1. The compulsory e-invoicing of business-to-business transactions of companies with more than Rs 500 crore sales kicks in from 01st October 2020. The businesses were reportedly not ready to be seen by the tax officials and thus they had been given a chance to fill tax and save from penalty within 30 days.
2. The Government has been quite responsive and accommodative as far as industry feedback on e-invoicing architecture is concerned. Several webinars are being held by authorities to get feedback and provide solutions for the same.
3. In this article, an attempt has been made to compile an updated list of Frequently Asked Questions related to the implementation of e-invoicing. The FAQs addressed in my earlier published articles An Overview of E-Invoicing Under GST, & A to Z of E-Invoicing Under GST- Detailed Analysis are not covered herewith.
4. Invoice Registration Portal (IRP) :
| (a) | What is the URL (website address ) of Invoice Reference Portal (IRP) | The invoice registration portal (IRP) can be accessed at http://einvoice 1 gst.gov.in |
| (b) | How to know, a particular supplier is supposed to issue e-invoice? | The list of such taxpayers is already published on the e-invoice portal. The search facility is available at http://einvoicegst.gov.in-Search-invoice status of the taxpayer. |
| (c) | Will field list for specific data fields, States Code list, Currency and Country Code Master for the same be provided by the NIC? | Currency & Country Code will be provided. State Master is included with codes for Laddakh and other places. The State Cods are provided in the portal.. |
| (d) | Can complete list of special characters in address fields, items and description etc be provided? | Allowed special characters list can be provided |
| (e) | Whether NIC Error Code and resolution for E-Invoice is available in the portal | Yes, https://einvoice1.gst.gov.in/Others/ResolutionErrors |
5. Exemptions for generating E-Invoice :
|
(a) |
There is certain relaxation given by Government to various businesses like (a) an Insurer, Banking Company, or Financial Institution including NBFC. (b)Goods Transport Agency (GTA). (c)Passenger Transport Service) Admission to the exhibition of Cinematograph Films in Multiplex Screens ie. PVR. from e-invoicing Notification No. No. 13/2020 – Central Tax, dated the 21st March 2020 Whether these exemptions are with respect to the nature of the business or the entity as a whole? | The Exemption is for business and not to Entity. For Example, if GTA is engaged in other businesses like renting vehicles etc, that business of GTA will not be exempted for the generation of E-Invoice. |
6. Components of E-Invoice:
| (a) | In the current Schema, there is no provision to report details of supplies not covered under GST? | For items outside GST levy, a separate invoice may be given by such establishment. |
| (b) | The amount in ‘other charges ‘is not part of taxable value. However, some charges are leviable to GST. How to mention them? | This may be handled by adding one more line item for such other charges (taxable) |
| (c ) | Rounding off needs to be done at the line item level or invoice level? | Rounding off to be done at the invoice level and not at the item level. |
| (d) | What is the maximum string length or size expected for Signed QR Code & Signed invoice from NIC on successful IRN generation? | Signed QR Code is of fixed length. Signed invoice size depends upon the taxpayer’s payload. |
7. Printing of Attributes
| (a) | Whether attributes like QR Code, IRN date, etc required mandatorily to be printed on the E-invoice? | Printing of IRN is not mandatory. However, the printing of the QR Code is mandatory |
| (b) | QR Code needs to be printed. Where it should be printed and of what size? | The size and placing of QR are up to the preference of the business. The QR Code shall be clear enough to be readable |
| (c ) | Can QR Code be printed on separate paper? | No, Printing of QR Code on separate paper is not allowed? |
| (d) | While returning IRN, the IRP is also giving an Acknowledgement No. & Date. Whether this also need to be printed while issuing an invoice | The Acknowledgement No. and date are only for reference purposes. These particulars are not to be printed on the invoice.
However, it is advisable to save these numbers for easy retrieval of IRN Number details. |
8. Amendments & Cancellations:-
| (a) | What is to be done, If wrong data is provided by mistake while generating IRN | IRN can be cancelled within 24 hours. |
| (b) | Can the same invoice number be sent for IRN generation against cancelled invoice
If not, there will be a mismatch in invoice number in Books & on IRN |
No, the Same invoice number cannot be sent for IRN generation against the cancelled invoice.
The present invoice has to be cancelled in the books also new invoice is to be prepared for IRN generation |
| (c ) | Can details be amended on the reported invoice for which IRN has already been generated? | Amendments to the details cannot be done on IRP. However, detail in e-invoice can be amended on GST Portal through GSTR 1. ( These changes will be flagged to the proper officer ) |
9. E-Invoice & GSTR 1
| (a) | Which date will be used to populate GSTR 1 – It will be the invoice date or IRN generation date? | The invoice date will be used to populate GSTR 1.
For example for invoice dated 31st October, IRN generated on 2nd November 2020. The date/ month for GSTR 1 will be October 2020. |
| (b) | Which all tables of GSTR 1 will get auto populated on generation of e-invoice | Table No. 4A,4B,4C,6A,6B,6C,9B & 12 |
10. E-Invoice & E Way Bill
| (a) | Would the taxpayer be allowed to generate IRN post-E Way Bill Generation | No, First E-Invoice/ IRN has to be generated and then an e-way bill can be generated |
| (b) | When the E-Way bill get replicated in E way System, if gets created using E-Invoice Portal | It is available instantly for further vehicle updation and extension etc |
| (c ) | Is it required to carry a physical copy of the e-invoice during the transportation of goods? | It is not required to carry a physical copy of an e-invoice if the e-invoice with QR Code can be shown on a digital invoice ie mobile etc to the proper officer. |
| (d) | In Bill to Ship Transaction, what is the relevance of POS (Place of Supply ) State Code | Place of State Code will determine whether the supply is Inter-State or Intra State.
Bill To is relevant for e-invoicing whereas Ship To is for E-Way Bill generation. |
The Author can be approached at [email protected]
Author Bio
PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT IF WE LLP AND ISSUEING RENTAL INVOICE FOR RENTING IMMOVABLE PROPERTY ONLY THAN ITS MANADATORY TO CREAT E INVOICE. IF MYSELF AND MY TENANT REGISTERED UNDER GST as service provided on renting of immobable services. only
Hi Ms Anita,
thanks for nice FAQs, i have a query as follows, this is about the exports sales
Scenario >> we are generating e-invoice at the time of final container moves out of factory and QR is printed on custom invoice.
now in GSTR1 which date will be treated as sales ? is it when IRN is generated or when BL is reeceived ?? as we are giving financial impact in system when BL is received !!
thanks in advance
kamal matta
Hi Ma’am,
Your article is very informative and simple, i have one query relating S.No.5. Exemptions for generating E-Invoice, in this article.
As per the FAQ’s issued by CBIC in ( http://www.gstn.org.in > e-invoice > FAQs), under head Applicability as follows:
Q.The exemption from e-invoicing is w.r.t the nature of supply/transaction or w.r.t the entity?
A.It is for the entity.
but, in your article in Sl No.5, you mentioned as it is for business and not to entity. Could you kindly clarify , as we are in transport of passenger business also having income from renting of commercial eshtablishment and sale of scrap vehicle under one GST number.
Thanks in Advance.