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The Global Insight

What does the statement of cash flows show from the balance sheet?

Author

Sarah Garza

Updated on February 06, 2026

The cash flow statement shows the cash inflows and outflows for a company during a period. In other words, the balance sheet shows the assets and liabilities that result, in part, from the activities on the cash flow statement.

What is the main purpose of creating the cash flow statement?

The primary purpose of the statement of cash flows is to provide information about cash receipts, cash payments, and the net change in cash resulting from the operating, investing, and financing activities of a company during the period.

How do you observe a statement of cash flows?

The investing activities section of the cash flow statement will include both the cash generated by selling assets and the cash spent in buying assets. Cash outflows are indicated by negative numbers and cash inflows are indicated by positive numbers in the investing section of the cash flow statement.

How is the statement of cash flows related to the income statement?

The Statement of Cash Flows (also referred to as the cash flow statement) is one of the three key financial statements that report the cash generated and spent during a specific period of time (e.g., a month, quarter, or year). The statement of cash flows acts as a bridge between the income statement

How is cash flow from operating activities calculated?

How Cash Flow Is Calculated. With the indirect method, cash flow from operating activities is calculated by first taking the net income off of a company’s income statement. Because a company’s income statement is prepared on an accrual basis , revenue is only recognized when it is earned and not when it is received.

What does it mean to have cash flow from investing activities?

Cash Flow from Investing ActivitiesCash Flow from Investing ActivitiesCash Flow from Investing Activities is the section of a company’s cash flow statement that displays how much money has been used in (or generated from) making investments during a specific time period.

How is a cash flow statement calculated in Excel?

If you do your own bookkeeping in Excel, you can calculate cash flow statements each month based on the information on your income statements and balance sheets. If you use accounting software, it can create cash flow statements based on information you’ve already entered in the general ledger.