L2 – Q73 – Cash Budgets and Master Budgets

On 31st March 202X the bank balance in the books of the Ministry of Commerce was GHC 900,000. The department provides you with the information below.

Month IGF GHC’000 Govt releases GHC’000 Donations GHC’000 Salaries GHC’000 Goods and services GHC’000 Office equipment GHC’000 Advances GHC’000
Jan 4,100 2,000 1,200 1,000 600 50
Feb 900 500 320 300 40
March 1,300 500 400 320 400 50
April 1,200 600 200 620 320 40
May 1,000 600 550 220 60
June 1,000 600 200 660 420 500 50

Relevant notes to the data:
(i) The Internally Generated Funds (IGF) are made up of 70% cash receipts and 30% receivables. The receivables are collected as follows: 60% in the month following the service delivery and remaining 40% in the second month following the service delivery. The department is entitled to retention of 80% of the IGF collected and the remaining 20% is payable into the National Treasury (the central government fund) in the month in which the money is collected.
(ii) The department also enjoys budget allocation and Government promises to follow schedule.
(iii) The department anticipates some donations as shown in the table above. It is expected that 30%, 40%, and 70% of donations in March, April, and June respectively will be in cash. The remaining portions are expected to come in the form of materials.
(iv) The staff salaries will be paid at the end of each month.
(v) Goods and services are paid for one month in arrears.
(vi) The office equipment acquired in January will be paid for in the third month following the purchase, and the one to be acquired in June will be paid for immediately.
(vii) The office equipment is to be depreciated at 2.5% per month.
(viii) From January 20X0, staff of the department will be granted advances under an advance scheme approved by the government. The advances will be recovered in four equal monthly instalments, beginning in the month following the month in which the advances are granted (i.e. advances in January will be repaid in four equal monthly instalments beginning in February). Estimated advances are shown in the table above.

Required:
(a) Prepare a cash budget for the department for the Second Quarter of 202X (April – June 202X) showing the cash forecast for each individual month and the total for the quarter as a whole.

(b) Advise management based on the outcomes obtained in question (a) above.

(a)

Cash Forecast for the Second Quarter of 20X0

April GHC’000 May GHC’000 June GHC’000 Total GHC’000
Projected Cash Receipts
Cash (Note 1) 840 700 700 2,240.0
IGF collection of receivables (Note 1) 342 372 324 1,038.0
GOG releases 600 600 600 1,800.0
Donation 80 140 220.0
Recovery of advances 35 45 47.5 127.5
Total Receipts 1,897 1,717 1,811.5 5,425.5
Projected Cash Payments
IGF to National Treasury 236.4 214.4 204.8 655.6
Compensation of employees 620 550 660 1,830.0
Goods and services 400 320 220 940.0
Non-financial assets 600 500 1,100.0
Advances 40 60 50 150.0
Total Payments 1,896.4 1,144.4 1,634.8 4,675.6
Projected cash surplus (deficit) 0.6 572.6 176.7 749.9
Cash balance at start 900.0 900.6 1,473.2 1,649.9
Cash balance at end 900.6 1,473.2 1,649.9 1,649.9

Note 1: Before payments into the National Treasury

Workings:
Collection of receivables:
April: (30% × 60% × 1,300) + (30% × 40% × 900) = 342
May: (30% × 60% × 1,200) + (30% × 40% × 1,300) = 372
June: (30% × 60% × 1,000) + (30% × 40% × 1,200) = 324

Recovery of advances:
April: 25% × (50 + 40 + 50) = 35.0
May: 25% × (50 + 40 + 50 + 40) = 45.0
June: 25% × (40 + 50 + 40 + 60) = 47.5                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (b)

The project cash outlook of the entity is good as it is expected to experience excess receipts over expected payments in all the three months.

The entity may invest the excess cash balances into short term investment such as fixed deposits.

The entity may also pay creditors earlier to take advantage of discounts, if any are available.

In addition, the entity may put some more cash into programmes and activities in the budget to make use of the expected cash surplus.