How to manage proforma invoice revisions

When a customer changes the scope, quantity or price, the difficult part is knowing which proforma everyone is working from. Keep each shared version, explain what changed and ask the customer to confirm the exact revision.

This is a suggested document-control workflow for service businesses. Revision labels and the examples below are organisational choices, not statutory invoice-numbering rules. For document types, start with quotation vs proforma vs tax invoice.

1. Keep a reference and add a revision number

Use one reference for the same proposed engagement, such as PF-2026-014. Mark the first shared document Revision 1, then increment the number when sharing changed terms. A clearly separate engagement can have its own reference.

Put the reference, revision number and document date inside the PDF. A useful filename is PF-2026-014-R02-Aster.pdf. Avoid filenames such as “final-new-latest.pdf”: the recipient should be able to identify the version without reading your chat history.

2. Preserve the version you already sent

Save the earlier PDF before making edits. Keep the editable working file separately from the PDFs shared with the customer. Label an older shared version “superseded” in your register once a replacement is sent, and keep the original file for reference.

A practical register has six fields: reference, revision, date sent, what changed, document location and customer response. Give one person responsibility for issuing the next revision so two colleagues do not send different documents with the same number.

3. Record the difference, not just the new total

In this fictional website-design example, the amounts below are service fees before any applicable tax. Confirm the appropriate tax treatment separately.

The fee movement is ₹25,000 + ₹5,000 − ₹2,000 = ₹28,000. Also record changes that do not affect the amount, such as delivery dates, exclusions or payment milestones. Recheck the entire document after an edit; a changed scope may also affect the schedule and terms.

4. Tell the customer which version to use

Attach the exact revision named in the message. Save the response alongside it and record who confirmed it and when. A sent email or a downloaded PDF alone does not tell you whether the customer accepted the proposal.

5. Check the agreed version before preparing the invoice

Use the confirmed scope as a reference when preparing the final invoice. Check the customer details, amounts, dates and applicable invoicing requirements again. Record a link between the proforma reference and the invoice reference so your team can trace the work.

If an invoice has already been issued, do not assume changing the proforma updates that invoice. Discuss any required invoice correction with your accountant. The GST invoice preparation guide covers the details to check.

Checklist before sharing a revision

• The reference, revision number and date appear inside the document.
• The earlier shared PDF is preserved and the register identifies the latest version.
• Changed scope, price, discount, timing and terms are described clearly.
• Line amounts and the total have been checked again.
• The attached filename matches the revision in your message.
• The customer's reply will be saved against that specific revision.

Create a proforma and save each version

Use the free proforma invoice generator to create a labelled preview and save it as a PDF. The free tool does not retain earlier versions: save each PDF yourself before leaving the page.

Once you issue the invoice, use our invoice payment tracker template to follow its balance. Saved revision history and invoice conversion are available in the Lekhiva application.

Frequently asked questions