Working Capital for SMEs: The 3 Numbers to Watch Weekly

Working capital is the lifeblood of any SME — it’s what keeps your business running between payments in and payments out. But with so many moving parts, most owners end up looking at too many numbers, too late in the month. The truth is, you only need to monitor three key metrics each week to stay in control of cash flow and avoid surprises.

Here’s the practical breakdown.

1. Cash on Hand: Your True Liquidity

This is the first and simplest check — how much accessible cash do you actually have across all accounts today?

Include:

• Operating bank balances
• E-wallets or merchant accounts (e.g., ShopeePay, Stripe, GrabPay)
• Petty cash if still used in branches

Why weekly:
Cash balances fluctuate fast, especially if supplier payments and customer receipts don’t align. By checking weekly, you’ll know when to hold off on non-essential spending or when to draw on a line of credit.

With ccMonet:

• All bank feeds sync automatically.
• AI reconciles daily transactions and gives a live “cash today” figure.
• You can see your real liquidity by currency, branch, or entity — no manual updating.

2. Receivables Aging: What’s Still Stuck Out There

The second number to watch is receivables due — because sales mean little until cash comes in.

Each week, check:

• Total outstanding receivables
• % overdue beyond 30 days
• Top 10 overdue customers

This weekly rhythm keeps your collections proactive instead of reactive. You can schedule follow-ups before the month-end crunch and forecast more accurately.

With ccMonet:

• AI matches incoming payments to invoices automatically.
• The dashboard shows aging breakdowns (current, 30, 60, 90+ days).
• You can filter by customer, project, or region to spot delays early.

3. Payables Commitments: What’s Going Out Next

The third number completes the picture: upcoming payments.
This includes supplier bills, rent, utilities, and payroll that will hit in the next 7–14 days.

Weekly review helps you:

• Prioritise essential payments
• Negotiate timing with suppliers
• Avoid cash shortages despite being “profitable on paper”

With ccMonet:

• Bills from vendors are auto-read and categorised upon upload.
• The system forecasts weekly payables by due date.
• Managers see what’s pending approval and what’s already cleared.

Bonus Insight: The Working Capital Cycle

Once you track these three numbers regularly, you’ll start to see your working capital rhythm — how many days it takes cash to move from purchase to sale to collection.
This clarity helps you plan inventory, manage credit terms, and scale operations confidently.

Turn Three Numbers Into One Habit

Fifteen minutes every week is enough to stay on top of working capital:

1. Check cash.
2. Review receivables.
3. Confirm payables.

Everything else follows from there.

ccMonet helps SMEs automate this routine — turning raw data from banks, invoices, and sales channels into a live working capital dashboard you can trust.

Stay liquid. Stay ready. Stay calm — with ccMonet.

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