🚧 We will be undergoing server maintenance from 20th March '26, 8 PM to 21st March 8 AM. Please avoid using QuoteMan during these hours.
🚧 We will be undergoing server maintenance from 20th March '26, 8 PM to 21st March 8 AM. Please avoid using QuoteMan during these hours.
Although Sales Orders and Proforma Invoices are often generated around the same stage of the sales process, they serve completely different purposes. One is primarily used for internal order execution, while the other is shared with the customer to confirm commercial terms before the final sale.
A Sales Order (SO) is an internal document created by the seller after receiving the customer's order confirmation or Purchase Order. It authorizes internal teams—such as production, procurement, warehouse, dispatch, and finance—to begin processing the order. A Sales Order typically includes product details, quantities, agreed pricing, delivery schedules, customer information, and any special instructions required for execution.
A Proforma Invoice (PI), on the other hand, is a document issued to the customer before the actual invoice is generated. It summarizes the agreed products or services, pricing, taxes, payment terms, and delivery details. Businesses commonly use Proforma Invoices to collect advance payments, help customers obtain internal purchase approvals, or support import and export transactions.
In simple terms, a Sales Order tells your team what needs to be delivered, while a Proforma Invoice tells your customer what they are expected to pay before delivery.
A typical sales workflow looks like this:
For example, a customer places an order for industrial pumps after accepting your quotation. Your company first generates a Sales Order so the production and dispatch teams can begin processing the order. If the order requires a 50% advance payment, a Proforma Invoice is issued to the customer showing the amount payable before manufacturing or dispatch begins. Once the payment is received and the goods are supplied, the final Tax Invoice is generated.
Businesses that integrate Sales Orders and Proforma Invoices into quotation management reduce manual data entry, improve order tracking, and ensure every department works with accurate and consistent information.
Feel free to signup for a 30 day free trial now.
Start Free Trial