Profit & Loss Sample, Budget Templates
Mike Hoffmann
Vending Machine Expert
Master the art of financial forecasting and reality checks using budget templates and P&L dashboards for vending operations.
Understanding the Budget Sheet
Mike introduces two essential tools: the Vending Budget Spreadsheet and the P&L Dashboard. The budget sheet serves as your pre-flight checklist before committing to a new location.
In the Vending Upfront Costs section, a new combo machine is listed at $6,000, with $350 for a cashless reader and $300 for first-week inventory, totaling $6,650. Switching to a 48-month finance model drops upfront capital to $650, letting you decide whether to conserve cash or avoid finance fees based on your business strategy.
Monthly Projections & Profitability
Under the Vending Monthly Budget, Mike inputs a conservative $1,000/month in revenue—his machines average $1,100. Expenses include $12.99 for cellular data, 13% inventory cost, and $35 for insurance.
The result: $685/month net profit per machine if purchased outright. If financed, a $150 payment reduces net profit to $535—still strong performance.
The Micro Market Panel projects up to 4x the revenue of a traditional machine, offering estimates based on property types like apartments and offices.
Using the P&L Dashboard
The P&L Dashboard becomes your mission control once the machine is live. Each tab is organized by location and month, so every site has its own financial snapshot.
Input sales revenue, cost of goods sold, and operating expenses including wages, health costs, card fees, and location profit sharing.
The sheet auto-calculates EBIT and final net income—bolded at the bottom. Green cells = cash cow. Red cells = pricing review needed.
Field Use & Practical Application
Weekly Routine for Real-World Tracking
Mike shares his weekly rhythm:
Import sales data from Square reports
Copy distributor invoices into COGS
Record repair costs under Other Expenses
This creates a clear, actionable overview of each route’s performance. Whether scaling or sustaining, this process reveals trends fast.
Duplicate these tabs monthly to create a full-year financial trail. Perfect for CPAs, buyers, or lenders during evaluations or exit planning.
From Forecasting to Reality Checks
Together, the budget sheet and live P&L give you both lenses needed to operate a healthy vending business: one for projections, the other for actuals. Mike encourages you to spend 20 minutes tonight copying both tools into your Google Drive. Use your local machine quotes and simulate three scenarios:
Cash Purchase
Finance Purchase
Micro Market
These tools are downloadable below in this lesson’s materials and will be referenced repeatedly as you grow.
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Complete the following exercises:
1. Reflect on a recent or hypothetical vending machine purchase decision. Using the budget template, calculate both the upfront costs and a financed option. Consider how these financial models would impact your cash flow and ability to scale your business operations effectively.
2. Create a mock P&L dashboard for a month of vending operations. Enter estimated or actual revenue and expense figures, and analyze the net income results. Identify potential areas for cost reduction or revenue enhancement, and plan actions to improve overall profitability.
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QUIZ
1. What is the primary benefit of using a P&L dashboard in vending operations?
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Leave your comments and questions below.
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