Configure proforma invoices in Stripe
Set up Stripe invoices as proforma so your customers only receive the invoice issued through BeeL.
At a glance
| Why do this | So your customers don't receive two invoices (one from Stripe and one from BeeL) |
| What you do | Mark Stripe invoices as "PROFORMA" and disable their emails |
| Consequence | Your customers won't see invoices in the Stripe portal — the invoices issued through BeeL. are in BeeL. |
| Time | 5 minutes |
Why is this necessary?
When you connect Stripe with BeeL, there are two systems generating documents:
- Stripe generates its own receipts and invoices. They are not issued through BeeL.: they carry no number from your BeeL. series, no billing record and no VeriFactu QR
- BeeL. issues the invoice for the payment under your NIF, with its number, billing record and QR
If you don't do anything, your customer may receive two documents and not know which one is the invoice. Marking Stripe's as proforma avoids that.
Current limitation: by disabling Stripe invoices, your customers won't be able to view them in the Stripe Customer Portal. It is the way to avoid two documents for the same payment. We're working to improve this.
Step by step
Add a "PROFORMA" prefix to Stripe invoices
In the Stripe Dashboard, navigate to Settings > Billing > Invoice template. In the Prefix field, type PROFORMA- and save.
Stripe invoices will now be numbered PROFORMA-0001, PROFORMA-0002… making it clear they're not fiscal documents.
Add an informational note
Still in Invoice template, find the Footer or Memo field and add:
This document is for information only and is not an invoice. The invoice for this payment is issued separately.
Disable Stripe invoice emails
Go to Settings > Billing > Emails and disable Email invoices and receipts to customers so your customers only receive invoices from BeeL.
If you want Stripe to keep sending payment receipts (payment confirmation), keep receipts enabled and only disable invoices.
Disable invoices in the Customer Portal
If you use the Stripe Customer Portal, go to Settings > Billing > Customer portal. Under Invoice history, disable visibility and save.
Result
With this configuration:
- Your customers only receive the invoice issued through BeeL.
- Stripe invoices are marked as PROFORMA for your internal use
- No duplicates or confusion