Proforma Invoice Template for Deposits and Pre-Shipment Docs
A proforma invoice is the seller quotation you use before goods ship. Buyers rely on it to approve a deposit, open a letter of credit, or confirm terms. It is preparatory, so customs will still need a commercial invoice when the shipment actually moves.
This Excel template mirrors the fields importers expect on the later commercial invoice and packing list: per-line HS code, country of origin, Incoterm with a named place, payment terms, and validity date. Line amounts and the document total calculate themselves so the deposit percentage applies to a number both sides already agreed.
What is in the proforma invoice template
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| SKU | Buyer product code, matching the PO and the eventual commercial invoice. |
| Description of goods | Specific description: what it is, material, and use. Avoid vague one-word labels. |
| HS code | Intended classification, per line, so duty estimates can start before shipment. |
| Country of origin | Where the goods will be made, per line. |
| Qty / Unit | Quantity to be supplied and the unit the price is quoted in. |
| Unit price | Agreed price per unit in the settlement currency. |
| Amountauto | Quantity multiplied by unit price. |
| Deposit % / Deposit dueauto | Header deposit percentage applied to the document total. |
Mistakes this template is designed to prevent
Treating the proforma as the customs document
Customs clears on the commercial invoice for the completed sale. A proforma can support payment and planning, but the shipment still needs a commercial invoice and packing list that agree with each other and with the PO.
No validity date on the quote
Unit prices and lead times drift. A proforma without an expiry leaves you arguing about a number the factory thought expired last month. Put a calendar validity date in the header and reissue if it lapses.
Deposit percentage with no document total
Wiring 30% of an undefined amount creates payment disputes. Lock line prices and the total first, then apply the deposit percentage so both sides see the same due amount.
Proforma Invoice Template FAQ
Related reading
- How to organize supplier invoices. File the proforma with the PO so the commercial invoice can be matched later
- How to create a purchase order. Lock the fields the proforma and commercial invoice must echo
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The template is free. Keeping fifty of them in sync is the problem.
A spreadsheet works until there are eleven versions of it and nobody knows which one the supplier filled in. SupplyAutomate keeps purchase orders, supplier documents, shipments, and landed costs in one workspace that updates as the order moves.