What is the primary purpose of cash management in financial management?

The primary purpose of cash management in financial management is to optimize cash flow and maintain liquidity. This involves strategies and practices designed to ensure that an organization has enough cash on hand to meet its short-term obligations, while also maximizing the efficiency of cash usage. Effective cash management allows a business to prevent cash shortages that could impede operations, thereby ensuring stability and sustainability.

By optimizing cash flow, organizations can identify the timing of cash inflows and outflows, permitting them to manage their resources more effectively. This includes making timely payments to suppliers, ensuring that employees are paid on schedule, and strategically investing excess cash to yield returns. Maintaining liquidity is critical, as it allows a business to take advantage of investment opportunities and respond to unexpected expenses without disrupting operations.