Glossary

What is proforma invoice?

A proforma invoice is a document that states what a sale will cost before it happens — a firm quotation in invoice form, not a demand for payment.

Updated August 7, 2026

It is not a tax invoice and it does not create a receivable. Corporate buyers often ask for one so they can raise a purchase order against it.

Once the order is confirmed, it becomes a real invoice with its own number, and that is the one that gets paid and recorded.

Where this shows up