Your business
Proforma Invoice
PRO-0001
Issued Nov 5, 2026
Due Dec 5, 2026
Bill to
Client name
| Description | Qty | Amount |
|---|
- Subtotal
- $0.00
- Total
- $0.00
- Amount due
- $0.00
Free tool
Proforma invoice template and generator
Use this free proforma invoice template to build a preliminary PDF invoice in your browser, with tax, discounts and payment notes. Nothing is uploaded.
Updated · By PayToMe Editorial
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and your draft is saved only on this device.
Read the full guide: how to use it, what to include, worked example
A proforma invoice template gives you a preliminary bill you can send before the work or shipment is final. This free generator runs in your browser. Fill in the form, read the live preview and download a PDF in Letter or A4. There is no account, nothing is uploaded, and the totals are exact in 53 currencies.
What a proforma invoice is for
A proforma invoice says “this is what we expect to supply and what it should cost.” It is sent before delivery, usually to get something done: a buyer approves the quote, a finance team raises a purchase order, a bank arranges a payment, or a freight forwarder prepares paperwork. Because it comes first, it should be clearly labeled as a proforma, so nobody books it as a final bill.
Common situations include:
- Prepayment. A supplier wants payment before manufacturing or shipping.
- Approval. A client’s finance team needs a document to approve a spend.
- Cross-border sales. A buyer may need figures in advance for permits, financing or planning.
- Quotes that need an invoice layout. Some clients prefer to see the exact format they will later be billed on.
How to use the proforma generator
- Add the seller and buyer details. Enter your business name, address and contact information, then the buyer’s. Add your logo if you want one.
- Label and number it. Put “Proforma invoice” in the document title or notes and give it a number of its own. Pick the currency from the list of 53 and set the date.
- List the goods or services. One line each, with a description, quantity and unit price. Use a line discount for a single item that is reduced.
- Set the tax treatment. Choose a rate and mark it inclusive or exclusive. If tax is not yet settled, say so in the notes.
- Add terms and payment instructions. State the validity period, the payment terms and how to pay, such as bank details and a reference to quote.
- Download the PDF as Letter or A4. Your draft stays in this browser.
What to include on a proforma invoice
A proforma should be as complete as a final invoice, plus a statement of its status. Include:
- The words “Proforma invoice” where the buyer cannot miss them.
- Seller and buyer names and addresses.
- A proforma number and issue date.
- A validity date. Prices and stock change.
- A description of each item, with quantity and unit price.
- Delivery terms if relevant, such as who pays shipping and when delivery is expected.
- Tax, shown separately, or a note on how it will be treated on the final invoice.
- The total and the currency.
- Payment terms and instructions, including any deposit required before work starts.
- A note that a final invoice will follow.
Worked example
A furniture maker quotes a buyer in advance of building six chairs. Six chairs at 180.00 each, delivery at 60.00 and 5% tax added on top.
PRO-0012 · Alder Woodworks
| Item | Qty | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oak dining chair | 6 | $1,080.00 |
| Delivery | 1 | $60.00 |
| Tax (5%) | $57.00 | |
| Total | $1,197.00 | |
The chairs come to 6 x 180.00 = 1,080.00. Adding delivery of 60.00 makes a subtotal of 1,140.00. Tax at 5% is 57.00, so the total is 1,197.00. The notes read: “Proforma invoice, valid for 30 days. A 50% deposit of 598.50 is due before production begins. A final invoice will be issued on delivery.” The buyer has a precise figure for approval, and you have written terms for the deposit.
Proforma versus commercial invoice
The two documents look alike and do different jobs. A proforma is a preliminary statement of a planned sale, sent before it is complete. A commercial invoice records a sale that has happened and is commonly the document that accompanies an international shipment. Customs authorities set their own requirements for what must appear on shipping documents, and those rules differ by country and carrier, so confirm with them directly. A proforma is generally not a substitute for the final invoice, and tax agencies usually expect the final one in your records.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Not labeling it as a proforma. An unlabeled document is easily mistaken for a final bill and may be paid or booked twice.
- No validity date. Without one, you may be held to an old price.
- Different lines on the final invoice. If the numbers change, explain why in the notes.
- Vague delivery terms. Say who pays shipping and when delivery is expected.
- Ignoring the deposit. If you require a deposit, state the amount and the date in writing.
- Treating it as your tax record. Keep the final invoice for that purpose, and check your local rules.
Where to go next
For the full background and a side-by-side comparison, read the guide to the proforma invoice. When the work is finished, create the final bill with the invoice generator. If you are checking what a complete invoice needs, use the checklist in what to include on an invoice.