Key takeaways
- Most e-invoice failures come from master data: GSTINs, HSN codes and addresses.
- Generate the e-invoice from the sales order flow, not as a separate step.
- Check the current rules and thresholds with your tax advisor, they change.
For businesses above the notified turnover threshold, B2B invoices need an Invoice Reference Number from the government portal before goods move. When e-invoicing is bolted on as a separate step, it becomes the reason trucks wait at the gate. Here is a checklist to make it routine.
Clean your masters first
- Customer GSTINs validated, with the correct legal name and state
- Shipping and billing addresses complete, with PIN codes
- Correct HSN or SAC code and GST rate on every item
- Units of measure mapped to the standard units the portal expects
Build it into the invoice flow
The e-invoice should be generated as part of creating the invoice, using data already on the sales order. Your billing team should not be copying details into a separate portal or utility.
Link the e-way bill
Where an e-way bill is needed, it can usually be generated with the e-invoice using the same data plus transporter and vehicle details. Capturing the transporter at dispatch planning, rather than at the gate, saves the most time.
Plan for cancellations and errors
- 1 Know the time window for cancelling an e-invoice
- 2 Decide who is allowed to cancel and who approves it
- 3 Keep a short checklist for the most common rejection reasons
Reconcile monthly
Compare what you invoiced in your books with what the portal shows, and with what flows into your returns. Small mismatches found monthly are easy to fix. Found at year-end, they are not.
The Unitrix notes
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