
A proforma invoice is not a legally binding document. There are many more significant differences between proforma invoices and standard invoices, such as: Unlike standard invoices, proforma invoices should not have an invoice number. In a few words, a proforma invoice is a provisional or a draft invoice that lets your customer know how much your services or goods will cost them. Proforma invoiceĪ proforma invoice is an estimated invoice sent to the buyer in advance of the delivery of the products or services.

This will allow them to easily track the invoice in case of any future queries.


The seller should also ensure that they include an invoice reference number. Most importantly, standard invoices also include the price of the purchased goods or services, the seller’s payment details, and an invoice due date. They include the seller’s and the buyer’s names, locations and contact details, as well as a short description of the purchased product or service. Sales invoices often follow a common format. Sales invoiceĪlso known as standard or regular invoice, this is the most popular kind of invoice. With this in mind, we’ve put together the following list detailing the main invoice types: 1. Basically, the kind of invoice that you’ll send will always depend on three things: the industry you work in, the kind of services that you sell, and how often you’d like to get paid. For example, did you know that there are many different types of invoices? 10 most popular invoice types Woman writing an invoice with a laptop and calculator.īusinesses can create a wide range of different invoices for their clients. It also allows them to chase their customers for payment once their invoices have become past due.Īlthough the main gist of invoices is fairly simple, the truth is that there is a lot more to them than meets the eye. This helps companies know whether their customers are paying their invoices on time and in full. Secondly, invoices are also a way of requesting payment from a customer. Thanks to an invoice, you can easily know when you sold a product or service – as well as find out who you sold it to. It is a legally binding document between you and your customer that allows you to keep a record of your sales. Firstly, an invoice serves as a means of recording the sale and purchase of products or services. The main purpose of an invoice is twofold. For the uninitiated, an invoice is a time-stamped document that a seller gives to a buyer in order to collect payment. If you’re a new business owner, it’s quite likely that you’ve asked yourself that question. “What is an invoice and how do I write one?”. To write an effective invoice, you need to follow these steps: create a professional-looking layout, include a detailed breakdown of your costs and ensure that you added all the relevant information.Invoices have 3 main purposes: they help you file taxes accurately, they grant additional legal protection in case of a dispute and they give you the necessary insight to make smart future investments.The type of invoice you need to write will depend on your industry, your services and the kind of payment you’re requesting.

There are many different kinds of invoices – from standard sales invoices to interim invoices for ongoing projects and commercial invoices for international trade.Apart from being a record of sale, invoices are used to request payment from a customer. An invoice is a legally binding document that details the sale of products or services by a seller to a buyer.
