What must every GST bill include?
A valid GST invoice needs: your business name and GSTIN, an invoice number and date, the customer's name (and GSTIN if it's a B2B sale), the HSN/SAC code for each item, quantity, rate, taxable value, the applicable GST rate and amount, and the final total.
What are HSN and SAC codes?
HSN (Harmonized System of Nomenclature) codes are used for goods (physical products) — groceries, clothing, electronics, and so on. SAC (Services Accounting Code) is used for services — repairs, consulting, delivery charges, etc.
The number of digits required depends on your annual turnover:
| Annual Turnover | HSN Digits Required |
|---|---|
| Up to ₹5 crore | 4 digits |
| Above ₹5 crore | 6 digits |
💡 In BillEasy, set the HSN/SAC code once when you add a product — after that it's applied to every bill automatically, so you never have to type it again.
CGST, SGST and IGST — what's the difference?
These are all parts of GST; which one applies depends on whether the transaction happens within the same state or between two different states:
- Same-state sale (Intra-state): GST splits into two parts —
CGST(Central GST, to the central government) +SGST(State GST, to your state). Split 50/50. For example, an 18% GST rate becomes 9% CGST + 9% SGST. - Different-state sale (Inter-state): The full GST amount is charged as a single
IGST(Integrated GST) — for example, 18% IGST.
BillEasy detects this automatically — just select the customer's state (or enter their GSTIN), and the correct tax breakdown is calculated for you.
GST rates: how much tax on which item?
| GST Slab | Common Items |
|---|---|
| 0% | Fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, unbranded flour/rice |
| 5% | Packaged food items, tea, coffee, edible oil |
| 12% | Processed food, some clothing, mobile phones |
| 18% | Most goods and services, electronics, restaurants (non-AC in some cases) |
| 28% | Luxury items, tobacco, high-end automobiles |
Note: GST rates change from time to time via government notifications — confirm current rates for your specific products with a CA or the official GST portal before filing returns.
Step by step: generating a GST bill in BillEasy
- Set up your business once — enter your business name, GSTIN, address and state (in Settings).
- Add your products — name, price and HSN/SAC code, set once and reused on every bill.
- Create a new bill — enter the customer's name/mobile number, select products, enter quantities.
- Tax is calculated automatically — CGST+SGST or IGST, based on the customer's state.
- Print or share — print via a Bluetooth thermal printer, or share as WhatsApp/PDF. A UPI QR code is added to every bill automatically.
Create your first GST bill →
Common mistakes shopkeepers make
- Using the wrong HSN code — this can cause mismatches when filing GST returns
- Mixing up intra-state and inter-state transactions, applying IGST instead of CGST+SGST (or vice versa)
- Breaking the invoice number sequence — GST rules require invoice numbers to be sequential
- Calculating manually — this introduces rounding errors; software-based calculation is far more accurate