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noun

proforma

proh-FOR-muh
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Proforma (noun) means a document sent in advance as a formality rather than as a demand for payment, especially a proforma invoice that sets out what goods or services will cost before they are supplied. Example: “Send them a proforma so they can raise the purchase order.”

noun
1
A document sent in advance as a formality rather than as a demand for payment, especially a proforma invoice that sets out what goods or services will cost before they are supplied.
"Send them a proforma so they can raise the purchase order."
"Customs required a proforma invoice listing every item and its value."
2
A blank standard form or template to be filled in.
"Complete the proforma and return it to HR by Friday."
adjective
1
Done as a matter of form, or prepared in a standard format rather than reflecting final figures.
"The board's approval was largely pro forma."
"The prospectus includes pro forma financial statements showing the merged company."

How to use proforma

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA document done as a formality or sent in advance, not a real bill.

When to use it

Formal and businesslike. Usually written pro forma as two words for the adjective, and proforma as one word for the document, especially in British and Indian business English.

Memory tip

A proforma invoice is not a request for payment and should not be entered in the accounts as a sale.

Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
proforma invoice vs commercial invoice pro forma vs actual
Common pairings
proforma invoice pro forma accounts pro forma approval complete the proforma
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Send them a _____ so they can raise the purchase order.

Etymology

From Latin pro forma, "for the sake of form".

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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proforma invoice quotation estimate formal perfunctory standardised projected template form blank

Related words

make nothing live course body form idea type

Rhymes for proforma

Norma
See all rhymes for proforma →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a proforma invoice and a normal invoice?
A proforma invoice is a quotation in invoice form, sent before goods or services are supplied so the buyer knows the cost and can arrange payment or paperwork. A normal invoice is a legal demand for payment issued once the sale has happened, and only that one goes into the accounts.
What do pro forma financial statements show?
They show what a company's figures would look like under a stated assumption, such as after a planned merger or excluding one-off costs. Because the assumptions are chosen by the company, they should be read alongside the audited statements, not instead of them.
What is the meaning of proforma?
"proforma" (noun) means a document sent in advance as a formality rather than as a demand for payment, especially a proforma invoice that sets out what goods or services will cost before they are supplied.
What is another word for proforma?
Other words for "proforma" include proforma invoice, quotation, estimate, formal, perfunctory, standardised.

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