What is the difference between a proforma and an invoice?

In short

A proforma is only a request for payment, not an invoice, so it is not reported to NAV; an invoice documents the supply (or an advance received). If an advance arrives on a proforma, the VAT Act requires an invoice for it.

Updated: 13 October 2026

**From a draft to an issued invoice** The clip shows the Hungarian interface; every screen is also in English.

Side by side

Proforma and invoice
	Proforma	Invoice
A tax document?	No	Yes
Reported to NAV	No	Yes, as a rule
When	Before payment	On supply, or when an advance is received

This is general information, not tax advice; check your case with your accountant.

Which module?

Module: Invoicing (paid module, price coming soon).

Where is the full guide?

This is the short answer. The longer guide walks through the steps, the pitfalls and the examples:

Proforma or advance invoice? The difference, and when you need each

Questions

Can HelloCRM issue a proforma?

Yes, in the Invoicing module; proformas are never sent for reporting.

Sources

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. The rules come from: 2007. évi CXXVII. törvény az általános forgalmi adóról (Áfa tv.), Nemzeti Jogszabálytár (checked 13 October 2026); NAV Online Számla (checked 13 October 2026)