What is Proforma Invoice & How to Create Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks?

Creating proforma invoices in QuickBooks is helpful for monitoring the products and services you have promised to deliver to a particular customer. As a binding agreement, many businesses can benefit from it. To benefit from it and manage the products or services you will be selling to your customers, you will need to have the knowledge to create it. So, here, we will be listing out the with complete guidance to assist you in learning how to create a proforma invoice in QuickBooks. These methods will also be inclusive of preparing multiple proforma invoices and duplicating the proforma invoices.

What is a Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks?

Some of you may be familiar with what an invoice is. It is a document that explains the payment details of a particular product or service. Likewise, a proforma invoice in QuickBooks shows that a particular seller has intended to deliver a certain service or product to a customer. The proforma invoice states the amount of that service or product prior to selling it so that any kind of disputes do not arise at a later point.

It should be noted that this invoice cannot be considered as an actual bill but a preliminary one. Prior to settling any deal with the customer, this document is sent to her or him for giving all the necessary information. In QB, any template or form isn’t provided for the proforma. However, the users of QuickBooks can prepare a new estimate form. They can title the form as a proforma invoice.

What are the Different Types of Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks?

Prior to knowing how to create a proforma invoice in QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online, you may wish to know the types of this document that can be created in the software. In QuickBooks, you can make two different proforma invoices. These have been mentioned as follows:

i. Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks for Shipping: The users of QB can make a proforma invoice for those goods which are being internationally shipped. For this purpose, the document will not mention taxes or even VAT of any kind. However, such an invoice will be helpful for knowing the value of all the services or products which are being shipped.

ii. Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks for Customers: As many of you would know, QuickBooks proforma invoice for customers will list the services or goods which will be delivered to a provider’s customer. This document will also function as a proof to state that the said services or goods will be delivered to a particular customer.

How Do I Create a Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks?

For preparing a proforma invoice in the QuickBooks software, you can tap the gear-like icon. It will present you with an option of Custom Form Styles. You can select it and then switch to the tab named New Style. Click-open the New Style Menu and opt for Estimate. As you enter the Content tab, you have to hit the Edit option and go to Customer Form styles. You can click on Make Default to finish making the proforma invoice.

• The first step requires running the “QuickBooks” software.
• Press the “Gear” shaped icon.
• Choose “Custom Form Styles”.

• Press the “New Style” tab.
• Then click on “New Style Menu”.
• Choose the “Estimate” option.

• Go to the tab titled “Content”.
• Near “Edit” in “Customer Form Styles”, you will find a dropdown option. Press it.
• Choose “Make Default”.

• The name estimates have to be renamed. You can enter any name as per your preference.
• Press “Save”.
• Click on “Exit”.

How Can I Create Multiple Proforma Invoices in QuickBooks?

Let us now look at the method for preparing multiple proforma invoices in the Intuit accounting software. Initially, you can choose the Create option after opening the software. You’ll see Multiple Invoices mentioned here. Select the same and then further press Add. Now, start making as many invoices as required and input the information.

• Open “QuickBooks” and look for the “Create” icon. Then press it.
• Choose the option of “Multiple Invoices”.
• Click on the “Add” button. You will find it on the left. This button will help you in making a new proforma invoice.
• Now, create multiple invoices. As you create them, all the rows present will get numbered.
• Choose one field to input the information you want.

Note: Due to certain reasons, you may wish to delete the proforma invoice you’re making. To do so, you can click on the “Menu” in the form of three vertical dots. Choose the “Delete Invoice” option.

What is the Way to Duplicate a Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks?

There can be several reasons as a result of which you may wish to duplicate a particular proforma invoice in the QuickBooks software. Going ahead with this purpose, you can select all the customers to whom you want to provide the proforma invoice. You will see the window of Multiple Invoices opening. You can go through the proforma invoices of your customers and edit them. This is followed by saving the edits you have made.

• Choose the customers you would like to send the proforma invoice to.
• Press “Next”.
• In the window of “Multiple Invoices”, you’ll be able to see the invoice for all the customers. You can add, as well as edit, the invoices.
• Ensure that the invoices have been saved.

Note: When you choose to duplicate a proforma invoice, every line in it will get duplicated. In case no preferences for taxes or terms which are customer-specific have been established by you, preparing multiple proforma invoices should be skipped.

Things to Keep in Mind while You Create Proforma Invoice in QuickBooks

While you learn how to create a proforma invoice in QuickBooks, there are certain things you should know. Three of them have been mentioned as follows:

• The proforma invoice need not be recorded for a customer as an accounts payable or payroll. Since the seller is not expected to make the payment, see to it that the invoice isn’t marked in book-keeping.
• The proforma invoice should not be considered as a real bill. It works as the substitute for the invoice and puts no obligation on the customer to submit the payment.
• Such an invoice shouldn’t be considered as an accounts receivable or recorded as the same.

Bottom Line

Proforma invoice outlines the services and products a certain provider has promised to deliver to his or her customer. This document can be of two types. You can prepare it for the internationally shipped goods as well as for your customers. For preparing them in QuickBooks, we showed you the exact method needed. We believe that our method made it easier for you to learn how to create a proforma invoice in QuickBooks.

Dear readers, if you use QuickBooks frequently, then you may come across certain errors and problems like not remembering your correct password. Our posts on the QuickBooks error H202 and QuickBooks Password Reset Tool usage will help you out in such instances.