Working Capital Calculator

Determine your exact daily cash requirements to keep your business operating smoothly.

Current Assets

What you own or are owed
Money customers owe you for sales made on credit.

Current Liabilities

What you owe within 12 months
Money you owe to suppliers for purchases.
Unpaid wages, utility bills, taxes, etc.

Current Ratio

1.9

Healthy

A ratio between 1.5 and 2.0 suggests a solid financial position.

Net Working Capital
Total Current Assets ₹ 26,00,000
Less: Current Liabilities - ₹ 13,50,000

Available Working Capital

₹ 12,50,000

You have sufficient short-term assets to cover your immediate debts.

Working Capital — Key Formulas & Ratios

Net Working Capital
Current Assets − Current Liabilities

Positive = can pay obligations. Negative = cash crisis risk. Most businesses target NWC of 1.5–2× monthly expenses.

Current Ratio
Current Assets ÷ Current Liabilities

Healthy range: 1.5–3.0. Below 1.0 = danger. Above 3.0 = assets underutilized. Banks use this when evaluating working capital loans.

Quick Ratio (Acid Test)
(Cash + Receivables) ÷ Current Liabilities

Excludes inventory (harder to liquidate quickly). Target: ≥ 1.0. Stricter than Current Ratio — preferred by lenders for short-term credit decisions.

Industry-wise Current Ratio Benchmarks

Ideal ratios vary significantly by industry. A low ratio is fine for supermarkets; a high ratio is normal for capital-intensive manufacturing.

IndustryTypical Current RatioQuick Ratio
FMCG / Retail0.8–1.50.4–0.8
Manufacturing1.5–2.50.8–1.5
IT / Software Services2.0–4.01.8–3.5
Construction1.2–2.00.6–1.2
Trading / Distribution1.3–2.00.7–1.2
Healthcare / Pharma2.0–3.51.2–2.5
Restaurants / Hospitality0.5–1.00.3–0.7

Compare your ratio against industry peers rather than absolute thresholds. Lenders (banks, NBFCs) typically require a minimum current ratio of 1.33 for working capital loans.

Working Capital Cycle — How Cash Flows

The Working Capital Cycle (Cash Conversion Cycle) measures how long it takes to convert raw materials into cash from sales.

Cash
→
Stock
→
WIP
→
Sales
→
Debts.
→
Cash

CCC = Inventory Days + Receivable Days − Payable Days

⚠️ 5 Warning Signs of Poor Working Capital

Current ratio falling below 1.2 for two consecutive quarters

Paying suppliers before collecting from customers (negative CCC)

Relying on overdraft for day-to-day operations consistently

Rising debtor days (customers taking longer to pay)

Inventory piling up — stock not converting to sales

6 Proven Ways to Improve Working Capital

1
Reduce Debtor Days

Invoice promptly, offer early payment discounts (e.g., 2/10 Net 30), send payment reminders, and use automated billing via BharatERP. Cutting debtor days by 15 can free up crores of blocked cash.

2
Extend Supplier Credit

Negotiate Net-45 or Net-60 payment terms with key suppliers without straining relationships. Paying later retains cash longer — the free working capital loan every business should use.

3
Reduce Excess Inventory

Implement JIT (Just-In-Time) ordering. Each rupee of excess inventory is idle working capital. Track fast-moving vs slow-moving stock and liquidate dead stock at discounts.

4
Convert Short-Term Debt to Long-Term

If current liabilities include short-term loans, refinance them as long-term debt. This improves the current ratio without affecting the underlying business operations.

5
Use Invoice Discounting / Factoring

Banks and NBFCs offer invoice discounting — get 80-90% of invoice value upfront before the customer pays. Ideal for B2B businesses with long credit cycles (45–90 days).

6
Working Capital Loan from Bank

Banks offer CC (Cash Credit) accounts, OD (Overdraft), and Packing Credit against receivables and inventory at 10–14% p.a. Secured by book debts and stock — ideal for seasonal or high-growth businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Working Capital = Current Assets − Current Liabilities. It measures a business's ability to meet its short-term obligations using short-term assets. Positive working capital means the company can pay debts; negative signals liquidity stress and potential cash flow problems.
A current ratio between 1.5 and 3.0 is generally healthy. Below 1.0 means current liabilities exceed assets — a danger signal. Above 3.0 may suggest underutilized assets. However, the ideal ratio varies by industry — retailers operate safely at 0.8–1.2, while manufacturing firms target 1.5–2.5.
Quick Ratio = (Cash + Accounts Receivable) ÷ Current Liabilities. It excludes inventory because inventory may not convert to cash quickly in a crisis. A quick ratio ≥ 1.0 is considered safe. Banks and lenders often require a minimum quick ratio of 1.0 for short-term credit.
Key strategies: (1) Collect receivables faster — offer early payment discounts, send automated reminders, (2) Negotiate longer payment terms with suppliers (Net-45 or Net-60), (3) Reduce excess inventory with JIT ordering, (4) Refinance short-term debt to long-term, (5) Use invoice discounting/factoring for B2B businesses, (6) Obtain a bank CC/OD working capital facility.
CCC = Inventory Days + Receivable Days − Payable Days. It measures how many days it takes to convert raw materials into cash from sales. A lower (or negative) CCC means the business collects cash before it needs to pay suppliers — excellent liquidity. Most B2B businesses target a CCC under 60 days.
MSMEs and startups have limited cash reserves, so even a 30-day delay in receivables can cause salary/payment defaults. Unlike large companies, MSMEs can't easily raise capital. Tight working capital management determines survival — many profitable businesses fail simply due to poor cash flow timing.
Negative working capital (Current Liabilities > Current Assets) occurs when a business owes more in the short term than it holds in liquid assets. This isn't always bad — e-commerce and retail giants (Amazon, Walmart) intentionally run negative working capital by collecting cash before paying suppliers. For most MSMEs, however, it signals financial risk.
A working capital loan (CC account, OD, or packing credit) is a short-term credit facility from a bank secured against book debts and stock. Ideal for businesses with seasonal demand, long credit cycles (B2B), or rapid growth. Interest rates range from 10–14% p.a. Unlike term loans, you only pay interest on the amount used.
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