Proforma invoices: the PF- series and converting to an invoice

A proforma invoice tells the customer what they will pay — for example before an advance payment. It is not a tax document: it does not count in your invoice series and does not make the customer owe anything.

Create a proforma

1. Invoicing → Invoices → Create Invoice.
2. In Document Type pick Proforma (in the Bulgarian form, Тип документ → Проформа).
3. Fill in the customer and the lines as on any invoice — see Create an invoice.
4. Click Create Invoice.

The proforma gets a number from its own series: PF-0000000001, PF-0000000002… A proforma can be issued even before your company details are complete.

Send it like an invoice — the e-mail says Proforma invoice PF-… and the PDF is Proforma_PF-….pdf. See Send an invoice.

In the invoice list, proformas carry a Proforma label; Invoices and proformas, Invoices and Proformas filter them.

What a proforma is not

• It is not owed: it does not count in Receivables and gets no payment reminders.
• It is not paid: you cannot record a payment on it.
• It is not corrected with credit or debit notes.
• It does not become an invoice by editing.

Convert to invoice

When the customer pays — or you are ready to invoice:

1. Open the proforma and click Convert to invoice.
2. Confirm: Create a tax invoice from proforma PF-… ? It takes the next invoice number.

CRM makes a tax invoice with the same customer and lines and the next number of your invoice series. The invoice links back to its proforma (From proforma PF-…), and the proforma is marked Converted and closed.

Then record the payment on the invoice — see Payments.

If something doesn't work

A proforma cannot be paid. Convert it to an invoice first.

Convert it, then record the payment on the invoice.

A proforma cannot be corrected with a credit or debit note. Convert it to an invoice first.

Edit the proforma while it is not converted, or convert it and correct the invoice.

This proforma was already converted to invoice …

Open that invoice.

A cancelled proforma cannot be converted.

Create a new proforma or an invoice.

A proforma cannot become an invoice by editing. Use "Convert to invoice".

Use Convert to invoice on the proforma's page.