> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.finluency.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Read Finluency's Cash Flow Timeline and Spot Risk Early

> Learn to read Finluency's visual balance projection, identify critical low points, and use the timeline to make confident financial decisions.

The Cash Flow Timeline is Finluency's most actionable feature: a line graph that traces your projected account balance from today into the future, with every known and expected transaction already built in. Instead of opening your bank app to check what you have right now, you open the timeline to see what you'll have on the 15th, the 22nd, or 30 days from now — and where the moments of risk are hiding between here and there.

<Note>
  The timeline updates automatically as new transactions are added, confirmed, or changed. As pending items post, as you add new forecasted transactions, or as your recurring schedule shifts, the graph redraws to reflect the latest picture. You don't need to manually refresh your projections.
</Note>

## How to Read the Timeline

The Cash Flow Timeline is a standard line graph with two axes:

* **Y-axis (vertical)** — your projected account balance in dollars. Higher on the graph means more cash; lower means less.
* **X-axis (horizontal)** — time, moving from today (left) into the future (right). The timeline can span days to weeks depending on your selected horizon.

The line itself traces your running projected balance as each transaction — posted, pending, recurring, budget, or forecasted — hits your account. Each time a transaction occurs, the line steps up (income) or steps down (expense).

### Notable Markers on the Timeline

Finluency overlays key events directly on the graph so they're easy to spot:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Upcoming Bill" icon="file-invoice-dollar" href="/guides/recurring-transactions">
    Marks a large scheduled payment — rent, loan, payroll — so you can see exactly when and how far your balance will drop.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Expected Income" icon="arrow-trend-up" href="/guides/forecasting">
    Marks an anticipated deposit — a client payment, retainer, or forecasted transfer — showing when your balance is projected to rise.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Projected Low Point" icon="triangle-exclamation" href="/guides/cash-flow-timeline#using-the-timeline-to-make-decisions">
    Highlights the lowest projected balance in the visible window — the moment of most risk — so you can plan around it.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Pay close attention to projected low points. Those are the decision moments. If the timeline shows your balance dropping to \$300 on the 19th and recovering on the 23rd, you know not to schedule a large purchase between those dates — or to accelerate an invoice to prevent the dip entirely.
</Tip>

## How the Timeline Is Constructed

The timeline doesn't operate on a single data source — it synthesizes all five transaction types into a single projected line:

| Transaction type | How it appears on the timeline                                                    |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Posted**       | Already reflected in the starting balance on the left edge of the graph           |
| **Pending**      | Applied as near-term adjustments very close to today's date                       |
| **Recurring**    | Shown as regularly spaced steps up or down matching their schedule                |
| **Budget**       | Planned allocations that create predictable adjustments on their expected dates   |
| **Forecasted**   | One-time future events — a spike up for an invoice payment, a drop for a tax bill |

The combined effect of all five layers produces the timeline's characteristic shape: a line that rises and falls as money moves in and out, with a clear story about where you're headed.

## Adjusting the Time Horizon

By default, the timeline shows a near-term window, but you can extend or shorten the view to match the planning horizon that matters to you:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Locate the time horizon control">
    Find the time range selector above or below the timeline graph — it typically offers preset options and may allow custom ranges.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select your preferred window">
    Choose a preset view — **7 days**, **30 days**, or **90 days** — to zoom in on the near term or pull back for a longer-range perspective.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Read the updated graph">
    The timeline redraws for the selected window. Use shorter windows to scrutinize an upcoming week; use longer windows for strategic planning around a slow season or a large upcoming expense.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Using the Timeline to Make Decisions

The Cash Flow Timeline turns abstract numbers into a visible story you can act on. Here's how to use it as a decision-making tool:

**Before making a purchase:** Check the timeline for the week around the intended purchase date. If your projected balance dips near or below your comfort threshold around that time, either delay the purchase or ensure an invoice clears first.

**Before sending a team invoice or chasing a payment:** Look at your timeline to see how long you can comfortably wait before a payment becomes urgent. If a low point is 10 days out and an invoice is due in 12, you have a clear signal to follow up now.

**Before committing to a new expense:** Add it as a forecasted transaction and watch how the timeline responds. If it pushes a projected low point below your threshold, you know to either negotiate terms or find offsetting income first.

**During slow seasons:** Extend your horizon to 90 days and review the shape of the line across the full period. Identify whether the slow patch is short-lived or sustained — that changes the appropriate response entirely.

## Real-World Scenario: A Typical Week on the Timeline

Here's how the timeline behaves with a realistic set of transactions. Starting balance: **\$5,200**.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Walk through the scenario step by step">
    \*\*Day 0 (Today) — Starting balance: $5,200**
          The left edge of the timeline begins at your current posted balance. The line starts at $5,200.

    **Day 5 — Rent due: -$1,500**
          A recurring transaction for rent hits on day 5. The line steps down sharply. Projected balance: **$3,700**.

    This is the first notable marker on the graph — a clear downward step. If this dip brings you close to a threshold you're watching (say, \$3,000), Finluency surfaces it as a point to note.

    **Day 10 — Client invoice expected: +$3,000**
          A forecasted transaction — a client invoice you expect to clear — arrives on day 10. The line jumps upward. Projected balance: **$6,700**.

    This is the expected income marker. The recovery is visible and reassuring: even after rent, incoming revenue more than restores your position.

    **Day 12 — Subscription renewal: -$49**
          A recurring subscription charges on day 12. The line barely moves — it's a small amount — but it's tracked. Projected balance: **$6,651**.

    **The overall shape:** The line drops meaningfully on day 5, recovers strongly on day 10, and remains elevated through the rest of the window. The projected low point is day 5 at \$3,700 — not a crisis, but a moment to be aware of if other expenses arise unexpectedly in that window.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

This scenario illustrates the core value of the timeline: you could see, before day 5 arrived, that rent was coming and that relief was 10 days away. That visibility lets you plan with confidence rather than react with stress.

## Next Steps

The Cash Flow Timeline is the output of everything Finluency knows about your finances. To make it more accurate, deepen your forecasting inputs.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Forecasting" icon="chart-mixed" href="/guides/forecasting">
    Learn how to add forecasted transactions and understand how the projection model is built.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Forward Balance Explained" icon="circle-info" href="/concepts/forward-balance">
    Go deeper on how Finluency calculates the projected balance that drives the timeline.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>