Cash flow statement提供cash-based information，跟income statement的accrual-based不同。根据这个statement可以分析sources and uses of cash，以及liquidity, solvency和financial flexibility.
Activity分类
Operating Activities
inflow的例子：cash sales, collection of accounts receivable
outflow的例子：cash payments for inventory, salaries, taxes, and other operating-related expenses， and paying accounts payable
另外还包括：与dealing securities和trading securities相关的现金活动（不包括investing purpose的security）
Investing activities
Purchasing and selling long-term assets and other investments.
Financing activities
Obtaining or repaying capital, such as equity and long-term debt.
不过 indirect borrowing using accounts payable 是属于operating的，不是financing。
经典易错
Purchase of equipment显然是investing，Proceeds from sale of equipment也是investing，但是Loss on sale of equipment不是investing，甚至跟cash无关，只是损益。
关于interest和dividend的分类
| operating | investing | financing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| interest received | I/G | I | |
| interest paid | I/G | I | |
| dividend received | I/G | I | |
| dividend paid | I | I/G |
IFRS的received可以是operating或investing，而paid则是operating或financing。
GAAP只有dividend paid是financing，其他都是operating。
non-cash
A non-cash transaction is any transaction that does not involve an inflow or outflow of cash. Any significant non-cash transaction is required to be disclosed
Direct和Indirect展示方法
无论哪种方法，一般都会在意以下内容：
- 现金总量的变化增减
- 每年从operating赚来的现金量是不是占比较大，能不能超过net profit
- 每年从operating赚来的能不能cover “Purchase of property, plant and equipment”
两种format的最大不同是operating部分对于indirect是可选的，它是可以从net income开始而不展示怎么得出net income的。
Direct
The direct method eliminates any impact of accruals and shows only cash receipts and cash payments. It provides information on the specific sources of operating cash receipts and payments.
在GAAP下如果用Direct格式，会要求提供调节表来展示如何从net income调节到cash and cash equivalents的步骤（也就是indirect所展示的东西）。
Indirect
Shows how cash flow from operations can be obtained from reported net income as the result of a series of adjustments.