questions Your Forecast Answers Instantly:
  • When does the $2.3M in outstanding claims actually convert to cash?
  • Can we cover $1.1M in subbie payments next month if two claims are late?
  • Which project is consuming cash fastest relative to claims submitted?
  • What is our minimum cash position over the next 8 weeks?
  • Should we delay the new project start or arrange bridging finance?

Without forecasting, these questions take hours of manual analysis. With our system, you see the answers in a live dashboard updated daily from your accounting and construction data.

Six Cash Flow Killers in Construction

Common cash flow problems and how forecasting solves each one

Late Progress Claims

Submitting claims monthly instead of at milestones delays revenue by 2-4 weeks per claim
Solution: Automated claim triggers based on milestone completion

Slow Client Payments

Average 47 days from claim submission to payment in Australian construction
Solution: Predictive payment modelling based on client history

Front-Loaded Costs

Materials purchased 4-6 weeks before revenue is claimed on that work
Solution: Align procurement timing with claim schedules

Retention Accumulation

$50K-$150K locked in retention per $1M of contract value
Solution: Track retention releases and factor into forward cash position

Variation Delays

Variation work done but not claimed for weeks or months
Solution: Automated variation tracking triggers immediate claim preparation

Seasonal Slowdowns

December-January shutdown with ongoing overheads but no progress claims
Solution: Model seasonal patterns and build cash reserves accordingly

Where Forecast Data Comes From

We connect to your existing systems — no new data entry required

Xero

Invoices, bills, bank balances, payment history, aged receivables

MYOB

Same as Xero — full accounting data including payment patterns per client

Procore

Committed costs, budget forecasts, change orders, progress claim schedules

Buildxact

Project budgets, purchase orders, progress claim calculations

Simpro

Job costs, quotes, purchase orders, work-in-progress values

Bank Feeds

Real-time bank balance and transaction data for actual vs forecast comparison

Related Services

Cash Flow Forecasting Solutions

General cash flow forecasting for all business types

Construction Financial Visibility

Complete financial oversight across all your projects

Unified Business Dashboard

All your construction data in one real-time dashboard

Frequently Asked Questions

Construction businesses have uniquely complex cash flow: large upfront material purchases, progress claims paid 30-60 days after submission, retention held for 12+ months, and multiple projects at different stages simultaneously. A profitable builder can go insolvent purely from cash flow timing. Forecasting lets you see cash gaps weeks or months before they happen, giving time to arrange bridging finance or adjust payment schedules.

We connect to your accounting software (Xero/MYOB) and construction management tools to pull real-time data: committed costs, upcoming subcontractor payments, progress claim schedules, retention releases, and overhead expenses. The forecast models when cash arrives (from progress claims and client payments) versus when it leaves (supplier payments, wages, subbies), projecting your bank balance 4-12 weeks ahead.

Yes. The system uses your historical payment data to predict actual payment timing per client. If Client A typically pays 15 days late, the forecast adjusts automatically. You can also model scenarios: "What happens if the $450K progress claim on Project B is disputed and delayed by 30 days?" This prevents nasty surprises from clients who regularly pay late.

Retention (typically 5-10% of each progress claim) creates significant cash flow gaps. On a $3M project with 5% retention, that is $150,000 held back until practical completion. Our forecasts track retention per project, model expected release dates, and factor this into your overall cash position. Many builders underestimate how much cash is locked up in retention across all projects.

We need access to your accounting software (Xero/MYOB), construction management platform (if you have one), and project schedules. The minimum requirement is your accounting data — we can build useful forecasts from Xero/MYOB alone. Adding construction software data (progress claim schedules, committed costs, subcontractor payment terms) makes forecasts significantly more accurate.

With good input data, our forecasts are typically 85-95% accurate for 4-week projections and 70-85% accurate for 8-12 week projections. Accuracy improves over time as the system learns your payment patterns, seasonal variations, and client behaviours. The key value is not perfect accuracy but early warning — knowing a cash gap is coming 6 weeks early, even if the exact amount is approximate, is transformational.

See Your Cash Future Before It Happens

Our free assessment analyses your current cash flow visibility and identifies the forecasting capabilities that would have the biggest impact on your construction business. Stop guessing whether you can cover next month's obligations and start knowing.

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