--- title: "Proforma Invoice | ERPNext Documentation" description: "Create and manage Proforma Invoices from Sales Orders in ERPNext, including quantity-based and amount-based advance documents." space: "ERPNext" url: "https://docs.frappe.io/erpnext/proforma-invoice" updated: "2026-07-24" --- A **Proforma Invoice** is a preliminary, non-binding invoice sent to a customer before the goods are delivered or the final (tax) invoice is raised. It is commonly used to request an advance payment, to support a letter of credit or customs paperwork, or to give the customer a formal statement of what an order will cost. In ERPNext, a Proforma Invoice is raised against a **Sales Order**. It is a purely informational document: it does **not** post any accounting (General Ledger) or stock entries, does not affect the delivery or billing status of the Sales Order, and does not consume the ordered quantity. You can raise as many proformas against a Sales Order as you need. To create a Proforma Invoice, you must first enable the feature, and then create it from a submitted Sales Order. --- ## Enable Proforma Invoice The feature is off by default. To turn it on, go to: > **Selling Settings > Transaction** Select **Enable Proforma Invoice**. You can optionally set a **Default Proforma Print Format** that will be pre-selected whenever a proforma is created. ![](/files/Screenshot 2026-07-19 at 12.27.14 PM.webp) *Enable Proforma Invoice* ### **Naming Series** The naming series used for Proforma Invoices can be configured under: > **Selling Settings > Document Naming > Proforma Invoice** By default, proformas are named using the `PRO-.YYYY.-` series. --- ## Create a Proforma Invoice Open a **submitted** Sales Order and click: > **Create > Proforma Invoice** A dialog opens where you configure the proforma. ![](/files/Screenshot 2026-07-19 at 7.07.40 PM.webp) *Proforma creation dialog* The dialog has the following fields: - **Series**: the naming series for this proforma. - **Print Format** and **Letter Head**: control how the printed proforma looks. The default print format from Selling Settings is pre-selected; you can override it per proforma. - **Based On**: whether you specify each line by **Quantity** or by **Amount** (see below). - **Items**: the Sales Order lines. Each line is pre-filled with its **remaining** value (ordered minus what has already been proforma'd). Enter the quantity or amount for the lines you want to include (set a line to `0` to leave it out), then click **Create**. The proforma is created, its PDF is generated and attached, and the **Proforma** tab of the Sales Order opens automatically. ### Based On: Quantity This is the default. Enter the **Quantity** for each item; the amount is calculated automatically from the Sales Order rate (`Amount = Quantity × Rate`). Use this when the proforma represents a partial (or full) shipment of the ordered items, for example a staged delivery. ### Based On: Amount Switch **Based On** to **Amount** to enter a monetary **Amount** per line directly. Both **Quantity** and **Amount** are editable, and the rate is derived from them (`Rate = Amount ÷ Quantity`). Use this for value-based or advance proformas, for example "30% advance against this order". ### Hide Item Quantity in Print When **Based On** is **Amount**, an additional option, **Hide Item Quantity in Print**, becomes available. Enable it to omit the quantity and rate columns from the printed proforma, so it shows only the item and the amount. This produces a clean value-based document where you do not want to disclose a per-unit rate. ## Quantity/Amount Warning Proforma quantities and amounts are **not** enforced; a proforma is informational. However, if the **total** proforma quantity or amount for a line (this proforma plus any previously issued proformas) exceeds the ordered value, a warning is shown below the items table. You can still create the proforma; the warning is only there to flag it. --- ## The Proforma Tab Once at least one proforma exists for a Sales Order, a **Proforma** tab appears on the Sales Order. It lists every proforma raised against that order, showing the number, date, grand total and status. ![](/files/Screenshot 2026-07-19 at 7.09.53 PM.webp) *Proforma lists* From this list you can: - **View PDF**: open the attached proforma PDF. - **Send Email**: email the proforma PDF to the customer. - **New**: create another proforma. --- ## Print and Email Every proforma has its PDF generated and attached automatically on creation, using the selected print format and letterhead. You can: - Open the PDF from the **Proforma** tab (**View PDF**) or from the Proforma Invoice record. - Email it to the customer using **Send Email** from the tab, or the standard print/email options on the Proforma Invoice record. ![](/files/Screenshot 2026-07-19 at 7.10.31 PM.webp) *Proforma Invoice PDF* ## Cancel a Proforma Invoice To void a proforma, open the Proforma Invoice record and **Cancel** it. Cancelling marks the proforma as **Cancelled** but keeps its PDF for reference, and cancelled proformas remain listed in the Proforma tab (shown with a red *Cancelled* status) so you retain a full audit trail. A cancelled proforma no longer counts towards the total proforma quantity/amount used by the warning. --- ## Related Topics 1. [Sales Order](https://file+.vscode-resource.vscode-cdn.net/docs/user/manual/en/sales-order) 2. [Sales Invoice](https://file+.vscode-resource.vscode-cdn.net/docs/user/manual/en/sales-invoice) 3. [Selling Settings](https://file+.vscode-resource.vscode-cdn.net/docs/user/manual/en/selling-settings)