Meaning & use
pro forma document
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablebusinessformal
A document that is prepared in a standard or provisional way, often to show expected figures or to serve as a formal record before final approval.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a pro forma document or pro forma documents.
Patterns
- a pro forma document for something
- issue/send a pro forma document
- complete a pro forma document
The supplier sent a pro forma document listing the estimated costs before the contract was signed.
Please fill out the pro forma document and return it to the finance office by Friday.
The pro forma document showed the project's projected income for the first year.
nouncountablebusinessformal
A document that is done as a formality, without necessarily having legal force or final effect.
Grammar: Often used to describe paperwork that is required but not legally binding.
Patterns
- a pro forma document
- sign a pro forma document
The committee signed a pro forma document to acknowledge the meeting, but it had no legal weight.
A pro forma document was circulated, but everyone knew the real decision would come later.
Word forms
| plural | pro forma documents |
|---|
Common combinations
- pro forma invoice
- The seller issued a pro forma invoice to confirm the order details.
- pro forma financial statement
- The company released pro forma financial statements to show how it would look after the merger.
- pro forma basis
- The figures were presented on a pro forma basis, assuming the new division was already part of the company.
- pro forma accounts
- The accountant prepared pro forma accounts to estimate next year's profit.
Synonyms and how they differ
- draft document
- A draft is a preliminary version that may be changed, while a pro forma document is often a standard or provisional form used for a specific purpose.
- preliminary document
- Preliminary emphasizes that something comes before the main event; pro forma emphasizes that it follows a set form or is done as a formality.
Word family
- pro forma adjective
- Done as a formality or for the sake of form; also used in business for projected figures.
Commonly confused: pro forma document or per forma?
pro forma document vs per forma
This is not a standard English phrase; the correct Latin phrase is 'pro forma', meaning 'for the sake of form'.
Practice
The manager asked for a ______ document to show the estimated costs before the final budget was approved.
Choose one answer.
A pro forma document is a standard or provisional document used to present expected figures. 'Profound' means deep, 'proficient' means skilled, and 'professed' means claimed, none of which fit the context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pro forma document”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.