What is a 3-way budget?

Asked by: Noah Aufderhar  |  Last update: May 9, 2025
Score: 4.4/5 (15 votes)

A three-way forecast, also known as the 3 financial statements is a financial model combining three key reports into one consolidated forecast. It links your Profit & Loss (income statement), balance sheet and cashflow projections together so you can forecast your future cash position and financial health.

What is a 3-way financial model?

In financial modeling, the “3 statements” refer to the Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement. Collectively, these show you a company's revenue, expenses, cash, debt, equity, and cash flow over time, and you can use them to determine why these items have changed.

What is a 3 statement budget?

A three-statement financial model is an integrated model that forecasts an organization's income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements. The three core elements (income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements) require that you gather data ahead of performing any financial modeling.

How to create a 3-way forecast?

So, how do you prepare a 3-way forecast? The simplest starting point is to use the Bundle Kit for a 3-Way Forecast. It will create a bundle with the P&L Forecast, Balance Sheet Forecast and Cashflow Forecast, with a report and chart for each.

How to build a three-way model?

There are several steps required to build a three-statement model, including:
  1. Input historical financial information into Excel.
  2. Determine the assumptions that will drive the forecast.
  3. Forecast the income statement.
  4. Forecast long-term, capital assets.
  5. Forecast financing activity (e.g., debt and equity)

What's a 3 Way Forecast?

22 related questions found

What is a three way budget forecast?

A monthly 3-way forecast is typically an adjustment of your budget as the year goes on and is also a financial projection that integrates the three key financial statements: the Profit and Loss Statement (P&L), the Balance Sheet, and the Cash Flow Statement; otherwise known as the 3 financial statements in a financial ...

What are the three financial statements?

The income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows are required financial statements. These three statements are informative tools that traders can use to analyze a company's financial strength and provide a quick picture of a company's financial health and underlying value.

What are the four 4 main components in a forecast?

Reproducible and accurate forecasts can inform decision-making and strategic planning. Understanding these four components—data collection, data analysis, model selection, and forecast generation—is foundational for any business owner or entrepreneur aiming to leverage forecasting for competitive advantage.

What are the three stages of forecasting?

Managing three levels of focus
  • Micro-focus is about applying undistracted attention to what's most important in the moment. ...
  • Macro-focus is the wider perspective or context to which our in-the-moment attention is devoted. ...
  • Meta-focus is the meaning that underpins, guides and frames our macro- and micro-focus.

How do I create a forecast chart in Excel?

On the Data tab, in the Forecast group, select Forecast Sheet. In the Create Forecast Worksheet box, pick either a line chart or a column chart for the visual representation of the forecast. In the Forecast End box, pick an end date, and then select Create.

What is the rule of 3 budget?

The idea is to divide your income into three categories, spending 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings. Learn more about the 50/30/20 budget rule and if it's right for you.

What is the big 3 budget?

The three biggest budget items for the average U.S. household are food, transportation, and housing. Focusing your efforts to reduce spending in these three major budget categories can make the biggest dent in your budget, grow your gap, and free up additional money for you to us to tackle debt or start investing.

What are the types of budget 3?

According to the government, the budget is of three types:
  • Balanced budget.
  • Surplus budget.
  • Deficit budget.

What is a 3 way market?

3 Way Money Lines – Enter the Tie or Draw

Instead of a money line market for two teams and only having two choices, the third choice of a tie is introduced, hence the odds being different.

What are the 3 basic financial models?

Three-Statement Model

The three-statement model is the most basic setup for financial modeling. As the name implies, the three statements (income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow) are all dynamically linked with formulas in Excel.

What is as 3 cash flow analysis?

Cash flows exclude movements between items that constitute cash or cash equivalents because these components are part of the cash management of an enterprise rather than part of its operating, investing and financing activities. Cash management includes the investment of excess cash in cash equivalents.

How to do a 3 way forecast?

Manually build a 3 statement model:
  1. Input the historical financial information into Excel.
  2. Determine the assumptions that will drive the forecast.
  3. Forecast the income statement.
  4. Forecast capital assets.
  5. Forecast financing activity.
  6. Forecast the balance sheet.
  7. Complete the cash flow statement.

What is the law 3 of forecasting?

Law 3: Forecasts for Groups of Products or Services Tend to Be More Accurate. - Many businesses have found that it is easier and more accurate to forecast for groups of products or services than it is to forecast for specific ones.

What is budgeting and forecasting?

Budgeting is a detailed, static financial plan and expectations laid out in advance. Forecasting is the dynamic, flexible process for assessing current performance and predicting future potential. Budget forecasting is a specific type of forecasting that takes its inputs from the budget for the upcoming fiscal period.

What is the best forecasting method and why?

A causal model is the most sophisticated kind of forecasting tool. It expresses mathematically the relevant causal relationships, and may include pipeline considerations (i.e., inventories) and market survey information. It may also directly incorporate the results of a time series analysis.

How to estimate demand?

To forecast demand as accurately as possible, many brands track historical sales and order data, and analyze it for patterns that can help them predict what might happen again in the future.

What is a judgemental model?

Judgmental forecasting model

Various forecasting models of the judgmental kind utilize subjective and intuitive information to make predictions. For instance, there are times when there is no data available for reference.

Which financial statement is the most important?

Typically considered the most important of the financial statements, an income statement shows how much money a company made and spent over a specific period of time.

What does gaap stand for?

Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) comprise a set of accounting rules and procedures used in standardized financial reporting practices.

What is the capex model?

A capital expenditure, or Capex, is money invested by a company to acquire or upgrade fixed, physical or nonconsumable assets. Capex is primarily a one-time investment in nonconsumable assets used to maintain existing levels of operation within a company and to foster its future growth.