The Boswell Corporation forecasts its sales in units for the next four months as follows.

March 6,000

April 8,000

May 5500

June 4,000

Boswell maintains an ending inventory for each month in the amount of one and one-half times the expected sales in the following month. The ending inventory for February (March's beginning inventory) reflects this policy. Materials cost $5 per unit and are paid for in the month after production. Labour cost is $10per unit and is paid for in the month incurred. Fixed overhead is $12,000 per month. Dividends of $20,000 are to be paid in May. Five thousand units were produced in February. Complete a production schedule and a summary of cash payments for March, April, and May. Remember that production in any one month is equal to sales plus desired ending inventory minus beginning inventory.

What are the basic benefits and purposes of developing pro forma statements and a cash budget?