Proforma invoice template
A proforma invoice is a preliminary bill sent before goods ship, often so the buyer can pay in advance, open a letter of credit or apply for an import permit. It is marked as not a tax invoice, and the final invoice follows at shipment.
No sign-up, no watermark. Made in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Free trial: 1 run of Invoice Generator every day. After that, 2 credits per run.
What this template includes
- Your business name, address and contact details
- Customer name and address
- Document number and issue date
- Incoterms
- Estimated delivery
- Valid until
- Line items with qty, price and amount
- Tax, discounts, amount paid and balance due
What buyers and banks look for
An exact description of the goods, HS codes, quantities and unit prices, the currency, Incoterms, estimated shipment date and how long the offer is valid. The template has fields for each.
Proforma is not a tax invoice
In the UK a proforma must be clearly marked "This is not a VAT invoice", and in India the GST law does not recognise a proforma as a tax invoice. The template prints the right wording for the country you choose.
Questions
Can the buyer claim tax back on a proforma?
No. Input tax is claimed on the final tax invoice, not the proforma. Issue the tax invoice when the goods ship or the payment creates a tax point.
Should the proforma match the final invoice?
It should, unless quantities or prices change. Banks handling a letter of credit compare the documents, so explain any differences in the final invoice notes.
Do I number proforma invoices?
Yes, with a separate series such as PI-0001, so they never use up numbers from your tax invoice sequence.