A proforma workflow is a conversion feature, not just paperwork.
If a company buyer cannot get an approval document quickly, the WooCommerce order stalls. If the store sends a final invoice before payment, the accounting sequence can become messy. The right workflow keeps these two documents separate.
Lattice Invoices is being positioned around that practical sales problem: collect invoice-ready data at checkout, produce the right document at the right order status, and reduce the support back-and-forth that blocks B2B purchases.
Proforma invoice readiness checklist
Where the workflow changes the sale
B2B customer needs approval first
Send proforma or payment request before card/bank transfer
Buyer can route the purchase internally without asking support to rewrite the order details.
Invoice should only be final after payment
Hold the final invoice number until WooCommerce marks the order paid
Your sequential invoice series stays clean and does not fill with unpaid drafts.
Refund happens after a paid invoice
Generate a credit note against the final invoice number
The accountant sees a complete trail: proforma request, paid invoice, and refund credit note.
Manual proforma PDFs vs. a WooCommerce workflow
| Need | Manual workaround | Lattice Invoices path |
|---|---|---|
| Document purpose | One manual PDF reused for quote, request, and invoice | Proforma request before payment; final invoice after payment |
| Numbering | Gaps or unpaid orders inside the legal invoice sequence | Separate PRO prefix from final INV sequence |
| VAT/BTW data | Customer emails VAT number after checkout | Business fields are captured before the proforma/final invoice workflow |
| Payment follow-up | Support sends payment details manually | WooCommerce order status drives the next document |
| Refunds | Manual correction note after the fact | Credit note is generated from the paid invoice record |
FAQ
Is a WooCommerce proforma invoice the same as a tax invoice?
No. A proforma is usually a payment request or draft commercial document. The final VAT invoice should be generated after the WooCommerce order is paid, using the final invoice number and order tax totals.
Should proforma invoices use the same number sequence as final invoices?
Most stores keep them separate, for example PRO-2026-00012 for the proforma and INV-2026-00148 for the final invoice. That avoids unpaid drafts creating gaps in the final invoice series.
When does this become a real buyer problem?
It becomes urgent when B2B customers ask for documents before paying, accountants complain about invoice gaps, or support has to manually create payment requests and corrected invoices for every larger order.
How does this connect to Lattice Invoices?
The Lattice Invoices offer is being shaped around WooCommerce-native invoice workflows: VAT/BTW checkout data, sequential invoice numbers, PDF delivery, credit notes, and proforma-to-final-invoice handling for qualified B2B stores.