GST Invoice

                      Introduction to GST Invoice

With GST around the corner, it is extremely critical for businesses to start invoicing under GST mode, and not face any roadblocks, as they usher in the new age. Businesses will need to ensure that the GST transaction invoices are passed with the requisite details, which will later enable them to claim the right ITC, and remain GST compliant while growing continuously.

Invoice format Under GST Regime

GST Invoice

When a registered taxable person supplies taxable goods or services, a tax invoice is issued. To issue and receive a GST compliant invoice is a prerequisite to claim ITC. If a taxpayer does not issue such an invoice to his customer - who is a registered taxable person, his customer loses the ITC claim and the taxpayer loses its customers.

Details to be captured in the GST Invoice Format

·         Invoice number and date

·         Customer name

·         Shipping and billing address

·         Customer and taxpayer's GSTIN

·         Place of supply

·         HSN code

·         Taxable value and discounts

·         Rate and amount of taxes i.e. CGST + SGST/UTGST (intra-state) OR IGST (inter-state)

·         Item details i.e. description, unit price, quantity

Time Limit of issuing the GST Invoice

Supply of Goods	Supply of Services
The tax invoice must be issued before or at the time of - ·         Removal of goods, where supply involves movement of goods ·         Delivery of goods to the recipient, where supply does not require movement of goods ·         Issue of account statement/ payment, where there is continuous supply	The tax invoice must be issued within - ·         30 days from the date of supply of the service ·         45 days from the date of supply of the service, where the supplier is an insurer or banking company or a financial institution

Copies of the GST Invoice required

Supply of Goods	Supply of Services
Original invoice: The original invoice is issued to the receiver, and is marked as 'Original for recipient'.	Original Invoice: The original copy of the invoice is to be given to receiver, and is marked as 'Original for recipient'.
Duplicate copy: The duplicate copy is issued to the transporter, and is marked as 'Duplicate for transporter'. This is not required if the supplier has obtained an invoice reference number. The Invoice reference number is given to a supplier when he uploads a tax invoice issued by him in the GST portal. It is valid for 30 days from the date of upload of invoice. Triplicate copy: This copy is retained by the supplier, and is marked as 'Triplicate for supplier'.	Duplicate Copy: The duplicate copy is for the supplier, and is marked as 'Duplicate for supplier'.

Minimum amount for which one can raise a GST Invoice

A tax invoice need not be issued when the value of the goods or services supplied is less than INR 200 if –

·         The recipient is unregistered and

·         The recipient does not require an invoice, in case if the recipient demands for the invoice, should be issued.

However, a consolidated tax invoice or an aggregate invoice should be prepared at the end of each day for all such supplies for which the tax invoice is not issued.

Handling purchases from URD - Reverse Charge Invoice

In case of a registered person purchasing from an 'unregistered supplier', the tax is paid by the recipient, and the recipient must issue an invoice on the date of receipt of goods or services.

Handling advance payments – Receipt Voucher

When a registered dealer receives an advance payment for a supply, the dealer should issue a receipt voucher for the advance paid by the recipient.

Handling exports effectively - Export Invoice

An export invoice must, in addition to the details required in a tax invoice, contain the following details:

·         Must have the words '"Supply meant for export on payment of IGST" or "Supply meant for export under bond or letter of undertaking without payment of IGST"

·         Name and address of the recipient

·         Name of the destination country

·         Delivery address

Handling special deliveries - Delivery Challan

Delivery Challan can be issued in some special business cases, such as –

·         Supply of liquid gas, where the quantity at the time of removal from the place of business of the supplier is not known

·         Transportation of goods for job work

·         Transportation of goods for reasons other than supply

·         Any other notified supplies

Handling revisions in the values of invoice already issued – Debit Note / Credit Note

To revise the taxable value or GST charged in an invoice, a debit note or supplementary invoice or credit note must be issued by the supplier.

·         Debit note / Supplementary Invoice - These are to be issued by a supplier to record increase in taxable value &/or GST charged in the original invoice.

·         Credit note - These are to be issued by a supplier to record decrease in taxable value &/or GST charged in the original invoice. Credit note must be issued on or before 30th September following the end of the financial year in which the supply was made OR the date of filing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier.

Debit notes, supplementary invoices and credit notes must include the following details:

·         Nature of the document must be indicated prominently, such as 'revised invoice' or 'supplementary invoice'

·         Name, address, and GSTIN of the supplier

·         A consecutive serial number containing only alphabets and/or numerals or special characters hyphen "-" or slash "/", unique for a financial year

·         Date of issue of the document

·         If recipient is registered- Name, address and GSTIN/Unique ID number of the recipient

·         If recipient is unregistered- Name, address of recipient and address of delivery, with state name and code

·         Serial number and date of the original tax invoice or bill of supply

·         Taxable value of the goods or services, rate of tax and the amount of tax credited or debited to the recipient

·         Signature or digital signature of the supplier or his authorized representative

Bill of Supply

Bill of Supply is to be issued by a registered supplier in the following cases:

·         Supply of exempted goods or services

·         Supplier is paying tax under composition scheme

Similar to tax invoice, a bill of supply need not be issued when the value of goods or services supplied is less than INR 200, unless the receiver insists for the bill. However, a consolidated bill of supply should be prepared at the end of the business day for all such supplies for which the bill of supply is not issued.