BuildWellFree Pro Forma Invoice Generator
Show the client what they’ll owe before the work, see it as you type, and download a PDF. Free, no account.
Everything stays in this browser. Nothing you type is sent to BuildWell.
How to use the free pro forma invoice generator
The free pro forma invoice generator shows a client what they’ll be billed before the work is done, in the form of an invoice. Add your business and the client, list the expected charges, set when a deposit or payment is expected, and download the PDF. The preview updates as you type. Below the tool: a worked example, what makes a pro forma invoice clear, the mistakes that confuse it with the real bill, and how it fits with estimates, invoices and receipts.
- 1
Add your business and the client
Enter your business details and logo, then who it’s for.
- 2
List the expected charges
Add each line of work or goods with quantity and price, plus tax.
- 3
Set the date and terms
Set when payment is expected, and say in the terms that this is not a request for final payment.
- 4
Download and send
Download the PDF and send it so the client can arrange payment or financing.
Who uses a pro forma invoice
Contractors send pro forma invoices when money has to move before the work: to order materials, to secure a slot, or for a client’s lender or office.
Kitchen remodelers
Cabinets and countertops are ordered weeks ahead. A pro forma invoice for the deposit shows exactly what the client’s money will buy.
Kitchen remodeling software →Roofers
Material orders for a full roof are large. A pro forma lets the client see the charges and pay the deposit before delivery.
Roofing software →General contractors
Clients financing a project often need a document showing the expected cost for their lender before work begins.
General contractor software →Flooring installers
Special-order flooring needs paying for up front. List the material and installation separately, with the deposit due now.
Flooring software →Carpenters
Built-ins and custom millwork take shop time. A pro forma for the deposit shows the client what they’re committing to.
Carpentry software →Fence builders
Business and association clients may need a priced document to approve the spend before you schedule the job.
Fencing software →How to make a pro forma invoice: an example
Here is a filled-in pro forma invoice for custom cabinets and countertops, asking for a deposit before the order is placed. The business, client and prices are invented for the example.
- Titled pro forma, numbered apartPF-0412 sits in its own number series, so it can’t be confused with a real invoice in either side’s records.
- The full expected chargesEvery line the final invoice is expected to carry, so the client sees the whole picture, not just the deposit.
- What’s due now, in plain wordsThe notes say how much is due now, by when and why: to place the cabinet order.
- A clear disclaimer“Not a request for final payment” and “the final invoice will reflect changes” say what this document is and isn’t.
Before you send it, check it has
- The title “Pro forma invoice”
- Your business and the client’s details
- The expected charges, line by line
- Tax and the expected total
- When payment or a deposit is expected
- A note that the final invoice may differ
What goes into a strong pro forma invoice
The parts every pro forma invoice needs, and why each one matters to the client reading it.
The title “Pro forma invoice”
The title tells the client and their office that this is a preview of the bill, not the bill itself.
A number in its own series
Use a prefix like PF- so pro forma invoices never share numbers with real invoices.
Your details and the client’s
The same details a real invoice carries, so the client’s office or lender can process it.
The expected charges
Each line of work or goods, with quantities and prices, as you expect to bill them.
Tax and the expected total
If tax applies, show it, so the expected total is what the client will actually owe.
What’s due now, and by when
The deposit or advance payment, as an amount and a date, and what it secures, such as placing an order.
How long the prices hold
A date the prices are valid until, since material costs can move before the order is placed.
A note that the final invoice may differ
Changes the client approves later will appear on the real invoice. Say so up front.
Common pro forma invoice mistakes
And how to avoid them, so the document does its job the first time.
Titling it “Invoice”
Without “pro forma” in the title, a client’s office may pay it as the final bill, or file it as one.
Sharing the invoice number series
A pro forma numbered like a real invoice makes your records hard to follow. Give it a prefix.
No deposit amount
If you want money now, say how much and by when. The client shouldn’t have to work it out.
Booking it as income
A pro forma isn’t a sale yet. Ask your accountant how to record deposits.
Forgetting the final invoice
The pro forma is a preview. Send the real invoice when the work is done.
Not crediting the deposit
On the final invoice, show the deposit received as a negative line so the client pays only the balance.
Pro Forma Invoice templates you can create
The generator has 6 layouts and 12 colors. Here is the example above in three of them; pick yours in “Look” at the bottom of the form.
Features of the free pro forma invoice generator
Live preview
The document redraws as you type, in the same layout BuildWell itself sends.
Your logo and colors
Upload a PNG, JPG, SVG or WebP up to 2 MB, and pick from 12 colors.
6 templates
Classic, Headline, Banner, Statement, Minimal and Letterhead.
Tax and discounts
Set a discount and a tax rate. The discount comes off before tax, and the totals are exact to the cent.
Private by default
What you type stays in this browser and is remembered on this device. Nothing is sent to BuildWell.
A PDF with no account
Download the PDF from your browser’s print dialog and send it however you like. No sign-up.
Tracking and follow-up in BuildWell
In BuildWell, a deposit is an invoice for any percentage of the estimate, and the rest is invoiced later. Clients pay from the invoice link, you’re notified when they pay, and each invoice shows what’s been paid. How the client portal works.
- Opened, and how oftenSee when the client opens your estimate and how many times.
- Accepted or declinedGet notified when the client accepts and signs on their phone, or declines.
- PaidGet notified when the client pays an invoice, and see what’s still owed.
- Sent from your phoneText or email the link in your own words. Clients need no app or account.
- Estimate E-1042 sent by textMon 9:14 AM
- Opened by the client · viewed 3 timesMon 7:52 PM
- Accepted and signedTue 8:03 AM
- Deposit invoice sentTue 8:10 AM
- Deposit paid by bank transferWed 11:26 AM
Skip the typing. Let it price the job.
Describe the job by voice or photos. BuildWell lists the work, prices it for your area, gets it signed on the client’s phone, and turns it into the invoice.
- AI estimates priced for your area
- Estimates, invoices, clients and projects
- Clients sign on any phone
- Card and bank payments, no extra BuildWell fee
- iPhone, Android and the web
- AI estimates priced for your area
- Estimates, invoices, clients and projects
- Clients sign on any phone
- Card and bank payments, no extra BuildWell fee
- iPhone, Android and the web
Both plans include every feature and start with a 3-day free trial. Add a card to start; you’re not charged until the trial ends. Cancel anytime.
Pro Forma Invoice FAQ
01Is it really free, with no sign-up?
02Is a pro forma invoice a real invoice?
03Do I record a pro forma invoice in my books?
04When do contractors use a pro forma invoice?
05Should a pro forma invoice have a number?
06Should a pro forma invoice include sales tax?
07How do I show the deposit on the final invoice?
08Can I add my logo?
09How do I save it as a PDF?
10Will my details be here next time?
Free resources
Templates, calculators and definitions. No sign-up.
Guides for this document
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