When you review a set of financial statements prepared using accrual accounting principles, why does net profit not equal cash flow?

Accrual accounting recognizes sales when cash is received and expenses when they are paid and cash flow matches expenses with the revenues they created.

There really is no difference. It$$s just that cash is what repays loans so we refer to net profit as cash flow.

There are timing differences between cash receipts and disbursements and accrual accounting recognition of revenues and expenses.

Net profit includes non$-$cash expenses and cash flow is calculated by taking net profit and adding back the non$-$cash expenses.