A pro forma invoice is a preliminary bill you send before the sale is finalised — a good-faith estimate of what the customer will owe, used to confirm details or arrange payment in advance. It looks like an invoice but isn’t a demand for payment or an accounting record.
Pro forma invoice vs regular invoice
A regular (commercial) invoice is issued once goods or services are delivered and is a formal request for payment that goes into your books. A pro forma is issued beforehand, isn’t recorded as a sale, and can still change. Many businesses mark it clearly with the words “Pro Forma” so there’s no confusion.
When to use one
- To give a buyer a firm price and details so they can approve the purchase or raise a PO.
- To request an advance payment or deposit before starting work.
- For international shipments, where customs may need a pro forma for valuation.
- When a customer’s finance team needs a document to set up payment before the real invoice.
What to include
Use the same layout as an invoice — your details, the customer, line items, the expected total and any tax — but title it “Pro Forma Invoice” and add a validity date. When the sale is confirmed, issue a normal invoice with an invoice number for your records.
Create one free
You can build a pro forma with our free invoice generator (add “Pro Forma” to the title or notes), then issue the final invoice once the order is confirmed — no sign-up needed.