Food export proforma invoice template

Food export proforma invoice template: products, ocean freight, the shelf life at shipment, storage temperature and the papers an import permit needs.

Templates by industry

  • Instant noodles
  • Seaweed snacks
  • Ocean freight

Preparation guide

A proforma invoice states the price and terms before anything is supplied, so the buyer can pay in advance or apply for an import licence. It does not replace the invoice that follows.

Deliverables and line items
Instant noodles, Seaweed snacks, Ocean freight: the goods or services and the quantities you intend to supply, at the prices you will invoice.
Delivery terms
State the delivery terms (such as an Incoterm and the named place), how the goods travel and who insures them.
Validity and prepayment
Give the date the prices hold until and, if you ask for payment in advance, the account the buyer pays into.
Scope to agree
State the shelf life left at shipment, the storage temperature, the labeling the destination market requires and the papers the buyer's import permit needs.
  • Check that quantities, unit prices and currency match what the buyer ordered or asked you to quote.
  • Add the HS code and country of origin to the item descriptions if the buyer needs them for an import licence.
  • Check the valid-until date, the delivery terms and the prepayment account, and that the document says it is not a tax invoice.

  1. Confirm goods and delivery terms

    Example: confirm the quantity and unit price of "Instant noodles", then the delivery terms, transport and insurance.

  2. Set the validity and send

    Check every line down to "Ocean freight", add the valid-until date and the prepayment account, and send the proforma to the buyer.

  3. Invoice after payment or shipment

    When the buyer pays or the goods ship, make the invoice from the proforma. The proforma stays unchanged as the offer the buyer accepted.

What the document must show

These details make a proforma invoice easier to approve and to file.

  • The seller's and the buyer's names and addresses
  • Proforma number and issue date
  • Each item with quantity and unit price; add the HS code and country of origin to the description if the import licence needs them
  • Delivery terms (such as an Incoterm), transport and insurance
  • Payment terms and the account for prepayment
  • The date the proforma is valid until
  • A statement that it is not a tax invoice

The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.

Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes

Frequently asked questions

Food export proforma invoice template: what should it include?
Start with the line items this template already carries — Instant noodles, Seaweed snacks, Ocean freight — and replace them with what you actually supplied. Then check the required details above, especially the document number and the separated tax amount.
How is tax calculated on this template?
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending. The editor keeps the net amount, the tax and the total apart, and recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a unit price or the country setting.
Can a customer pay or reclaim VAT on a proforma invoice?
A customer can pay a proforma in advance, but it is not a tax invoice, so VAT cannot be reclaimed on it. After payment or shipment, make the invoice from the proforma; the proforma stays unchanged.
Is this template free?
Yes. Editing and PDF export are free with an account; there is no payment step and no watermark on the document.
Can I download it as Excel, Word or PDF?
Yes. The spreadsheet and the Word file download straight from this page, and the spreadsheet keeps its formulas, so changing a quantity updates the tax and the total. For PDF, open the template and use Print / PDF.
Can I use it in another language or currency?
Yes. The document language can be set to any of 33 languages, and changing the country setting updates the currency, the date format and the tax rate.