Proforma Invoice Template

Proforma Invoices for Small Businesses

You have probably heard of good, old-fashioned invoice, but what is a “proforma invoice”?

As a small business owner, you are familiar with the process of onboarding your clients, negotiating terms and finally deciding on a price. Once you work out the finer details, however, you need a way to confirm that everyone is on the same page.

A proforma invoice is a precursor to the official invoice. It lets your clients know ahead of time what services are being delivered, when they will be completed and how much the project is going to cost. In other words, it is a “heads up” before they are faced with sending payment.

Pro forma invoices are a great way of keeping everyone on the same page and making sure that you get paid correctly, without any misunderstandings. It can also allow your clients to issue advance payment for services rendered, with the actual invoice to follow.

Sending a proforma invoice can be nice because it lets your clients know what to expect. It also gives them time to figure out their financials in preparation for paying you for your services. Note that a proforma invoice is not a true VAT invoice.

Before you send the official invoice, consider sending a proforma invoice in order to make sure that your client is prepared for the work you are doing. This will just make the project go more smoothly.

There are many reasons for using a proforma invoice for your business. You can use a proforma invoice to:

• Notify clients of product delivery dates and details
• Outline the services being provided by your business
• Send them a statement of how much services or goods will cost
• Let them know of your accepted payment methods
• Inform them of the payment due date and terms
• Declare the value of goods for customs

Using a proforma invoice may be a good idea if you are in the process of sending goods to customers or are finalizing your fees for your services. It ensures that all details are tied away and ready for the work to start.

Then, once you are ready for the project to start, you can send a standard VAT invoice. This will be what your client refers to when making a payment. Until then, a proforma invoice will do the trick in getting everything else squared away.

How Do You Use a Proforma Invoice?

Before you send an official invoice for your work, you may want to send a proforma invoice to confirm that all the details are in order.

A proforma invoice is an estimated invoice to let clients know of the services or goods being delivered, the value of said goods, the costs and the payment terms.

Before you start on a project, send a proforma invoice so that your client understands all of the details and is prepared to pay you in a timely manner. Download the free proforma invoice sample from FreshBooks to create a proforma invoice of your own. The invoice generator app is easy to use and perfect for sending pro forma invoices swiftly, letting your payments arrive on time.

Learn how to fill out your custom invoice below.

1. Download your free proforma invoice template
2. Add your name, your business name and your contact information
3. Customize with your business branding and logo
4. Fill out the customer’s name, business and contact details
5. Include a unique invoice file number, invoice date and payment due date
6. List the services or goods provided and the description and price for each
7. Calculate the total cost and include it at the bottom
8. Add your business payment terms and additional information
9. Make sure to specify that this is “not a VAT invoice”
10. Send the proforma invoice to your client via FreshBooks, email or direct mail

Keep your accounting in check with free invoicing software that lets you create invoices at a touch of a button. Balance sheets and income statements never have to be a pain again!

Create your own proforma invoice in a matter of minutes with the free template from FreshBooks. To generate invoices for any situation, use the invoice creator. Simply download the sample, customize and send it to your client.

Get ahead of the game with your invoicing for your small business. The proforma invoice template makes it easy to create invoices of your own, without breaking the bank.

Download a Proforma Invoice Template for Free

Create your very own proforma invoice for your small business with the latest template from FreshBooks.

Downloadable, customizable and easy to send, this template it made to ensure that can get paid for your work the right way. Download the invoice generator software to access 100% free professional invoicing templates.

Find out why business owners in the US, UK and across the world are turning to invoice templates for their business needs.

Get the template today and take your small business invoicing to the next level.

Proforma invoice templates FAQs

How do I create a pro forma invoice?

To create your own proforma invoice, simply download the free proforma invoice template from FreshBooks in the proforma format that you prefer.

FreshBooks provides you with invoice samples in multiple formats, so you can get paid no matter your software preference.

If you have the Microsoft Office Suite, download the Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel proforma format invoice to get started. Simply customize the empty fields, double-check to make sure you have included all of your relevant business and customer information, and send it off to your clients. It’s familiar to many users and can be fully customized to suit your company branding.

If you prefer Adobe PDF, you can download the proforma invoice template PDF and edit your proforma invoice in PDF format. They can be edited to suit any proforma invoice that you need to send, and looks professional and trustworthy.

What is a proforma invoice template?

A proforma invoice template is a professionally formatted estimate bill that you can customize and send to your clients, before you send them the official tax invoice.

Using an estimate maker in this way keeps all of your invoice records concise and professional, allowing you to rest easy knowing that your clients trust you and your business.

A template is the best solution to busy business owners or freelancers who have plenty of projects they need to get through, and don’t want to heap more work onto their plate by struggling to make their own invoice from scratch.

How do you write a pro forma?

To write a proforma, you will first need to know the amount that you will be charging for each of your services.

Then, download an invoice template in your preferred format to get started.

Put in your business name and your contact details, as well as your business address.

Customize your template with your preferred font, design, and business logo, to keep everything on-brand and let your business stand out.

Be sure to fill out the sections requesting the customer’s business information, including name, address and contact details.

Insert an invoice number and date at the top, to keep everything easily recognizable and make any future referencing a breeze.

Fill in the services administered, projects undertaken or goods provided fields and break down the details for your client if possible. Add a price for each section.

Add up the total cost of your services or goods provided and include this number at the bottom.

If you have specific business payment terms, include these in the payment information section, alongside any other additional payment information.

Somewhere on your invoice, you will need to identify your proforma by writing “this is not a VAT invoice” (Value Added Tax Invoice).

Save your proforma invoice, and send it off to your clients either by mail or email.

Then all you have to do is wait to get paid!

How do I create a proforma invoice in Excel?

For those who dig spreadsheets, Microsoft Excel has a free and practical proforma invoice template that will get you up and running.

To create a proforma invoice in Excel, you’ll need to first download the free proforma invoice template excel spreadsheet.

It will already have the relevant fields ready and waiting for you, so all you need to do next is insert the right information in the sections.

Then, save your proforma invoice in your preferred format, and send it off to your clients. They will know exactly what to expect from your services, and you will both be on the same page when it comes to payday.

Get the template today and take your small business invoicing to the next level.