Run your quote, proforma and order in one flow with proforma invoice software
Sighthem's proforma invoice software fills the step that turns a quote into an export document: product, quantity, Incoterm, delivery and payment terms are set correctly from the start, and buyer approval is captured through the system. The approval workflow is tracked through draft, pending approval, accepted and sent states, with the approver and approval time recorded; it works in multiple currencies, and the approved proforma becomes an order with one click and carries cleanly into shipment, letter of credit and the invoice. Stop copying proformas in spreadsheets and wrestling with inconsistent versions.
From quote to proforma: same line items, one flow
In exporting the process starts with a quote; when the buyer is interested the quote becomes a proforma. Sighthem builds this transition as a single flow, so you do not enter the line items a second time.
- Create the quote with product, quantity, unit price and currency, and carry the same line items into the proforma when the buyer is interested
- Pick products from the product card so fields like GTIP and origin come with the line item, and drop manual copying
- Keep the quote and proforma on the same customer card, seeing in one place which version you sent to which buyer
- Write conditions like validity date and delivery time onto the document to clarify the buyer's expectation from the start
Incoterm, delivery and payment terms: get the document's backbone right
A proforma's value lies not in the amount but in the terms. Setting the Incoterm, place of delivery and payment method correctly determines every document that follows.
- Define the Incoterm rule (EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and others) and the place of delivery on the proforma, clarifying the cost and risk split with the buyer
- State the payment method (advance, cash against documents, letter of credit) on the proforma so the next steps are triggered accordingly
- Record conditions like port of loading, port of discharge and delivery time on the document, capturing the term the buyer approved
- Add bank and payment details to the proforma to make it easier to open the letter of credit or transfer with the correct reference
Multi-currency: quote in the buyer's currency
In exporting the price is often given in USD, EUR or the buyer's local currency. Sighthem produces the proforma in the right currency, so you avoid surprise conversion errors.
- Create the proforma in USD, EUR and other currencies, giving a clear quote in the currency the buyer expects
- Show unit price, subtotal and grand total consistently in the chosen currency, preventing line-level calculation errors
- State the currency clearly on the proforma to reduce mismatch risk at the letter of credit and invoice stage
- When the same buyer needs proformas in different currencies, keep each document separate with its own currency
Approval workflow and status tracking: keep it clear which version is binding
A proforma is rarely accepted on the first try; price, quantity or delivery terms go through a few rounds. Sighthem tracks the proforma by status, so it stays clear which version is binding.
- Track the proforma through draft, pending approval, accepted and sent states, seeing from the status which version is binding
- Capture buyer approval through the system, recording the approver and the approval time to clarify the terms on which it was accepted
- Move a rejected or expired proforma back to draft to revise it, so the whole team looks at the same current document
- Make sure only an accepted or sent proforma opens the move into order and production, eliminating the risk of shipping or invoicing with the wrong version
From proforma to order: the approved quote enters the flow with one click
Approving the proforma is the start of the work, not the end. Sighthem turns the approved proforma into an order and triggers the whole operation.
- Convert the approved proforma into an order with one click, with quantity, price and terms entering the flow without breakage
- Trigger the next step by payment method, starting L/C and document tracking for letter-of-credit deals and the document handover flow for cash against documents
- Derive order-linked stock reservation and the production plan from the order line items, removing a second round of data entry
- When partial shipment is needed, use the order as the single source, tracking line by line how much of each item has shipped
Clean carry-over to later documents: data entered once flows to the end
The data you enter on the proforma is needed again and again, from the letter of credit to the shipment and the invoice. Sighthem holds this data once and feeds every later document from it.
- Carry the proforma line items into the shipment, packages/pallets and packing list, without re-entering measurement and quantity by hand
- Carry the line items, quantity and currency from the approved proforma into the export COMMERCIAL INVOICE and the UBL-TR e-invoice, with output in line with the GIB schema
- Match the Incoterm, delivery and payment terms with the letter of credit terms, catching discrepancy risk against the document set early
- Produce the e-invoice XML from the shipment screen with one click, removing copy and data-entry errors
Visibility and team permissions: who sees which proforma
The proforma is a document where sales, operations and accounting meet. Sighthem brings everyone onto the same data with the right scope.
- Give sales, operations and accounting teams separate access with stackable permission presets, and control who sees and edits which proforma
- Track pending, approved and order-converted proformas by status, so you never miss which quote is waiting with the buyer
- See proforma status from your phone with the mobile PWA while in the field and at the fair, replying to the buyer instantly
- Keep all proformas in a single workspace, with tenant isolation preserved so data never leaks across workspaces
Build the proforma by picking line items from the product card instead of typing fields by hand. When GTIP, origin and unit price come with the line item, the same data carries cleanly into the shipment, invoice and letter of credit in one pass; re-typing it on every document is both a time sink and a source of errors.
When quote, proforma and order are unified in one flow, you enter the line items only once. Because the approved proforma becomes an order with one click, the time the team spends copying proformas in spreadsheets and the invoice and letter of credit mismatches that follow disappear.
If the Incoterm, currency and payment method on the proforma do not match the letter of credit and the invoice exactly, collection is delayed or falls into a bank reserve due to discrepant presentation. Take the approved proforma as the single source and always feed the later documents from it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What separates proforma invoice software from a regular invoicing program?
A regular invoicing program issues the official invoice after the sale. Proforma invoice software manages the pre-sale quote stage: it presents product, quantity, Incoterm, delivery and payment terms to the buyer as a non-binding offer, tracks the approval workflow and captures approval. Sighthem keeps this not as a standalone tool but as a natural part of the quote, proforma and order flow; the approved proforma becomes an order with one click and then an export invoice.
Can I define the Incoterm and payment method on the proforma?
Yes. You define the Incoterm rule (EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP and others), the place of delivery and the payment method (advance, cash against documents, letter of credit) on the proforma. These terms carry cleanly from the approved proforma into the order, and then into the letter of credit, shipment and invoice. This keeps the cost and risk split and the payment flow consistent across documents.
Can I issue proformas in multiple currencies?
Yes. You can create the proforma in USD, EUR or another currency the buyer expects. Unit price, subtotal and grand total are shown consistently in the chosen currency. Because the currency appears clearly on the proforma, mismatch risk at the letter of credit and invoice stage is reduced.
The proforma is revised a few times; how do I track which version is binding?
Sighthem tracks the proforma by status: draft, pending approval, accepted and sent. You move a rejected or expired proforma back to draft to revise it. You capture buyer approval through the system, and because the approver and approval time are recorded, it is clear which version was accepted on which terms. Since only an accepted or sent proforma opens the move into order and production, the risk of shipping or invoicing with the wrong version disappears.
Can I convert the approved proforma into an order and invoice without re-entering data?
Yes, that is the core of the flow. You convert the approved proforma into an order with one click; quantity, price, Incoterm and currency enter the flow without breakage. The same line items carry into the shipment, packages/pallets and packing list, and then into the COMMERCIAL INVOICE for exports and the UBL-TR e-invoice for domestic sales. You can take the e-invoice XML from the shipment screen with one click and move it cleanly into your accounting software.
How do I migrate from the proformas I keep in spreadsheets to Sighthem?
You can try Sighthem free for 14 days on the PRO plan, with no card required. You move your customer and product data in and test it on a real quote, proforma and order flow. When you create the proforma by picking products from the product card, instead of the inconsistent versions you kept piecemeal in spreadsheets you get a single-source proforma that can be approved and carried into the later documents.
Unify your quote, proforma and order in one flow and feed every document from the approved proforma. Try Sighthem free for 14 days on the PRO plan, no card required.
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