Most Australian businesses benefit from a rolling 12-18 month forecast updated quarterly. This timeframe captures seasonal variations while remaining realistic. For established businesses, we often recommend a three-year strategic forecast alongside detailed monthly projections for the immediate year.

The key is matching forecast depth to your industry's predictability. Retail businesses might focus heavily on seasonal patterns, while service companies often need longer-term capacity planning horizons.

We start with your historical financial statements from the past 2-3 years, including profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow data. Bank statements help verify patterns and identify seasonal trends that might not be obvious in summary reports.

• Monthly sales data broken down by product lines or services
• Fixed and variable expense categories with timing details
• Customer payment terms and collection patterns
• Supplier payment schedules and seasonal variations
• Any planned changes in operations, staffing, or market strategy

Don't worry if your records aren't perfect – we work with what's available and help identify gaps that matter most for accurate planning.

We build multiple scenarios into every forecast – typically optimistic, realistic, and conservative cases. This isn't about predicting exactly what'll happen, but preparing your business for different possibilities. Recent supply chain disruptions and interest rate changes have made scenario planning essential for Australian businesses.

Each scenario includes different assumptions about customer demand, supplier costs, and market conditions. We help you identify which variables matter most to your business and create contingency plans for each scenario.

Absolutely. Banks and investors expect detailed financial projections that demonstrate your understanding of the business and realistic growth expectations. We prepare forecasts specifically formatted for different audiences – bank lending requires different emphasis than investor pitches.

Our models include sensitivity analysis showing how changes in key assumptions affect outcomes. This demonstrates thoughtful planning and helps lenders understand your ability to service debt under various conditions. Many clients find the forecasting process helps them articulate their business strategy more clearly.

We recommend monthly variance reviews comparing actual results to budget, with formal budget updates quarterly. This catches significant deviations early while avoiding constant revision that makes the budget meaningless. Some seasonal businesses benefit from monthly budget adjustments during peak periods.

The goal is staying responsive without losing the discipline that makes budgeting valuable. Major changes in market conditions, new contracts, or operational shifts usually warrant immediate budget revision regardless of timing.