Invoices are used to track inventory, accounts receivables, and expenses. Purchase Order Number: a unique identifier used to keep track of ordersĪs a commercial document, an invoice is needed whenever a business transaction involves paying for goods or services.Payment: whether the buyer should pay by check, money order, or other means.Due Date: when payment is expected, either in 30 days or by a specific date.Description: detail of each item sold or service provided.Buyer: person or company purchasing the goods or services.Seller: person or company offering goods or services.Invoices are used by a person or company (offering goods or services) to tell a buyer that payment is now due.Ī basic invoice should include the following details: If there are any disputes relating to the order or supply of goods, these documents will be referred to in a court of law.An invoice is a request for payment for itemized goods and services sent from a seller to a buyer. Any additional information agreed upon between the buyer and seller can be included on these documents.īoth parties will have to counter-sign each document as they represent a legally binding agreement between the buyer and seller. These are important documents that are used to officially confirm all order and product information to avoid any confusion or problems with the supply and delivery of products. How does a Proforma Invoice work with a Purchase Order?Ī Proforma Invoice is typically issued by the seller upon receiving a Purchase Order from a buyer. It is because of this disparity that a Commercial Invoice is typically issued after the goods have been delivered or shipped to ensure it accurately represents the final number of goods shipped. This difference can be due to many reasons, however the most common is that a supplier is having manufacturing issues or delays or that the supplier did not correctly plan how many products would fit inside shipping containers.

This is because the quantity of goods ordered (from the Proforma Invoice) can be different to the actual quantity of goods that have been shipped (on the Commercial Invoice). The 2 documents are essentially the same, however, there can sometimes be a difference in the quantity of goods stated on the Commercial Invoice to what is on the Proforma Invoice. What is the difference between a Proforma Invoice and a Commercial Invoice? You'll know when recipients have viewed your invoice and recipients can even pay the invoice online via credit card for convenience.Ĭreate in IncoDocs Your questions, answered. before the goods have been produced or delivered. Once the goods have been produced and are ready for shipment, sellers will request the balance amount to be paid on a Proforma or Commercial invoice. A Commercial Invoice is usually issued after the goods have been supplied and will contain the actual final product quantities and balance amount to pay which will be used by the importer during the customs clearance process.ĭownload or share invoices from IncoDocs in 1-click. Note that Proforma Invoices are issued pre-shipment, i.e.

A common example is a 30% deposit payment up front, and the 70% balance payment after the goods have been produced or shipped (the specific terms to be negotiated and agreed upon between the buyer and seller). At the beginning of a new export shipment order, the seller will prepare and send a Proforma Invoice to their buyer to confirm the order details and typically request a deposit payment. In the global trade process, the exporter will usually require a deposit payment to confirm the order and start manufacturing the goods.

Commercial invoice template for samples