Make a pro forma
invoice
Ask for payment before you start or ship, with a clear pro forma marked as not a VAT invoice. See the real PDF as you type. Free, with no account.
Your business and bank details are kept in this browser only, never sent to us to store.
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<p style="font-size:12px">
<a href="https://taptax.co.uk/proforma-invoice-generator">Pro forma invoice generator by TapTax</a>
</p>- Pro forma invoice
- A document that sets out what a sale will cost before it happens, usually to ask for payment up front. It looks like an invoice but is not one: it is not a demand for payment of a debt, and it is not a VAT invoice.
When a pro forma invoice helps
- You want payment, or a deposit, before you start work or ship goods.
- A new customer needs a document to raise a purchase order or get approval.
- Goods are being sent abroad and customs need their declared value.
- You are confirming a price in the form your customer’s accounts team expects.
Pro forma compared with the real invoice
| Pro forma invoice compared with invoice | |
|---|---|
| When | Before the sale or payment; the invoice after the supply |
| VAT | Not a VAT invoice; the customer cannot reclaim VAT on it |
| In your records | Not income yet; the invoice is what you record |
| Marked | “Pro forma” and “This is not a VAT invoice”, both printed for you |
| Afterwards | Issue the real invoice once paid or supplied |
HMRC says a pro forma invoice should be clearly marked as not being a VAT invoice, so a customer never reclaims VAT on it. Every pro forma made here carries that line. Once the customer pays, or you supply, issue the proper invoice with the invoice generator, normally within 30 days if it is a VAT invoice.
- A pro forma asks for money but is not an invoice or a VAT invoice.
- Follow it with a real invoice once you are paid or have supplied.
Pro forma or quote?
A quote offers a price for the customer to accept. A pro forma invoice assumes the deal is agreed and asks for payment on those terms. Many businesses send a quote first, then a pro forma once it is accepted, then the invoice. Quote each one's number on the next, so the chain is easy to follow.
Nothing you type here is stored on our side. The pro forma is made and sent straight back to you as a PDF, with a small “Created with TapTax” line in the footer and nothing else of ours.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the pro forma invoice generator free?
Yes, with no account and no card. The only mark of ours is a small “Created with TapTax” line in the footer.
What is a pro forma invoice?
A document setting out what a sale will cost, usually to ask for payment before you deliver. It is not an invoice for a debt and not a VAT invoice.
Can my customer reclaim VAT on a pro forma?
No. HMRC says a pro forma should be marked as not a VAT invoice, and every one made here is. Issue the real VAT invoice once paid or supplied.
Is a pro forma the same as a quote?
No. A quote offers a price to accept; a pro forma assumes the deal is agreed and asks for payment on those terms.
Do you keep my pro forma invoices?
No. The PDF is made and sent straight back; nothing you type is stored.
From pro forma to paid.
TapTax sends the real invoice, chases it when it is late and files your quarterly updates to HMRC. Start on the free plan, no card needed.
Get started freeWhere these figures come from
Rates from GOV.UK.