Create an offer or proforma invoice

Price Offer

A price offer is a quote — it tells a client what something will cost. It does not create an accounting entry and does not commit you or the client to anything.

Steps:

1. Go to Income → Invoices → New Invoice.
2. Set the document type to Offer.
3. Fill in the client name, line items, and optional validity date.
4. Click Save to keep it as a draft, or Download PDF to send it to the client.

When the client approves, you can convert the offer to a proforma or directly to a tax invoice — click Convert to Proforma or Convert to Invoice from the offer detail view. Once converted, the offer is locked and cannot be used again.

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Proforma Invoice

A proforma is a formal invoice issued before delivery of goods or services. Many clients, especially larger organisations, require a proforma to get internal purchase approval before they pay.

A proforma is not a final tax invoice — it does not count as income and does not trigger VAT. It is a binding commitment of the terms.

Steps:

1. Go to Income → Invoices → New Invoice.
2. Set the document type to Proforma.
3. Fill in the client name, items, and amounts. Include VAT if applicable.
4. The proforma number is assigned automatically (e.g., PRO-2026-001).
5. Download or email the PDF to the client.

When the client pays or confirms the order:

1. Open the proforma.
2. Click Convert to Tax Invoice.
3. A new tax invoice is created with the proforma referenced as the source. The proforma is locked.

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What happens to the original document after conversion

After conversion, the source document (offer or proforma) is locked. You cannot convert it again or use it as the basis for a second invoice. This is intentional — each offer or proforma should map to exactly one final invoice for a clean audit trail.

If you need to issue a second invoice from the same proforma (e.g., the client ordered twice), create a new proforma.