Payments and Cash Flow are directly connected in Mastt. When you mark a payment as Paid and assign it to a month, it automatically appears in your Cash Flow view. This removes double-entry and ensures your forecasts reflect actual payment activity.
This article explains how payments populate cash flow data, what the visual indicators mean, and how open versus closed months affect your reporting.
Quick check: payment already set to Paid?
Paid payments won't appear as the main number in Cash Flow until the month is closed. If your payment status is Paid and you've selected a Month Paid but you can't see it:
- The month is likely still open. In open months, Cash Flow shows the forecast as the main number. Your paid amount appears as a green underscore at the bottom of the cell. Hover over it to see the paid amount and percentage.
- To display the paid amount as the main value, click the Close off button on that month's column header.
- If amounts look too small or too large, check the Denomination setting in Cash Flow Settings (cog icon, top right). The default is None, which shows the whole number.
If you haven't set your payment to Paid yet, follow the steps below.
Two ways to populate Cash Flow
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Automatically from a payment | Set the Status to Paid and select the Month Paid. The amount appears in that month's column in Cash Flow with no manual data entry. | Recording actuals as payments are made |
| Manually with forecasted values | Enter projected amounts directly into Cash Flow before recording any actual payments. Mastt compares actuals against your forecasts as you record paid payments later. | Planning ahead or budgeting future periods |
Most teams use both methods: they forecast future months manually, then let paid payments automatically populate actuals as the project progresses.
Automatically from a payment
When you record a payment in Mastt, you control where it appears in your Cash Flow by selecting two fields:
- Set the Status to Paid
- Select the month in the Month Paid field (e.g., September)
Once saved, the payment amount automatically appears in that month's column in Cash Flow, with no manual data entry required.
For example, if you mark a $50,000 payment as Paid and select September in the Month Paid field, that $50,000 will flow into the September column of your Cash Flow view.
Note: For step-by-step instructions on creating payments, refer to the How to Add Payments article.
Manually with forecasted values
You can enter projected amounts directly into Cash Flow before recording any actual payments. This is useful for planning ahead or budgeting future periods. As you record actual paid payments later, Mastt compares those actuals against your forecasts.
Note: For detailed instructions on entering forecasted values, refer to the How to Edit Budget and Object Level Cash Flow article.
How automatic population works
For a payment to appear in Cash Flow, two specific conditions must be met.
Set the payment status to Paid
Warning: Only payments with Paid status will populate Cash Flow. Payments with Draft, Submitted, Approved, or Rejected status will not appear.
- Click Payments in the top navigation.
- Click the Action button next to any payment.
- Select Edit Payment.
- Click the Status field and select Paid.
Select the Month Paid
When you set the status to Paid, Month Paid fills in automatically. If the payment was made in a different month, click Month Paid and select the correct month (e.g., September). The payment appears in that month's column in Cash Flow.
The green underscore indicator
After saving a payment with both conditions met, click the Cash Flow tab in the top navigation. Look at the bottom of the cell for the month you selected.
A green underscore appears at the bottom of any month that has paid payments recorded. This makes it easy to scan your Cash Flow timeline and identify which months have actual payments versus forecasts only.
The underscore shows payment progress as a percentage. An open month that has payments in it also shows an orange dot on the month heading.
Hover over the green underscore to see a tooltip displaying:
| Tooltip line | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Cash Flow | The forecasted amount for that month |
| Paid | The total amount of payments marked as Paid for that month |
| Percentage | The percentage of the forecast that has been paid |
For example, if you forecasted $144,000 for September and recorded $50,000 in paid payments, the tooltip shows:
- Cash Flow: 144,000
- Paid: 50,000
- Percentage: 34.72%
What displays in the Cash Flow cell depends on the month:
| Month | What the cell displays |
|---|---|
| Open | The forecast amount ($144,000) |
| Closed | The actual paid amount ($50,000) |
Open and closed months
| Open months | Closed months | |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | Any month that hasn't been closed off, including past months | Months you've closed with the Close off button on the column header |
| Main number shown | Your forecast. Paid amounts are only indicated by the green underscore and won't replace the forecast until the month is closed. | The actual (paid) value replaces the forecast. Forecast values are hidden. |
| Editing | You can view and edit forecast amounts. | You cannot edit data or add payments for that month. |
Closing a month "locks in" your actuals and transitions from forecasting to reporting view.
Warning: Anyone can close off a month, but only Workspace or Project Admins can re-open a closed month. If you need to edit a closed month and you're not an admin, ask your administrator to re-open it.
Example workflow
Forecast Cash Flow
- Click Cash Flow in the top navigation.
- Scroll down to the table.
- Choose how you want to set your cash flow:
- Budget Level: turn on the Budget Cash Flow Entry toggle in Settings (top right)
- Object Level: turn off the Budget Cash Flow Entry toggle in Settings (top right)
Note: Adding budget-level cash flow overrides object-level cash flow for everything in that budget. To switch back to object level, clear the budget cash flows from the budget's Action (three-dot) menu.
- Click the Action button next to the Budget (for budget level), or select the specific object (e.g., Contract, Change Order, or Forecast) for object level.
- Enter your forecasted amount (e.g., $144,000).
- Add a note if needed.
- Click Confirm to save changes.
Record payments as they occur
Follow the steps in How automatic population works above to add a payment with Paid status and a Month Paid selected. A green underscore immediately appears in the corresponding column in Cash Flow, proportional to the percentage paid.
Close the month
- Click Cash Flow in the top navigation.
- Click the Close off button on the month column header you want to close. The view changes from showing the forecast to displaying the actual paid amount, and the month is locked until an admin re-opens it.
Re-open a month (optional)
- Click Re-open on the closed month's column header. Only Workspace or Project Admins can do this; if you're not an admin, ask your admin to re-open the month.
- Edit the payments or forecasts as needed.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
My payment is set to Paid with a Month Paid selected, but I can't see it in Cash Flow. Where is it?
If the month is still open, Cash Flow displays the forecast as the main number. Look for a green underscore at the bottom of that month's cell and hover to see the paid amount. To show paid as the main value, click the Close off button on that month's column header. If amounts look too small or too large, check the Denomination setting in Cash Flow Settings (cog icon, top right). The default is None, which shows the whole number.
My payment has Draft, Submitted, Approved, or Rejected status. Why isn't it in Cash Flow?
Only payments with Paid status appear in Cash Flow. Change the status to Paid and select a Month Paid. See How automatic population works above for step-by-step instructions.
Why can't I edit a month in Cash Flow?
The month is likely closed. Only Workspace or Project Admins can reopen closed months. Check with your admin if you need to make changes to a past reporting period.
Need help?
Contact Mastt Support for additional assistance with Payments and Cash Flow integration.