E-commerce
July 4, 2026
A proforma invoice is often requested before payment, especially by B2B clients, administrations, or international buyers. However, it can be confused with a final invoice, a quote, or an order confirmation.
Support should explain what the proforma allows, what it does not prove, and how to obtain the final invoice after purchase.
This guide shows how to manage customer requests regarding proforma invoices.
Summary
Why does the proforma cause confusion?
The client may want a document to validate a purchase internally, trigger a payment, or prepare an import. However, the proforma is not always a final accounting invoice.
The response must clarify its role before sending the document.
A proforma commits a commercial intent, not always a finalized sale.
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What information should be checked?
Check client, company, address, VAT, country, products, quantities, price, currency, delivery, validity, payment terms, export and administrative need.
An error on the proforma can block an internal validation.
How to explain the difference with the final invoice?
Explain that the final invoice is issued according to the store's rules after ordering, payment, or shipping. The proforma often serves as a preparatory document, with validity and conditions.
The client needs to know which document their accounting department is expecting.
If the client needs to obtain internal approval, also indicate the elements that will remain editable after the proforma. This avoids blocking an order for a detail that can be confirmed at payment.
How to manage VAT and export?
For B2B or international requests, check VAT number, country, currency, incoterm if applicable, taxes, delivery fees and export documents. If the tax rule is complex, transfer.
Support must not improvise tax advice.
How to avoid going back and forth?
A proforma request form can collect the necessary information before generation: company, address, products, quantity, currency, and terms. The document must be clear about its validity.
The request should also indicate how to convert the proforma into an order.
Clarity accelerates B2B purchasing.
The support can also specify whether the proforma prices are locked in during the validity period or subject to change based on stock, shipping, or currency. This information is important for slow internal approval processes.
Consequently, the customer knows when they must act.
Which flow to follow?
The flow must qualify the administrative need.
Identify client, company, country, products, quantities, currency, VAT and purpose.
Verify prices, delivery, taxes, validity, terms, export, payment and final invoice.
Explain what the proforma covers, what it does not cover, and the next step.
Generate, correct, transfer tax details, send quote or guide towards order.
Measure proforma requests, errors, B2B conversions, lead times and satisfaction.
Which examples should be used?
“The proforma can be used for your internal validation before payment.” “The final invoice will be available after the order according to your billing information.”
The response must avoid accounting confusion.
When to transfer?
The transfer is necessary for export, taxation, intra-community VAT, administration, high value, B2B contract, special conditions, or request for accounting modification.
The bot must transmit company, country, VAT, products, amount, currency, need, and risk.
Which KPIs should be monitored?
Track proforma requests, corrections, issuance times, conversions, VAT errors, tax transfers, and satisfaction.
This data shows whether the B2B customer journey is smooth.
Which mistakes should be avoided?
Avoid presenting the proforma as a final invoice, forgetting the validity period, modifying tax information without control, or generating an incomplete document.
The document must be reliable.
How can Qstomy help?
Qstomy can connect the chatbot to support tickets, products, proforma invoices, promotions, artwork approvals, orders, carriers, proofs of delivery, refunds, and escalation procedures to respond accurately.
The chatbot helps the customer understand a problematic product, a proforma, a promotion, an artwork approval, or a proof of delivery without inventing a discount, invoice, approval, or proof that needs to be verified.
Explore AI support, the AI sales agent, or request a demo.
Key takeaways
Key Takeaways
A proforma request must clarify the company, products, prices, VAT, countries, validity, payment, export, and final invoice.
What the customer must understand
The customer must know what the document is used for and how to finalize the order.
The right chatbot limit
The chatbot can collect and explain, but it must transfer taxation, export, complex B2B, and accounting changes.
Enzo
July 4, 2026
