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How to issue a proforma invoice in WooCommerce?

Updated: 2022-05-19 / Blog

How to issue a proforma invoice in WooCommerce?

Przemek Rosa

Hey, you probably want to know how to issue a proforma invoice in WooCommerce yet. Below you’ll find this step-by-step guideline to create proforma invoices in WooCommerce 🙂 Also, you’ll learn when and how to issue a PDF proforma invoice in WooCommerce with a payment link. Let’s begin!

In this article, you will read how to:

  • Issue a proforma invoice in WooCommerce
  • Choose the right settings for proforma invoices
  • Edit the invoice in WooCommerce
  • Use proforma invoices in WooCommerce & when to use them
  • Create a WooCommerce invoice with a payment link

How to issue a proforma invoice in WooCommerce?

WooCommerce Invoice Plugin

To issue proforma in WooCommerce, you will need the Flexible Invoices for WooCommerce PRO plugin.

Flexible Invoices for WooCommerce PRO £59

Add to cart or View Details
WP Desk
Plugins used by 4,000+ shops
Last Updated: 2023-03-27
Works with WooCommerce 7.2 - 7.6.x

The plugin also has a free version that’s great for issuing invoices. But only the PRO version gives you the ability to issue invoices, proforma and correction invoices in WooCommerce. And with PRO you will do it automatically! Read more about the 2 versions of the WooCommerce Invoice Plugin.

So, when Flexible Invoices PRO is activated, go to Invoices → Settings in the WordPress menu. Fill up your company and bank account data and click Save.

Proforma Invoice in WooCommerce - Invoice Settings

The plugin settings are editable, and you can always change them. But if you issue some invoices, the changes to the settings will not be visible on those documents that have been issued. Such invoices can be corrected manually. If you want to know how please read the article.

WooCommerce Invoice options

Once you have saved your changes, go to Invoices → Documents → Proforma. This is where you set up proforma invoicing in WooCommerce.

Let’s have a look at these settings:

Proforma settings

The setting of the automatic sending proforma is striking, but it’s not only the automatic emailing of proforma. It’s also the setting of automatically issuing proforma for a WooCommerce order.

You can decide for which order status a proforma invoice should be issued in WooCommerce. Also, you can specify the proforma suffix and prefix, set up the due time, and reset the invoice numbering.

Configure it to make it most convenient for your store and save the changes.

We are still working on the document settings in Flexible Invoices. So if there is an option you would like to get that you don’t see, let us know at the flexibleinvoices.com/ideas

All right, we can move to the proforma invoice preview.

How to edit the Proforma Invoice

When the proforma is issued in the WooCommerce order, the number of the invoice and link to its edition appear on the order page, as well on the list of invoices (Invoices → All Invoices).

Invoice list

From both places (order and invoice list), you can go to the proforma edition, where you can change the data on the document including customer details, invoice currency, method of payment, and payment status.

Proforma Invoice in WooCommerce - Manual Issuing

This is probably all about the proforma settings in the Flexible Invoices PRO plugin. I hope you found this helpful. Below I add a few more sentences about when proformas will be useful in your shop.

When is it good to use a proforma invoice in WooCommerce?

A proforma is not an accounting document, but a confirmation of an order or an offer in the form of a PDF document. Due to its form, you can use the proforma in the following cases:

  1. Your customers are conservative and use traditional payment methods such as a bank transfer.

    When the transfer is a traditional one (made using an application not connected to the payment gateway or made directly from a bank branch) WooCommerce will not receive information about the transfer from the API.

    Therefore, before you pass on the WooCommerce order, it is advisable to send the customer a proforma invoice with a payment link, due date, and all the details needed to process the order.

  2. Your products have no stock options set up.

    If you’re running a dropshipping shop, but your suppliers sometimes get your stock wrong the proforma is a safety valve. Because proforma is not an accounting document and a possible order refund for a mistake with the product stock can be made without issuing a correction invoice.

  3. You want to create sales documents not related to the products in the shop.

    You can issue a proforma for an order processed outside WooCommerce and email it to the customer for payment.

  4. Your customers need an invoice to request payment.

    This sometimes happens in our shop. A person who wants to buy our plugin contacts us before the purchase and requests an invoice. He could forward the invoice to the accounting department and have it paid. We try to invoice only after we have paid and proforma as the additional invoice is a way out 🙂

These are just some ideas in which circumstances it’s good to issue a proforma in WooCommerce.

Create a WooCommerce invoice with a payment link

Method 1. Automatically add the payment link to the invoice

The PRO version of the plugin lets you get the payment link by enabling one option:

Link To Order Checkout On The Pdf Invoice In Woocommerce

That’ll show the payment link automatically!

Payment Link On The Pdf Invoice In Woocommerce

Method 2. Manually Add the payment link & notes to the invoice

You can add the order payment link (or any notes) on the invoice manually (e.g., for the free version of the plugin). To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Choose the WooCommerce order

    Go to WooCommerce → Orders → Click on the Order with the Pending Payment order status.
     
    Woocommerce Order Edit Screen

  2. Copy the order payment link

    Then copy the Payment Page link:
     
    Woocommerce Copy The Customer Order Payment Page Link

  3. Issue a Proforma Invoice for the order

    Issue A Proforma Invoice

    If you had set the automatic proforma for this order status, the invoice has been already issued.

  4. Edit the proforma invoice

    Click on the invoice link:
     
    Edit The Proforma
    Add the payment link to the invoice notes:
     
    Woocommerce Add The Payment Link To The Invoice
    Of course, you may also adjust the invoice due date & other info if you need to.

  5. Update the invoice

    Woocommerce Update The Invoice
    That’s it! Your proforma invoice will now have the payment link on it.
     
    Payment Link In The Notes

Read more on how to create a manual invoice in WooCommerce.

Method 3. Add non-WooCommerce payment link & notes to the invoice automatically

If you want to include additional info on the invoice automatically, you can use the custom proforma template. A more automatic approach will save your time and will let you add more details about the invoice & your needs.

If you need to add the same details for all invoices you can add them in the Invoice Footer – Notes area.
Co to Invoices → Settings → Documents → Proforma → Proforma Invoice Settings → Notes and Save the changes.

Proforma Notes

Read more in the plugin documentation.

Final words

Thanks for making it this far! You’ve learned how to create proforma invoices in WooCommerce with Flexible Invoices. If you would like to test issue proforma & all features of the PRO and the add-ons of the plugin, please create your free demo.

Flexible Invoices for WooCommerce PRO £59

Add to cart or View Details
WP Desk
Plugins used by 4,000+ shops
Last Updated: 2023-03-27
Works with WooCommerce 7.2 - 7.6.x

About Przemek Rosa

Hey, I am a Product Owner of Flexible Invoices :)
Your suggestions about the plugin strike right to my mailbox. Do you have any? Go ahead and email me!

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