Proforma Invoice Template

Create a proforma invoice: a preliminary bill issued before goods or services are delivered. Download a clean PDF marked PROFORMA INVOICE. Free, no signup.

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What a Proforma Invoice Is (and Is Not)

A proforma invoice is a preliminary bill of sale sent before delivery: it commits to a description, quantity, and price so the buyer can arrange payment, approval, or import paperwork. It looks like an invoice, but it is not a demand for payment and it does not enter your receivables. The final commercial invoice, issued at delivery, is the accounting document.

Two situations produce most proformas: international shipments (customs authorities want a value declaration before the commercial invoice exists) and prepayment arrangements, where a buyer's finance team needs a formal document to authorize paying you before work starts.

What to Include

  • Everything the final invoice will say: parties, itemized goods or services, quantities, prices, and totals, as accurately as you can state them in advance.
  • The label PROFORMA INVOICE, which this template applies, so no one books it as a payable by mistake.
  • Validity and terms: how long the prices hold and what payment arrangement follows (for example, 50% on proforma, balance on delivery).
  • For exports: country of origin, HS codes, weights, and shipping terms (Incoterms) in the notes field, as your freight forwarder directs.

Proforma vs. Estimate

They are cousins. An estimate proposes and expects negotiation; a proforma states the deal as agreed and precedes formality like payment authorization or customs clearance. If the customer has already said yes and needs paper to act on, send a proforma. If they are still deciding, send an estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a proforma invoice used for?

Two main uses: giving customs authorities a value declaration for international shipments before the commercial invoice exists, and giving a buyer's finance team a formal document to authorize prepayment. It commits to prices without being a demand for payment.

Is a proforma invoice a real invoice?

No. It is preliminary: it does not create a receivable, is not recorded as revenue, and is replaced by the final commercial invoice at delivery. The PROFORMA INVOICE label exists precisely so accounting systems do not book it.

Can I request payment with a proforma invoice?

You can arrange prepayment against one, and that is a common use. The proforma documents what the payment is for; once paid and delivered, issue the final invoice (and a receipt if requested) for the records.

Is this proforma invoice template free?

Yes. Build the document, download the PDF marked PROFORMA INVOICE, no signup, no watermark. Exporters should add HS codes, weights, and Incoterms in the notes field per their forwarder's guidance.

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