Pro forma invoices often come into play with international transactions, especially for customs purposes on imports. A pro forma invoice is different from a simple price quotation in that it is a binding agreement, although the terms of sale are subject to change. A purchase order (PO) is a commercial document confirming the purchase of goods.

In business, documents can provide information, request payments, establish relationships and can be legally binding. A proforma invoice is unlike other invoices used in business with few distinct differences. The proforma invoice is used to create a sale, not to generate payment for a sale (the commercial invoice is used for payment purposes).

What to include on a proforma invoice?

Therefore, the proforma invoice may go through a number of iterations before it becomes acceptable to both the importer and exporter. Once the final proforma invoice is accepted by the buyer, it should be signed by the authorized buyer/importer and returned to the exporter. These are important documents that are used to officially confirm all order and product information to avoid any confusion or problems with the supply and delivery of products. Any additional information agreed between the buyer and seller can be included on these documents.

However, some choose to follow AP best practices and use a pro forma invoice number. The invoice should contain all the information a final sales invoice would typically have, thus giving the buyer all the information needed to arrange the purchase from the seller. As mentioned earlier, a pro forma invoice is not the official final sales invoice.

Purchase Order vs. Proforma Invoice: What’s the Difference?

As previously mentioned, a pro forma invoice states all taxes that apply to the purchase. Therefore, the VAT registration number of both the buyer and supplier needs to be clearly visible. If you aren’t fully involved in accounting processes, the context of the pro forma invoice might still be a little confusing. How To Create Proforma Invoice And Purchase Order Documents For Export Therefore, it makes sense to have a closer look at the different types of invoices next. Even though the pro forma invoice already contains an issue date, a description of what is being sold, the total amount payable, and any taxes or fees that may be incurred, the terms of sale can still be changed.

• Complete the top section if you are doing a proforma invoice and the middle section if you are doing a commercial invoice.
• A proforma should not be assigned an invoice number because it is not a true invoice that would be legally binding for commercial and tax purposes.
• Book this 30-min live demo to make this the last time that you’ll ever have to manually key in data from invoices or receipts into ERP software.
• As previously stated, software like InvoiceOwl includes pre-built invoice templates and enables you to generate and email commercial invoices to your customers with complete automation and with just a few clicks.
• A pro forma invoice is used to communicate the expected costs, fees, and date of delivery for an order or product.

It is sent to the seller through the buyer’s purchasing department. A purchase order is legally binding, as the terms are final and cannot be negotiated. A pro forma (or proforma) invoice is a comprehensive price quotation or offer to sell, presented in invoice format. It is typically used in product sales transactions where more information is required than is ordinarily included in a simple quote. The proforma invoice is often used in international transactions, where it is especially valuable. While proforma invoices and purchase orders contain many of the same details, they perform very different functions.

Why would you use a proforma invoice?

Since our software can easily be integrated into the accounting system or ERP program of your company, all extracted information is automatically saved in your database. Now we’ve talked about the different types of invoices, we should quickly discuss how taxes are included on a pro forma invoice. Commercial invoices are primarily used for international shipments and state the exact quantity that is being shipped.

It is important to understand that a proforma invoice does differ from an official invoice. A proforma invoice is a type of invoice or bill of sale that is sent to a buyer before delivery https://kelleysbookkeeping.com/federal-insurance-contributions-act-fica/ of purchase has been made. But what can you issue if the details of a transaction are not yet final, or to give a customer an idea of what the final deal will incorporate?