Reading a proforma invoice line by line — and what's usually missing
A proforma invoice should turn the agreed product and commercial terms into a checkable order record before payment; if a line is unclear now, it will be harder to fix after production starts.
What to check before you decide
- Match buyer and seller legal names, product specification, quantity, unit price, currency and Incoterm to the approved quote.
- Check payment milestones, bank beneficiary, delivery window, packaging, tooling and sample references.
- Attach or reference the approved drawings, quality criteria and change-control process where relevant.
Keep the buying decision controlled
Start with one written brief: the product or service required, the buyer's target market, the commercial decision to make and the person who can approve the next step. Compare supplier answers against that same brief, keep versions of specifications and quotations together, and record each open point with an owner and date. This approach makes remote work, a China visit and a later inspection part of one evidence trail rather than separate conversations.
The mistake to avoid
A PI is not a substitute for a full contract in every case, but it should not be a vague payment request. Query omissions before sending funds.
Need help turning a sourcing question into a practical China route, supplier brief or comparison process? Ask goChina Events for a focused planning conversation.