What goes into the forecast
The forecast uses:- The account starting balance or current account balance
- One-time income and expense transactions
- Recurring transactions generated into the calendar
- Transaction dates
- Transaction categories
- Cleared or uncleared status
Running balance
Each day starts from the previous day balance. CalBudget adds income and subtracts expenses scheduled for that day, then carries the result forward. That running balance is what makes the calendar useful for timing decisions. A bill may be affordable in total, but still land on a difficult date if it clears before the next paycheck.Lowest balance
The forecast highlights the lowest projected balance in the period. This is often the most important date to review because it shows when the account has the least room. If the lowest balance is negative, look at the transactions immediately before that date. Moving a flexible expense, adjusting a bill date, or adding missing income may change the forecast.Projected finish
Projected finish is the balance CalBudget expects at the end of the forecast period. It helps you see whether the period is adding cash, using cash, or ending close to zero. Projected finish is not a bank prediction. It is a planning estimate based on what is currently entered in CalBudget.Recurring transactions
Recurring transactions create scheduled rows for future dates. They are useful for paychecks, rent, subscriptions, loan payments, and other repeat activity. When a recurring item changes, edit the recurring schedule or the generated transaction depending on whether the change is permanent or only affects one date.Keep the forecast trustworthy
Review these items when the forecast looks off:- Account balance is outdated
- A paycheck or bill is missing
- A recurring schedule has the wrong cadence
- A transaction has the wrong date
- A category is marked as income when it should be an expense, or the reverse
- A planned transaction has already cleared but has not been marked