What is a GST Invoice?
A GST invoice is a legal document issued by a GST-registered supplier to a buyer. It records the details of goods or services sold, the applicable GST rate, and the total amount payable. Under Indian GST law, registered businesses must issue a proper tax invoice for every B2B transaction.
What Must a GST Invoice Contain?
As per GST rules, every tax invoice must include these mandatory fields:
- Supplier's name and address
- Supplier's GSTIN (15-digit GST Identification Number)
- Invoice number (sequential, no gaps allowed)
- Invoice date
- Buyer's name and address
- Buyer's GSTIN (for B2B transactions)
- Description of goods/services
- HSN/SAC code (for businesses above ₹5 crore turnover)
- Quantity and unit
- Taxable value
- GST rate and amount (CGST + SGST or IGST)
- Total invoice value
- Place of supply
How to Calculate GST on an Invoice
GST in India is calculated as a percentage of the taxable value. Common GST rates are 0%, 5%, 12%, 18% and 28%.
Formula:
- Taxable Value = Sale price before GST
- GST Amount = Taxable Value × GST Rate ÷ 100
- Total Invoice Value = Taxable Value + GST Amount
Example: You sell a mobile phone for ₹10,000. GST rate is 18%.
- Taxable Value = ₹10,000
- GST (18%) = ₹1,800
- Total = ₹11,800
For intra-state sales: CGST = 9% + SGST = 9% (totalling 18%)
For inter-state sales: IGST = 18%
How to Generate a Free GST Invoice
You don't need expensive accounting software to create GST invoices. BillingBro is a free online GST invoice generator that creates compliant invoices in seconds.
Step 1: Register Your Shop
Go to billingbro.com/register.html and create a free account. Enter your shop name, address and GSTIN.
Step 2: Fill Invoice Details
Enter the customer's name and mobile number. Add items with descriptions, quantities and rates. Enter the GST percentage — BillingBro calculates the GST amount and total automatically.
Step 3: Save and Share
Click Save to store the invoice in your account. Click WhatsApp to send the formatted invoice directly to your customer. Click Print to download a PDF.
Common GST Invoice Mistakes to Avoid
- Wrong GSTIN — always double-check your 15-digit number
- Non-sequential invoice numbers — numbers must be sequential within a financial year
- Wrong GST rate — verify the correct slab for your goods/services
- Missing place of supply — essential for determining CGST/SGST vs IGST
- Incorrect HSN code — use the correct code for your product category
Conclusion
Creating GST invoices doesn't need to be complicated or expensive. With a free tool like BillingBro, you can generate fully compliant GST invoices, send them via WhatsApp and maintain a complete invoice history — all at zero cost.
Generate Free GST Invoices with BillingBro
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