SmartHelping / Working Capital / Excel
Cash Conversion Cycle
Measure the timing between paying suppliers and collecting cash from customers. Calculate a single period, track quarterly results across five years, and compare your cash conversion cycle with your goals.
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See the template in action
Walk through the cash conversion cycle tracker.
Two ways to review the cash cycle
Understand one period and follow the trend over time.
Standalone single-period calculator
Work through the cash conversion cycle for one period, with the calculation logic and supporting math shown in the template.
Five-year quarterly tracker
Enter actual financial data by quarter across five years. CCC results populate in days so you can compare performance over time.
Start with your financial statements
Enter the balances and activity for the period.
Revenue
Enter revenue earned during the measured period.
Cost of goods sold
Enter cost of goods sold for the same period.
Inventory balances
Provide beginning and ending inventory values.
Accounts receivable balances
Provide beginning and ending accounts receivable values.
Accounts payable balances
Provide beginning and ending accounts payable values.
Days in the period
Use the number of days in the measured period to express the turnover measures in days.
How the cash conversion cycle works
Connect inventory, collection, and payment timing.
CCC = Days Inventory Outstanding + Days Sales Outstanding − Days Payables Outstanding
Inventory days — DIO
Measures the average time inventory is held before it is sold.
Receivable days — DSO
Measures the average time it takes to collect payment from customers.
Payable days — DPO
Measures the average time taken to pay suppliers. These days are subtracted because supplier payment timing offsets part of the inventory and collection cycle.
Goals, trends, and visualizations
See the result and the components behind it.
Quarterly goals
Define a goal in the tracker’s goal row and review the displayed percentage difference between actual CCC and that goal.
Component visualizations
Track inventory days, receivable days, and payable days to see how each part of the cycle changes.
CCC and actual-versus-goal charts
Review visualizations of the overall cash conversion cycle and actual results compared with your goal.
Single-period stage timeline
Use the included day-by-day visualization on the static single-period tab to see the duration of each stage through to cash collected.
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Read the articleQuestions before you start
A few useful details.
What is included in the template?
A standalone single-period CCC calculator and a quarterly tracker spanning five years, with goals and visualizations.
What information do I need?
Revenue, cost of goods sold, beginning and ending inventory, beginning and ending accounts receivable, beginning and ending accounts payable, and the number of days in the measured period.
How are the three day measures combined?
Add days inventory outstanding and days sales outstanding, then subtract days payables outstanding to calculate the cash conversion cycle.
Can I compare results with a target?
Yes. Enter a goal in the quarterly tracker and review the percentage difference between actual results and the goal, together with the comparison visualizations.
Is the single-period timeline included?
Yes. The static single-period tab includes a visualization showing the days in each stage through to cash collected.
Understand your cash conversion cycle
Connect working capital to cash timing.
Cash Conversion Cycle Excel Tracker — $45, one-time purchase.
