Proforma invoice generator

A proforma invoice states what you will charge without creating a tax point. Numbered separately from your invoices, so your invoice sequence stays unbroken.

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What it looks like

A filled example. Your own figures replace these.

What a proforma invoice is and when to send one

A proforma invoice looks like an invoice and is not one. It is a document that states what you will charge, formatted the way an invoice is formatted, so the buyer's systems can act on it before the sale has happened. Nobody owes anything on a proforma.

What people actually use it for

  • Getting a purchase order raised, because many procurement systems need invoice-shaped input
  • Requesting an advance payment or deposit before work starts
  • Giving a buyer the figures for an import licence or a letter of credit
  • Showing a customs value for goods that have not been sold yet, for example samples

How it differs from a tax invoice

This is the part that matters, and the part most often got wrong. A tax invoice creates a tax point. Issuing one tells your tax authority, and your buyer's, that a taxable supply has occurred: you owe output tax on it and the buyer may reclaim input tax. A proforma does none of that, which is exactly why it exists.

So a proforma must not be labelled Tax invoice, must not carry a number from your tax invoice sequence, and should say plainly that it is not a tax invoice. If the buyer needs a tax invoice, issue one when the supply happens, with its own number.

Invoicora keeps proforma documents on their own numbering, so a proforma never consumes a number from your invoice sequence and your invoice numbers stay unbroken.

What goes on it

  • The words Proforma invoice, clearly, at the top
  • A proforma number and the date
  • Your details and the buyer's, with the buyer's legal name
  • Line items with quantity, rate and amount
  • The tax that will apply, shown as its own line and described as applicable rather than charged
  • The total payable if the buyer proceeds
  • Payment and delivery terms, and how long the figures stand

A worked example

Proforma with a 50 per cent deposit
Equipment, 4 units
36,000.00
Installation
4,500.00
Subtotal
40,500.00
VAT 15% applicable
6,075.00
Total if ordered
SAR 46,575.00
Deposit requested, 50%
SAR 23,287.50

The deposit is a request against this proforma. A tax invoice follows for the amount actually supplied, and it carries the tax.

What to do when the order lands

  1. Duplicate the proforma
  2. Change the document type to Invoice or Tax invoice
  3. Check the number: it should now come from your invoice sequence
  4. Adjust quantities to what was actually supplied, if they changed
  5. Reference the proforma number in the notes, so the buyer can match the two

Keeping the reference is worth the ten seconds. Buyers file the proforma against the purchase order and the invoice against the payment, and the only thing connecting them is the number you remembered to write down.

Sources last checked 2026-10-16

Common questions

Is a proforma invoice a real invoice?
No. It is a statement of what you intend to charge, formatted like an invoice. It creates no payment obligation and no tax point.
Can a buyer pay against a proforma invoice?
Yes, and advance payments are one of the main reasons to send one. Issue a proper invoice or tax invoice afterwards for the actual supply.
Can I claim or charge VAT on a proforma?
No. Show the tax that will apply so the buyer can see the full figure, but the tax is only charged on the tax invoice that follows.
Should a proforma use my invoice numbering?
No. Keep it on a separate sequence so your invoice numbers stay unbroken, which is what anyone reviewing your records will check.
What is the difference between a proforma and a quotation?
Very little in substance. A quotation is written for a person deciding whether to buy; a proforma is written for a system that needs invoice-shaped input.
Do I need to send a proforma before every invoice?
No. Most sales need only an invoice. Send a proforma when the buyer needs figures before the sale, usually for a purchase order, a deposit or customs.
Does Invoicora support proforma invoices?
Yes, as its own document type with its own numbering, free, with no signup and nothing uploaded.