Invoice vs receipt vs proforma invoice: a tailor’s guide, step by step

For tailors and fashion designers in Nigeria · 8 minute read

Invoice, receipt, proforma invoice. The three words sound alike, and people mix them up all the time. For a tailor, they are simply three stages of one job: before you start, while money is owed, and after money is paid.

Most guides explain these words for big companies, with customs and shipping. This one is for the tailor who sews a gown for a customer, collects a deposit and a balance, and runs everything on WhatsApp. All names and numbers below are examples.

The short answer

The one question that separates them: has the money been paid yet? Proforma and invoice come before payment. A receipt comes after.

Proforma invoice: what it is and when a tailor uses it

A proforma invoice is a preview of the bill. It says what you plan to make, for whom, and at what price, before the customer commits. A tailor can think of it as a quote that looks like an invoice. It is not proof that anyone has paid.

Use one when the customer needs the price in writing before they agree, or when a customer, such as an office, needs paperwork before it releases a deposit. Put a validity date on it, such as “valid until 27 November 2026”. Fabric prices and your own workload change, and the date protects you from a customer who comes back months later expecting the same price.

If you are unsure how to set the price, read how to price your sewing work first.

Invoice: what it is and what goes on it

An invoice is a request for payment. It says: “You ordered this, the total is this much, please pay.” Companies and schools often ask for one before they pay a supplier. Most walk-in customers do not need one, because they pay a deposit and a balance and get receipts.

Write your shop name and phone number, an invoice number and the date. Add the customer’s name, a short description of the work, the total price, any amount already paid, the balance due and the date you expect payment. Add how the customer should pay, such as your account details. Keep a copy.

Receipt: what it is and what goes on it

A receipt is proof of payment. It says: “We received this amount on this date.” Give one every time money changes hands: at the deposit, for each part payment and at the final payment. The full list of fields, with more examples, is in how to write a receipt for tailors.

One order from start to finish

Here is one made-to-order job, with example numbers. Bisi Lawal wants a lace gown from Adunni Couture.

1. Before work: proforma. Adunni sends a proforma showing the gown at ₦45,000, a deposit of ₦20,000 to begin, collection on 18 December 2026, and a validity date. Bisi has paid nothing yet.
2. Deposit: receipt. Bisi pays ₦20,000. Adunni gives a receipt: total ₦45,000, paid ₦20,000, balance ₦25,000.
3. Balance due: invoice, if asked. If Bisi’s office is paying and wants to be billed, Adunni sends an invoice for the ₦25,000 balance. If Bisi is paying herself, no invoice is needed.
4. Handover: receipt. On 18 December 2026, Bisi pays the ₦25,000 and collects the gown. Adunni gives a second receipt showing balance ₦0.

The same idea works when you are the buyer. Amaka Eze, a designer, asks a fabric seller for a proforma showing 15 yards of lace at ₦45,000 (example). She compares it with other sellers, pays a ₦20,000 deposit, gets a receipt, then pays the ₦25,000 balance and gets a final receipt. Keep every one of these. They show what your fabric really cost, which matters when you set your own prices.

Copy-paste templates for WhatsApp

Replace the words in square brackets. The examples above show how they look when filled in.

Proforma invoice (quote)

PROFORMA INVOICE - [Shop name]
Phone: [Shop phone]

Proforma no: [P-001]
Date: [day month year]
Valid until: [day month year]

For: [Customer name]
Order: [Garment], [fabric and yards]

Total price: [₦ amount]
Deposit to start: [₦ amount]
Collection date: [day month year]

This is a price quote. No payment has been received.

Invoice

INVOICE - [Shop name]
Phone: [Shop phone]

Invoice no: [INV-001]
Date: [day month year]

Bill to: [Customer or company name]
Work: [Garment and description]

Total price: [₦ amount]
Already paid: [₦ amount]
Amount due: [₦ amount]
Please pay by: [day month year]

Pay to: [Account name, bank and number]

Receipt

RECEIPT - [Shop name]
Phone: [Shop phone]

Receipt no: [0001]
Date: [day month year]

Customer: [Customer name]
Order: [Garment]

Total price: [₦ amount]
Paid now: [₦ amount]
Balance: [₦ amount]

Payment method: [Cash / Transfer / POS]
Received by: [Your name]

Which one does a small tailor really need?

For most days, you need two things:

1. A clear quote. Tell the customer the price and deposit before you start, and write it down.
2. A receipt every time you collect money. At the deposit, and again at the final payment.

Add an invoice when a customer, such as a company or a school, asks for one. Do not worry about the word “proforma” unless a supplier sends you one or someone asks you for one. It is a quote with a longer name.

Common mix-ups and mistakes

• Calling a receipt an invoice. A receipt says money came in. An invoice says money is wanted. Do not use one word for both.
• Treating a proforma as proof of payment. A proforma only shows a price. If you pay, ask for a receipt.
• Taking a deposit with no record. “She said she would pay later, and I forgot.” Write a receipt, or you both remember different amounts.
• Sending an invoice after the customer has paid in full. That confuses people. Send a receipt instead.
• Sending an invoice and forgetting the receipt. After the customer pays an invoice, give a receipt so there is proof.
• Writing “part payment” without an amount. Always write the exact naira figure and the balance.
• Using the same number for different documents. Give invoices and receipts their own numbers, so you can find each one.

If a balance is still unpaid after the date you agreed, a polite message helps. Try our payment reminder messages.

Questions people ask

Is an invoice a receipt?

No. An invoice asks for money. A receipt confirms money was received. Some businesses mark an invoice “Paid”, but a separate receipt is clearer, and it is easier to keep in order.

Can an invoice be used as proof of payment?

Not on its own. An invoice shows what was ordered and what was charged. Only a receipt, or an invoice clearly marked with the payment received, shows that the money was paid.

Do I need both an invoice and a receipt?

Not always. A walk-in customer who pays a deposit and a balance needs receipts. A company or school may ask for an invoice first, and then you give a receipt when they pay.

What is a proforma invoice, and how is it different from a quote?

For a tailor, they are nearly the same thing. Both show the price before the work starts. A proforma is laid out like an invoice, so it is easy to turn into one later. Neither one proves any payment.

How long should a proforma stay valid?

That is your choice. Many tailors give a short time, such as one or two weeks, because fabric prices and workload change. Write the date on the document, so the customer cannot claim you forgot.

Can a proforma invoice be cancelled?

A proforma is an offer, so if the customer does not accept, nothing happens and you simply let it expire. Once a deposit is paid, the position is different. Agree in writing what happens to the deposit if the customer cancels, and put that on the proforma or receipt.

What must be on an invoice?

We do not give legal advice. For a tailor’s day-to-day invoice, the useful fields are your shop name and phone, an invoice number, the date, the customer’s name, what the work is, the total, what has been paid, the balance and the payment date. If a company asks for extra details, ask them what they need.