Which is best billing software in India?

Invoice and Proforma Invoice are both important documents in business transactions, but they serve different purposes. Here’s the key difference:

1. Invoice

• Purpose: A formal request for payment after goods or services have been delivered.
• Legal Status: It is a legally binding document and can be used for accounting, tax purposes, and as proof of sale.
• Timing: Issued after the sale is confirmed and goods/services are delivered.
• Contents: Includes details like invoice number, buyer and seller information, description of goods/services, quantity, price, taxes, and total amount payable.
• Implication: The buyer is obligated to pay the amount mentioned.

2. Proforma Invoice

• Purpose: A preliminary bill or quotation sent before the actual sale, often used to declare the value of goods for customs or to give the buyer an idea of costs.
• Legal Status: Not legally binding; it’s not a demand for payment.
• Timing: Issued before goods are shipped or services are provided.
• Contents: Similar to an invoice but marked as “Proforma” and usually excludes invoice number and tax details.
• Implication: It’s an estimate, not a final bill.

In short:

• Invoice = Final bill, legally binding, after sale.
• Proforma Invoice = Estimate, not binding, before sale.

For 2025, top free invoicing tools for freelancers include Zoho Invoice, Invoice Ninja, Wave, and Square Invoices.

In 2025, Zoho Invoice, Invoice Ninja, and Wave are highly recommended free invoicing tools for small businesses.

No, editing the customer name on an invoice that was created from a converted quote is generally not possible within many accounting software platforms.

To integrate e-invoicing with your existing accounting or ERP system, follow the steps given below:

• Select an E-invoicing service that can integrate with your accounting or ERP platform
• Use the integration tools or API that the e-invoicing provider offers
• Set up the API to integrate your accounting/ERP system
• To make sure invoices are created and sent accurately, test the integration
• To ensure smooth functioning, go live and monitor the integration.