If your business must issue e-invoices, SmartLedger can register a saved sales invoice with the NIC e-invoice portal (IRP). You get an IRN, an acknowledgement number and a signed e-invoice with its QR code, all stored on the invoice.
Before you start
- E-invoicing is included in the Pro plan and above.
- Get your e-invoice API credentials from einvoice1.gst.gov.in under API Registration. These are separate from your e-way bill credentials.
- The client must be a registered business, SEZ or overseas customer. For a consumer or an unregistered business, the invoice shows "e-Invoice not applicable" instead.
- Save the invoice first.
Generate the e-invoice
- Go to Sales → Sales Invoices and click the invoice.
- Click Edit Invoice.
- In the right-hand panel, find the e-Invoice / EWB card. It reads No e-Invoice issued.
- Click Generate e-Invoice, then Yes, Generate.
- If SmartLedger doesn't have your credentials yet, the e-Invoice API Credentials dialog opens. Enter your GSTIN, e-Invoice API Username and e-Invoice API Password, then click Save. SmartLedger then carries on and generates the e-invoice.
The card shows Generated, with the IRN, the Ack # and the date it was acknowledged. Under Documents, click Signed e-Invoice to view the signed copy with its QR code.
The menu next to Signed e-Invoice has Copy IRN, Download signed e-Invoice and Cancel IRN.
If generation fails
The card shows e-Invoice generation failed with the portal's reason.
- For a temporary problem, click Retry.
- For a problem with the invoice data, click Edit invoice, fix the invoice, click Update Invoice and generate again.
- If you see Invoice unchanged, the portal has refused a second IRN for identical data. Change the invoice before trying again.
Cancel an IRN
- Open the invoice with Edit Invoice.
- In the e-Invoice / EWB card, open the menu next to Signed e-Invoice and click Cancel IRN.
- Confirm with Yes, Cancel IRN.
- Choose a Cancel reason: Duplicate, Data entry mistake, Order Cancelled or Others.
- If you like, add a note under Remarks (optional), up to 100 characters.
- Click Yes, Cancel IRN.
The portal only allows cancellation within 24 hours of generation. After that, SmartLedger warns you that the request will probably fail. If the invoice has an active e-way bill, cancel the e-way bill first.
A cancelled e-invoice can't be undone. The invoice leaves your books: its journal entries are reversed, it moves back to draft and any stock it took is returned. It can't be edited or given a new IRN, so raise a new invoice instead.
What happens next
- The invoice's amounts and line items are locked once it has an IRN. You can still change the order number, project, notes, terms and attachments.
- When you email the invoice, the client receives the signed e-invoice with the IRN and QR code.
- In the invoice list, show the e-Invoice column to see each invoice's IRN, or Cancelled or Failed.
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