Proforma Invoice Generator
Send a proforma invoice before you supply, so your customer can arrange payment or approval. GST is worked out the same way as on the final tax invoice.
- 100% free
- No sign-up
- Runs in your browser
- Updated October 2026
1Invoice
Adds the line "composition taxable person, not eligible to collect tax on supplies" at the top, as Rule 5 of the CGST Rules requires.
2Your business
3Bill to
4Items
5Payment & notes
Your details are saved only in this browser. This makes a normal GST invoice PDF. It does not create an e-invoice (IRN) or file returns. The Excel and Word files hold the same details as an editable table; the logo, signature and UPI QR are in the PDF only.
My saved invoices
Every invoice you download is kept here, in this browser only.
What a proforma invoice is for
A proforma invoice is a preview of the bill. You send it after the customer has agreed to buy but before you deliver, so they know the exact amount, tax included, and can do whatever they need to do before paying. Typical reasons:
- A company's purchase team needs a document to approve the payment or raise a purchase order.
- You ask for an advance before you buy material or start production.
- A buyer needs it to apply for a loan, a subsidy or a letter of credit.
- A customer wants the final figure in writing before the goods are dispatched.
The page above opens the GST invoice tool with Proforma Invoice already selected as the document type. Everything else works the same way: GSTIN check, HSN/SAC codes, CGST + SGST or IGST picked from the two states, bank details, and an optional UPI QR for the exact total.
How it differs from a tax invoice
You won't find the term "proforma invoice" in the CGST Act or Rules. The law deals with the tax invoice (section 31, with the contents in Rule 46), the bill of supply, and vouchers for advances and refunds. That makes the proforma a commercial document with three practical consequences:
| Proforma invoice | Tax invoice | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before supply, to ask for payment or approval | For goods, before or at the time of removal; for most services, within 30 days of supply (Rule 47) |
| GST liability | None arises from it | Reported in your GST returns |
| Buyer's input tax credit | Can't be claimed on it | Can be claimed, subject to section 16 conditions |
| Numbering | Your own series | Consecutive, unique per financial year, up to 16 characters |
Because it can look like a bill, the tool adds "This is a proforma invoice, not a tax invoice" at the foot of every proforma, so nobody books it by mistake.
Advance received? Use the right document
If the customer pays an advance against the proforma, the proforma itself doesn't record it. Section 31(3)(d) of the CGST Act asks a registered supplier to issue a receipt voucher on receiving an advance. When you actually supply, you issue the tax invoice for the full value and adjust the advance. Whether GST is payable on the advance itself depends on whether you supply goods or services, so check this with your CA once for your business.
Filling it in well
- Use a separate number series such as
PI/26-27/001. Keep the tax invoice series untouched. - Put a due date if the advance must reach you by a certain day, and write the advance percentage in the notes, for example "50% advance with order".
- Use the same item descriptions, HSN codes and rates you will put on the tax invoice, so the two documents match.
- Set the place of supply correctly. A customer in another state will be billed IGST, so the proforma should show IGST too.
- Add a UPI ID if you want the customer to pay by scanning. The QR carries the exact total; for a part advance, tell them the amount to type.
When the goods are ready or the service is done, switch the document type to Tax Invoice, change the number to your invoice series and download the final bill. Your business details stay filled in.
Other invoice formats
Need more options? Open the full GST Invoice Generator.
Frequently asked questions
Is a proforma invoice valid under GST?
The CGST Act and Rules don't define a proforma invoice at all. It is a commercial document, not a tax document, so no GST is due on it and it doesn't go into your GST returns. Tax is reported on the tax invoice you issue for the actual supply.
Can my customer claim input tax credit on a proforma invoice?
No. Section 16 of the CGST Act requires the buyer to hold a tax invoice or debit note (or another document allowed by the rules) to claim credit. A proforma invoice is none of these, which is why the tool prints 'This is a proforma invoice, not a tax invoice' on it.
What happens when the customer pays an advance against the proforma?
Section 31(3)(d) of the CGST Act asks a registered supplier to issue a receipt voucher on receiving an advance. Later, when you supply, issue the tax invoice for the full value. Ask your CA how GST on advances applies to your goods or services.
Should the proforma and the final invoice use the same number?
No. Keep proforma invoices in their own series, such as PI/26-27/001, and tax invoices in another. Tax invoice numbers must be consecutive and unique for the financial year under Rule 46, so mixing proforma numbers into that series creates gaps.
Can I add a UPI QR for the advance amount?
Yes. Enter your UPI ID under Payment & notes and the proforma gets a QR code for the exact total. If you want only part of it as an advance, mention the advance amount in the notes and let the customer type it in their UPI app.