How do I forecast revenue, expenses, and profit on Inkle Books?

Turn on the Forecast toggle at the top right of the Summary tab, set a forecast period, and pick an assumption set. Your Summary switches from a backward-looking view of cash movement to a forward-looking view of profitability, with projected revenue, expense, and profit sitting alongside your actuals. This matters because Summary is the first screen most owners open, and until now you had to move into another report to see anything forward-looking.

Where to find it: Books > Reports > Summary > Forecast toggle (top right)

What changed

Forecasting has been available on the Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Cashflow Statement for a while. It was not available on Summary.

Now it is. You can run a forecast directly from Summary, and export it from the same screen using the download icon next to the toggle. You no longer need to open a separate report to project forward or to pull projected figures out of Books.

What you see with Forecast on

Switching the toggle on changes the top of the Summary tab.

Forecast period. Two date fields, a start and an end. This is the window Books projects into. It sits ahead of the historical range shown in "Showing summary for," so your actuals and your projection do not overlap.

Assumption set. The set of assumptions the projection runs on, selected from the dropdown on the right. Books ships with a default set. If you have built your own assumption sets, they appear here.

Profitability. Replaces the Cash Movement, Net Burn Rate, and Runway cards. It shows three figures for your historical period, each with its projected counterpart underneath:

• Revenue. Money earned in the period, with forecast revenue for the period ahead.
• Expense. Money spent in the period, with forecast expense for the period ahead.
• Profit. Revenue minus expense, with forecast profit for the period ahead.

The Profitability chart. Historical months are shown as solid bars for revenue and expense, with a dotted profit and loss line running across them. Forecast months sit inside a shaded block to the right, so the boundary between what happened and what is projected is visible at a glance.

MoM Revenue Breakdown. Sits below the chart and carries the forecast through month by month.

Running a forecast

1. Open Books > Reports > Summary.
2. Set your historical range in "Showing summary for." This is the data the projection is built on.
3. Turn on the Forecast toggle.
4. Set your forecast period start and end dates.
5. Pick an assumption set, or leave the default selected.
6. Read the Profitability card and chart. Scroll for the month on month breakdown.
7. To export, use the download icon at the top right. The export carries the forecast figures, not just your actuals.

What a forecast is actually doing

A forecast projects your historical pattern forward under a stated set of assumptions. It reads what your revenue and expenses have done over the range you selected, applies the assumption set, and extends the line into the months ahead.

Two things follow from that.

The historical range shapes the output. A projection built on six months of data behaves differently from one built on two. If your last few months were unusual, a one-off large invoice or a quarter where you prepaid an annual bill, the projection inherits that. Widen the historical range or adjust your assumptions if the output looks off.

A forecast is not a commitment. It is a directional read on profitability and cash, useful for deciding whether you can afford a hire, when to raise, or whether estimated tax payments are coming. It is not a guarantee, and it does not replace a conversation with your accountant on anything with a filing consequence.

FAQ

Does turning on Forecast change my books?

No. Forecasting is a view. Your transactions, categorizations, and closed periods are untouched.

Can I still see cash movement, burn, and runway?

Yes. Turn the Forecast toggle off and the Summary returns to Cash Movement, Net Burn Rate, and Runway.

How far ahead can I forecast?

Set any start and end date in the forecast period fields. Accuracy drops the further out you go, since the projection is still working from the same history.

What is in the export?

The export reflects what is on screen, including the forecast figures and the month on month breakdown.

Do I need a full set of closed books for this to work?

You need categorized transactions across the historical range you select. Uncategorized transactions will not be reflected in the projection.

Where else can I forecast?

The Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and Cashflow Statement all support forecasting too.