Financial planning glossary

Working capital

Current assets minus current liabilities. A model may use a narrower operating working-capital measure, so check which accounts it includes.

What does this mean in a model?

Illustration in USD at one date: $30,000 of current assets minus $18,000 of current liabilities gives $12,000 of working capital. A forecast of inventory plus trade receivables minus trade payables is a narrower operating measure; it is not the same as a cash reserve.

Check the definition before comparing results

Read the workbook's labels, period, units and calculation notes. Two similarly named outputs can measure different things.

Read financial assumptions

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