Everything about cash flow, liquidity and financial management

Being able to calculate cash flow is one of the most valuable skills in business management: only when you know exactly how much money is coming in and going out can you confidently plan investments, negotiate financing, and manage growth. A look at the current economic climate shows why this effort is worthwhile: the number of corporate insolvencies in Germany rose to approximately 23,900 in 2025, an increase of 8.3% compared to the previous year (Creditreform, 2025). Liquidity bottlenecks often play a central role in these cases. By calculating your cash flow regularly, you can identify financial constraints earlier and take timely corrective action. In this guide, we will walk you through the direct and indirect methods, operating and free cash flow, discounted cash flow, and real estate calculations, each with a fully worked-out example.

Cash flow is one of the most honest financial indicators in your business. It determines whether you can pay bills, invest and grow. Well-managed cash flow is more than a safety net. It is a lever for growth: when you understand your payment flows, you can invest at the right time, use early-payment discounts, negotiate better terms and seize opportunities before competitors react. The stakes are high: in 2025, around 82% of business insolvencies in Germany affected micro-enterprises (Creditreform, 2025). For startups, running out of capital is also one of the most common reasons for failure: according to CB Insights, lack of capital played a role in 70% of the startup shutdowns examined since 2023 (CB Insights, 2026). In this guide, you’ll learn how to use your cash flow for stability, flexibility and growth.

Professional liquidity planning not only serves to avoid bottlenecks and insolvencies — it is also an essential tool for sustainable corporate growth. Specialized liquidity planning software helps to monitor cash flows in real time, identify financial risks at an early stage and strategically secure investment decisions. With Tidely, we ourselves are providers of liquidity management software — and are convinced that it is one of the best tools on the market. At the same time, we know that every company has different requirements. For this reason, we will provide you with the most objective possible comparison of the best liquidity planning software for 2025 so that you can choose the solution that really suits your company. To do this, we looked at the websites of the various providers, read several comparison portals and reviews and summarized them here. We hope you enjoy comparing!

Liquidity is the foundation of your company's ability to act. Those who know their solvency can approach investments with confidence, take early-payment discounts, negotiate from a position of strength, and seize growth opportunities without overextending. Just as important: most insolvencies are not caused by a lack of profit, but by a lack of liquidity, and those who keep an eye on it can spot bottlenecks early and counteract them in time. That is exactly why it pays to calculate your liquidity. In this article, you will learn how to calculate your company's liquidity, what Liquidity Ratios 1, 2, and 3 mean, and how to interpret the results correctly. You will get the formulas, fully worked examples, a guide for the balance sheet and Excel, as well as practical tips on how to manage your liquidity in a targeted way.

Professional financial planning not only serves to protect against bottlenecks, it is also a central factor for long-term growth. Specialized cash flow software helps you to keep an eye on your liquidity at all times, identify bottlenecks early on and take targeted countermeasures. At the same time, it supports strategic investment decisions and enables forward-looking financial planning. With Tidely, we ourselves are providers of cash flow management software and are convinced that it is one of the best solutions on the market. However, we know that every company has different requirements. That's why here's an objective comparison of the best tools for 2026 so you can choose the solution that really suits you. To do this, we have read through the websites of the various providers, several comparison sites and reviews and summarized them here.

Financial indicators are the navigation system for every SME. Find out which key figures are particularly important in 2026, what role liquidity, profitability and efficiency play, and how to securely manage your company with the right values.

What happens when smart cash flow planning meets rapid corporate financing? Tidely shows you liquidity gaps early on — Banxware will close them in just 24 hours. Read the article to find out how both solutions together create real financial security for your company.

Interim financing can be an important tool for your company to bridge liquidity bottlenecks in the short term or to close financing gaps when planned funds are not yet available. This type of bridging loan is often used to finance projects or large orders in advance until customers can make the promised payments. It is also used by start-ups, for example, to bridge the time until the confirmed financing round, or to finance investments such as machinery until they are covered by already agreed leasing or a promised long-term loan. But how does interim financing work and what costs does it entail? In this article, we answer these and other questions and show you how you can make optimal use of interim financing for your company.

Liquidity management is an indispensable part of corporate management, regardless of how big or small a company is. It ensures that enough funds are always available to meet all financial obligations on time. But what methods are there and how can modern tools help you optimize liquidity management? In this article, we explain the basics and show you how to secure your company's liquidity — while also keeping an eye on profitability.