What is a pro forma balance sheet?
Sarah Duran
Published Feb 18, 2026
A pro-forma balance sheet is a tabulation of future projections and can help your business manage your assets now for better results in the future. It can assure that there are no surprises in the future when it comes to paying your bills, getting returns on investors, and keeping your inventories in stock.
Why a company constructs a pro forma balance sheet?
Pro Forma balance sheets provide a look into a company’s future. They can be constructed using percentage changes from the previous year. It is more accurate to use last year’s balance sheet and past information to make realistic assumptions about the next year.
What is a pro forma in finance?
Pro forma, Latin for “as a matter of form” or “for the sake of form”, is a method of calculating financial results using certain projections or presumptions. Pro forma financials may not be GAAP compliant but can be issued to the public to highlight certain items for potential investors.
What is the formula for balance sheet?
The balance sheet is based on the fundamental equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. As such, the balance sheet is divided into two sides (or sections). The left side of the balance sheet outlines all of a company’s assets. Correctly identifying and.
What is a pro forma invoice?
A proforma invoice is a preliminary bill or estimated invoice which is used to request payment from the committed buyer for goods or services before they are supplied. A proforma invoice includes a description of the goods, the total payable amount and other details about the transaction.
How to create a pro forma balance sheet?
By drawing on info from the income statement and the cash flow statement, you can create pro forma balance sheets. However, you’ll also need previous balance sheets to make this useful—so you can see how your business got from “Balance A” to “Balance B.” The balance sheet will project changes in your business accounts over time.
What are the different types of pro forma statements?
There are four main types of pro forma statements. While they all fall into the same categories—income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement—they differ based on the purpose of the financial forecast.
How to calculate pro forma total current assets?
Pro forma total current assets: These are determined by adding pro forma cash and pro forma accounts receivable. In this case, Bright Lawn’s pro forma total current assets are $120,000. Pro forma land: Land is the easiest of pro forma asset values to calculate. Because land does not depreciate, it will always have the same value.
How to prepare a pro forma income statement?
It’s time for the “loss” part of “ Profit and Loss .” Calculate the cost of goods sold for each month in your projection. Then, deduct it from your sales. Deduct any other operating expenses you have, as well. Prepare your pro forma income statement using data you’ve compiled in the prior four steps.