The problem at the loading bay
The goods are packed and the driver is waiting. Someone has to open the e-way bill portal, type the buyer's GSTIN, the bill number, the items, the HSN codes and the vehicle number, all of which are already on the bill. One wrong digit and the e-way bill does not match the invoice, which is a problem if the vehicle is stopped on the way.
E-way bill software should take the details from the bill so nobody types them twice. That is what Cartix Prime does.
What Cartix Prime does
On the Gold plan, Cartix Prime makes a JSON upload file for bills over ₹50,000. The e-way bill portal accepts this kind of file for generating e-way bills in bulk. In short:
- It lists the bills over ₹50,000, so the ones that may need an e-way bill are not missed.
- It checks each bill before it goes into the file, so a mistake is caught in the shop and not on the portal.
- It puts the bills you pick into one JSON file in the portal's format.
- After you upload it, you bring the e-way bill number back into Cartix Prime against each bill.
The ₹50,000 mark is the general value at which an e-way bill is needed for moving goods, but the rules have conditions: some goods are exempt, some states have their own limits for movement inside the state, and the value that counts is worked out in a set way. Our guide to e-way bill rules covers these. Whether a particular movement needs one is a question for your CA.
No direct API connection
Cartix Prime does not talk to the e-way bill portal directly. The shop signs in to the portal with its own login, uploads the file and gets the e-way bill numbers there. This keeps your portal login in your own hands, and it means there is one extra step compared with an API. If you need e-way bills generated from inside the billing screen with no portal visit, Cartix Prime does not do that.
How it works
- Bill the customer in Cartix Prime as usual. Save the buyer once with their GSTIN and address.
- Open e-way bills. Bills over ₹50,000 are listed.
- Pick the bills that are being sent out and let Cartix Prime check them.
- Fix anything flagged, such as a missing HSN code.
- Download the JSON file and upload it on the e-way bill portal.
- Note the e-way bill numbers in Cartix Prime against the bills, so they are on record.
For a distributor sending out several loads a day, doing this in one batch is much faster than typing each bill on the portal.
A day at a distributor
Picture a stationery distributor in Kozhikode who sends two vans out every morning. The evening before, the staff bill the orders in Cartix Prime. In the morning, before the vans load, someone opens e-way bills, picks the bills over ₹50,000 going out that day, checks them and downloads one file. The upload on the portal takes a few minutes, and the e-way bill numbers go back into Cartix Prime against each bill. The drivers carry the bills and the e-way bill numbers, and nothing was typed twice.
If a bill is flagged in the check, it is fixed in Cartix Prime first, so the bill, the GSTR-1 and the e-way bill all agree.
Works with e-invoice and van sales
Businesses that issue e-invoices often need e-way bills for the same B2B sales. Both are on Gold, and both come from the same bill. See e-invoice software for the IRN side.
If you sell from vans on routes, Gold also has van sale and salesmen: routes, van stock load and unload, and collections. Read about van sales software.
Who it suits
- Distributors and stockists who deliver to retailers in their own vehicles
- Wholesalers who send goods to buyers in other towns or states
- Building material, hardware and electrical shops that deliver large orders
- Supermarkets that supply bulk orders to hotels or institutions
A shop where customers carry their goods home from the counter rarely needs e-way bills. If you only deliver now and then, check with your CA whether your deliveries are covered.
Which plan
E-way bill files are on Gold and Platinum. Gold costs ₹8,999 a year for 1 computer and 1 phone, or ₹1,899 for a phone only, before 18% GST. It also has e-invoice files, the GSTR-2B ITC match, accounts with Tally export, and van sale. The GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B reports are on every plan, see GST return software. Full prices are on the pricing page. Start with 7 days of Silver free, no card needed.
Questions people ask
Can I generate an e-way bill from my billing software?
With Cartix Prime on Gold, you make a JSON upload file from your bills over ₹50,000 and upload it on the e-way bill portal. The software does not connect to the portal directly, but nothing has to be typed again.
When is an e-way bill needed?
Generally when goods worth more than ₹50,000 are moved, but there are exempt goods, state rules for movement inside a state and other conditions. Our e-way bill rules guide explains them. Check with your CA for your own deliveries.
What is the e-way bill JSON bulk upload?
It is a file format the e-way bill portal accepts for making many e-way bills at once. Cartix Prime puts your selected bills into this file after checking them, and you upload it on the portal with your login.
Does Cartix Prime have an API link to the e-way bill portal?
No. There is no direct API connection. The shop uploads the file on the portal and notes the e-way bill numbers back in Cartix Prime against each bill.
Which Cartix Prime plan has e-way bills?
Gold and Platinum. Gold is ₹8,999 a year for a computer and a phone, or ₹1,899 for a phone only, before GST, and also includes e-invoice files and van sale.