Proforma Invoice Generator.

A proforma invoice is a preliminary bill of sale sent before goods are delivered or services performed. It shows what will be supplied, at what price and with what taxes and terms, so that the buyer can approve the purchase, arrange payment or an advance, or complete import or loan formalities. A tax invoice is the legal document issued under Section 31 of the CGST Act and Rule 46 when the supply is actually made; it creates the seller output tax liability, is reported in GSTR-1, and is the document on which the buyer claims input tax credit. A proforma does none of these things. The simplest way to think of it is that a proforma is a quotation in invoice form; this generator adds the wording that makes that status clear.

A proforma invoice is not a GST document at all. The CGST Act recognises the tax invoice, bill of supply, receipt voucher, refund voucher, payment voucher, debit note, credit note and delivery challan; a proforma is not among them. It is perfectly legal to issue one, and it is common commercial practice, but it has no tax consequence: no GST is payable merely because a proforma was issued, it is not reported in any return, and the recipient cannot claim input credit on it. The tax event arises when the goods are removed or the service is supplied, or when an advance is received for services, at which point a tax invoice or receipt voucher must be issued.

Yes, as an indicative amount, so that the buyer knows the total they will have to pay and can budget or raise a purchase order for the full amount. The generator computes CGST and SGST for an intra-state supply or IGST for an inter-state one at the rates you select for each line, labels them as estimated, and states in the footer that the amounts are indicative at the rates in force on the date of issue. If you are not registered under GST, or the supply is exempt, choose the no-GST option and the tax columns are omitted. Showing GST on a proforma does not make it payable; only the tax invoice does that.

There is no statutory requirement, since the document is outside GST, but you should number them in a separate series from tax invoices for three reasons. Buyers refer to the number when releasing an advance, so you need a unique reference. Your tax invoice series must be consecutive under Rule 46 and should not be interrupted by non-tax documents. And your accountant needs to see at a glance which documents created a liability and which did not. A series such as PI/2026-27/0001 that resets each financial year works well; the invoice number generator on this site can produce one.

For goods, GST is not payable on an advance since Notification 66/2017; the tax arises when the goods are supplied and the tax invoice is issued, and the advance is simply adjusted. For services, GST is payable on an advance in the month it is received, and the supplier must issue a receipt voucher under Rule 50 showing the advance and the tax. When the service is completed, the tax invoice shows the full value and adjusts the advance already taxed. Either way, acknowledge the advance with a payment receipt and quote the proforma number so the buyer can match it. The bank transfer receipt generator on this site produces a suitable acknowledgement.

Long enough for the buyer to approve and pay, short enough that you are not bound to a stale price. For goods with volatile input costs, such as steel, textiles or electronics, 7 to 15 days is common. For services and projects, 30 days is usual, and some consultants allow 45 or 60. The validity line lets you decline an order placed after the date or re-quote at current prices. The generator computes a valid-till date from the number of days you enter and prints it in the header.

Yes, and it is a standard document in international trade. An overseas buyer uses it to open a letter of credit or arrange foreign exchange, customs authorities in some countries use it to assess duties in advance, and Indian banks may ask for it when releasing an advance payment under FEMA rules. For export use, add the currency, the Incoterm, the port of loading and discharge, the country of origin and the expected shipment date in the notes line, and show GST as zero-rated or omit it, since exports are zero-rated supplies. The final export invoice under Rule 46 must then carry the shipping bill details.

No. The parties, items and terms are used only in your browser to render the preview and the print view; there is no account, no server call and no history, so the document is gone when you close the tab unless you have saved it. Save the PDF with the proforma number in the file name, keep it with the order file, and when the order is confirmed create the tax invoice with the same lines in the GST invoice generator, which also runs locally in your browser.