In the Client Area you'll come across two kinds of document: the proforma invoice and the legal document (invoice or receipt). They're not the same thing, and it helps to know which one you need when.

The proforma invoice

Every charge first appears as a proforma invoice, with a number, line items, VAT and a total. You also receive it by email, usually with a PDF attached. To print or save it, open it and click Print (in your browser you can choose "Save as PDF").

A proforma invoice is not a tax document. Don't enter it in your books; wait for the invoice or receipt.

The invoice or receipt

1. As soon as a proforma invoice is paid, its page shows a green box explaining that the legal document will be available as a PDF, and a Download PDF button.
2. The document is issued by our accounts department and transmitted to the tax authority. This happens at regular intervals, so it may take 1-2 days after payment.
3. All your documents are under Billing → PDF Invoices, where you can download them.

Once the document is issued, the proforma invoice's number may change to the document's number. That's normal.

Will I get an invoice or a receipt?

It depends on your account details:

• With a business or self-employed Tax ID and "invoice" selected, a service invoice is issued.
• Without a Tax ID, or with "receipt" selected, a service receipt is issued.
• For businesses in other EU countries with a valid intra-EU VAT number, an intra-community services invoice is issued, and for countries outside the EU a third-country services invoice.

Make sure your details are correct before you pay. See My Details.

Credits and documents

When you add credit, no document is issued for the top-up. The document is issued when the credit is used to pay for a service, with the service's description and value. See Credits.

Frequently asked questions