Cash Flow Budget A cash flow budget examines the inflows and outflows of cash in a business on a day-to-day basis. It predicts a company's ability to take in more money than it pays out. Managers monitor cash flow budgets to pinpoint shortfalls between expenses and sales -- times when financing may be needed to cover overheads. Cash flow budgets also suggest production cycles and inventory levels so that a company's resources are available for activity, not sitting idle on warehouse shelves.