Proforma Invoices

A proforma invoice is a preliminary document sent to a customer before the final invoice is issued. It looks similar to a regular invoice and lists the goods or services and their prices, but it is not an accounting document in most jurisdictions. This article explains how Haikult treats proforma invoices and when you might want to use one.

How Haikult Handles Proforma Invoices

Because proforma invoices are not accounting documents, Haikult keeps them clearly separated from your regular invoices. The most important rule: you cannot reuse a series name between proforma and regular invoices. If a name is already used for one type, Haikult will block you from using it for the other. This prevents the two numbering sequences from getting mixed up in your records.

Proforma invoices are also excluded from various calculations across the app — totals, paid amounts, and revenue figures are based on regular invoices only. This way the numbers you see reflect actual accounting reality, not pending or speculative documents.

When to Use a Proforma Invoice

Proforma invoices are useful when you want to request payment or partial payment but are not yet certain about the final invoice. Two common cases:

• Advance payment — you want to receive money before starting work. The proforma communicates the amount and payment details, and a regular invoice follows once the work is done or the payment arrives.

• Uncertain final amount — you want to inform the customer about the expected amount but aren’t sure the full payment will come through. The regular invoice is then issued after the proforma is paid, reflecting the actual amount received.