RapidKnowHow • Breakthrough System Architecture (BSA)
Fast Cash-Flow Generation (0–90 Days)
A practical execution module to release trapped cash, stabilize Free Cash Flow (FCF), and improve ROCE—fast.
Built for volatile environments where decision speed and clarity decide outcomes.
A) Rapid Strategic Snapshot
Feynman Test (1 sentence):
Cash increases when money comes in faster, leaves slower, or both—using high-leverage actions you can execute now.
Outcome
+5–15% FCF uplift in 90 days (measured weekly).
BSA Loop
Signal → Prioritize → Act → Capture → Reinforce
Value Chain
Cash Release → ROCE ↑ → Risk ↓ → Multiple ↑ → Market Value ↑
B) Breakthrough System Architecture (BSA) — Fast Cash Blueprint
- Define the Outcome (90 days): Choose a single cash target (€, % FCF, or days of working capital) and lock the measurement cadence (weekly).
- Find Cash Traps (Signal): Identify where cash is stuck: AR (DSO), inventory (DIO), AP (DPO), pricing leakage, energy pass-through timing, contract terms, non-billed deliveries, overpayments, manual process waste.
- Prioritize Levers (Impact × Speed × Control): Pick 3 levers only. If it needs “permission from the future,” it’s not a 0–90-day lever.
- Execute (Act): Turn each lever into a 2-week action sprint with owner, metric, and deadline.
- Measure Value (Capture): Track weekly: cash released, FCF delta, ROCE delta, and one operational driver per lever.
- Institutionalize (Reinforce): Convert wins into rules: new contract clauses, automated checks, dashboards, review routines.
C) The 6 Fast Cash Leverage Zones (choose 3)
1) Accounts Receivable
- Invoice same day (zero delay)
- Dispute kill team (48h resolution)
- Top-20 customers cash acceleration plan
2) Inventory
- Reduce slow movers / dead stock
- Demand-based replenishment limits
- Cycle-count + shrinkage control
3) Payables & Terms
- Renegotiate payment terms
- Stop early payments unless discounted
- Vendor consolidation for leverage
4) Pricing & Leakage
- Close price list vs net price gaps
- Minimum margin guardrails
- Stop unapproved discounting
5) Contract Mechanics
- Indexation + escalation clauses
- Energy pass-through timing
- Take-or-pay / volume bands
6) AI & Automation
- Invoice audit & overpayment recovery
- Auto-reporting (kill manual reporting)
- Forecasting to cut stock & expedite costs
D) 90-Day Execution Sprint
Days 1–14
- Cash trap scan (AR, inventory, AP, leakage)
- Pick 3 levers + owners + targets
- Start weekly cash review
Days 15–45
- Execute lever sprints (2-week cycles)
- Fix billing & disputes fast
- Implement pricing guardrails
Days 46–90
- Contract term upgrades
- Automation rollout (audit, reporting, forecasting)
- Reinforce: rules + dashboard + cadence
E) KPI Scoreboard (Weekly)
| Metric | Baseline | Target (90d) | This Week | Δ vs Baseline | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Cash Flow (FCF) | € | +5–15% | € | € | — |
| DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) | — | -3 to -10 days | — | — | AR Lead |
| Inventory Days (DIO) | — | -5 to -15 days | — | — | Ops Lead |
| Pricing Leakage (% of revenue) | — | -0.2 to -1.0% | — | — | Pricing Lead |
| Overpayment Recovery | €0 | € | € | € | Finance |
| ROCE (supporting) | —% | +0.5 to +2.0 pts | —% | — | CFO |
Rule: Weekly “Capture” meeting focuses on deltas (Δ) only—no narratives without numbers.
F) Captain + Navigator Cadence (15 minutes weekly)
- Signal (3 min): What moved cash this week? (Top 3 drivers)
- Prioritize (3 min): Which lever gets attention next 7 days?
- Act (4 min): Decide 3 actions (owner + deadline)
- Capture (3 min): Record weekly deltas in scoreboard
- Reinforce (2 min): Which rule/process becomes permanent?
G) Action Trigger
Start now: Pick 3 levers, assign owners, and run the first weekly Capture meeting within 7 days.
If you want to apply this to Industrial Gases, add these two levers to your short-list:
Energy pass-through timing and contract escalation mechanics.
