The movement of money into and out of a business over a specific period, tracking when cash is received from customers and when it's paid out for expenses. Positive cash flow means more money coming in than going out.
First used in business contexts in the 1950s, literally describing money 'flowing' like water through a business. The hydraulic metaphor, combining 'cash' from French 'caisse' (money box) with 'flow' from Old English 'flowan,' helps visualize money's movement through an organization.
Many profitable businesses fail due to poor cash flow timing - they might have plenty of sales on paper but lack actual cash to pay bills. This is why cash flow management is often more critical to survival than profitability, especially for growing companies.
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