Proforma Details

What the Proforma Details page is for

The Proforma Details page is the full, per-document view of a single proforma in the admin panel. A proforma is a pre-payment document — it is not a tax invoice yet. When the customer pays the full amount, the proforma is promoted automatically into a real invoice with its own INV- number, so you can issue a tax document only once payment is secured. The layout mirrors the Invoice Details page, with statuses and actions that are specific to proformas.

When proformas appear

Proformas are created only when your platform is set to issue them first. Open Settings → Billing → Automation and set Default Document Type to Proforma First (the alternative is Invoice (Direct)). With Proforma First selected, new orders and renewals generate a proforma, and on full payment the system converts it to an invoice. Choose this workflow when your process or jurisdiction requires the customer to approve a document before you issue a tax invoice.

How to reach the page

There is no separate proforma menu item. Proformas live alongside invoices under Invoices in the sidebar, on a list titled Invoices & Proformas. Use the Proformas tab there to filter to proformas only, then open any row — each proforma carries a purple Proforma type badge and its configured prefix (by default PRO-) — to land on this page. You can also reach a client's proformas from the billing area of that client's profile; when you arrive that way, a Back to Client link appears at the top instead of Back to Billing.

The header

The header shows the proforma number (for example PRO-6), a colour-coded status badge, and the creation date. The action buttons that appear depend on the current status:

• Download PDF — downloads the proforma as a PDF. Always available.
• Edit — enters edit mode, where you can change the proforma number, status, due date, tax amount, notes, and line items. Always available.
• Convert to Invoice — manually promotes the proforma to an invoice without recording a payment. Shown when the proforma is not already paid, cancelled, or converted. You are taken to the new invoice afterwards.
• Collect Payment — charges a payment method the client has saved on file. Shown when the proforma is Unpaid or Awaiting Payment.
• Confirm Payment — manually records a payment (for example a bank transfer you received). Shown when the proforma is Unpaid or Awaiting Payment.
• Cancel — moves the proforma to Cancelled. Shown when the proforma is Unpaid or Awaiting Payment.
• Delete — permanently removes the proforma. Always available. Use with care.

While editing, the action buttons change to Save and Cancel.

Statuses you may see

Status	Meaning
Unpaid	Issued and awaiting payment; no funds recorded yet.
Awaiting Payment	Payment is expected or in progress.
Paid	Fully paid. The proforma is normally promoted to an invoice at this point.
Cancelled	Manually cancelled. No tax invoice is issued.
Expired	The proforma lapsed without payment.
Converted to Invoice	It has been promoted to a real invoice; a link to that invoice is shown.

When you open the status dropdown in edit mode, you can set Unpaid, Paid, Awaiting Payment, Cancelled, or Expired. Converted to Invoice is not a status you set by hand — it is applied automatically when the proforma becomes an invoice.

The summary card

Below the header, a summary card opens with a strip of four tiles:

• Subtotal — the total of all line items before tax.
• Tax — the tax amount, with the VAT rate shown in brackets when one applies (for example Tax (20%)). An Exempt note appears here when the document is VAT-exempt.
• Due Date — when payment is expected. In edit mode this becomes a date picker.
• Total — the grand total to be paid.

If the proforma is a credit top-up rather than a service charge, a small badge reads Credit Deposit; otherwise it reads Service. Beneath the tiles is a Notes field (editable in edit mode), and a link to the related invoice when the proforma has been converted to or converted from an invoice.

Line items

The Line Items card lists everything being billed. Columns are Description, Qty, Price, Tax (a tick or cross showing whether the line is taxable), and Total, with running Subtotal, Tax, and Total rows at the foot. Each description can carry a frozen service context captured when the document was issued — hostname, IP address and port, location, asset details (model, serial, rack, bay), the billing period and cycle, the renewal date, and any configurable options.

On a proforma that is not yet paid or cancelled, an Add Item button appears at the top right of this card, and you can remove a line with the trash icon that appears on hover — both without entering full edit mode. The Add Item form asks for a Description, Qty, Price, and a Taxable checkbox.

Field	What it does
Description	The label shown to the customer for this line.
Qty	Quantity. The line total is quantity multiplied by price.
Price	Unit price in the document's currency.
Taxable	When ticked, this line is included in the tax calculation.

Payment History

The Payment History card is a timeline of every payment recorded against the proforma, including partial payments. Each entry shows the method or gateway used, a status badge (Completed, Pending, Failed, Refunded, or Disputed), an optional transaction reference, the amount, and a timestamp. When payments exist, two chips at the top of the card summarise the totals: the amount already paid, and any remaining balance.

Recording a payment

Confirm Payment (manual)

Use Confirm Payment to record money you received outside the platform. A modal opens with these options:

Field	What it does
Payment Gateway	Choose Manual / Cash, Bank Transfer, Account Credit, or any payment gateway you have enabled. Choosing Account Credit deducts the amount from the client's stored credit balance and shows a reminder to that effect.
Amount	Optional. Leave blank to record the full total, or enter a smaller figure for a partial payment.
Transaction ID	Optional reference, such as a bank reference or external receipt number.
Notes	Optional free text for your own records.

When the recorded payments cover the full amount, the proforma is promoted to an invoice automatically and you are taken to the new invoice. If you record only a partial amount, the payment is logged, the remaining balance is updated, and the proforma stays open.

Collect Payment (saved method)

Collect Payment charges a card or other method the client has already saved on file. The modal lists the saved methods as selectable options, marking the client's default with a Default badge and showing the gateway and (for cards) the expiry. Pick a method and choose Charge Now to attempt the charge for the full total. If the client has no saved methods, the modal says so and there is nothing to charge.

The right-hand rail

• Payment status card — an at-a-glance summary of the current state (for example Awaiting Payment with the due date, Payment Received with the paid date, Cancelled, Expired, or Converted to Invoice) together with the total amount.
• From — your company details (legal name, address, and VAT number) as captured when the proforma was issued. A small Snapshot tag indicates these details were frozen at issue time.
• Bill To — the client's name and address, a View Client link to their profile, and an Update Details button. Update Details refreshes the captured From and Bill To addresses from the company settings and the client's current profile.

Tips and gotchas

Numbering is independent. The proforma number (PRO-N) is separate from the eventual invoice number (INV-M). Both prefixes and starting numbers are configured under Settings → Billing → Invoicing in the Document Numbering section.

Cancelling never refunds. A proforma holds no captured payment by itself, so cancelling it does not move any money. If you need to refund, do so from the converted invoice.

Partial payments are supported. Each payment is recorded and tracked in the timeline; the proforma only converts to an invoice once the full amount has been covered.

Add and remove items only before payment. Once a proforma is paid or cancelled, the Add Item button and the per-row delete icon disappear, so finalise line items before collecting payment.

Related articles

• Invoices & Proformas
• Invoice Details
• Billing Settings