How to Make a Bill Online, With the GST Bill Format Explained

A customer asks for a bill. Maybe they need it for their accounts, maybe to claim GST input credit, maybe just for their records. If you have been writing bills by hand or copying an old Word file, this guide shows you what a proper bill needs and how to make one online in a few minutes.

Bill or Invoice: Is There a Difference?

In everyday business in India, no. "Bill" is the word most people use, and "invoice" is the word the GST law and most software use. Both mean the same document: a record of what you sold, to whom, and how much they owe.

Two terms are worth knowing:

• Tax invoice. The bill a GST-registered business issues when it charges GST. It has to carry the details listed in the GST section below.
• Bill of supply. The bill issued when no GST can be charged, for example by a business under the composition scheme or for exempt goods and services.

If you are not registered for GST, a simple bill with the basics below is all you need.

What Every Bill Should Include

• Your business name, address and contact details. Add your logo if you have one.
• The customer's name and address. For a business customer, use their registered business name.
• A bill number. Unique and in sequence, such as INV-001, INV-002. Never reuse a number.
• The bill date. The date you issue it.
• Each item or service. A clear description, the quantity, the rate and the amount.
• The total. Plus any discount, and tax if you charge it.
• How to pay you. Bank details or a UPI ID, if the bill has not been paid yet.

GST Bill Format: The Extra Details

If you are registered for GST and charging it, Rule 46 of the CGST Rules lists what a tax invoice must contain. On top of the basics above, that means:

• Your GSTIN.
• The customer's GSTIN, if they are registered. They need it on the bill to claim input tax credit.
• A bill number of up to 16 characters, unique for the financial year. Letters, numbers, hyphens and slashes are allowed, so INV/2026-27/001 is fine.
• An HSN code for goods or a SAC code for services. Businesses with turnover up to ₹5 crore need a 4-digit code on bills to registered customers. Above ₹5 crore, it is 6 digits.
• The taxable value, after any discount.
• The GST rate and amount, split as CGST and SGST, or shown as IGST.
• The place of supply with the state name, when the sale is to another state.
• The delivery address, if it is different from the place of supply.
• Whether tax is payable on reverse charge.
• Your signature, or that of someone authorised to sign for you.

For an unregistered customer, a bill of ₹50,000 or more must also show their name, address and delivery address, with the name and code of their state.

CGST and SGST, or IGST?

It depends on where your customer is:

• Same state as you: charge CGST and SGST, each at half the GST rate.
• Different state: charge IGST at the full rate.

For example, a ₹10,000 service at 18% GST:

• To a customer in your state: CGST 9% (₹900) + SGST 9% (₹900), total ₹11,800.
• To a customer in another state: IGST 18% (₹1,800), total ₹11,800.

The customer pays the same either way. What changes is which government the tax goes to.

How to Make a Bill in DynamicAT

1. Create a free account, or log in to your dashboard. Click New and choose New Invoice.
2. Enter your company name and business details, and add your GSTIN if you have one. Upload your logo while you are there.
3. Under Bill To, enter your customer's name and address, and their GSTIN if they are registered.
4. Check the bill number and date. DynamicAT numbers your bills in sequence for you.
5. Add your items: description, quantity and rate. The amount works itself out. Put the HSN or SAC code in the item description.
6. Under Anything else?, tap GST, enter the rate and choose CGST+SGST or IGST. Add a discount here too if you are giving one. GST is worked out on the amount after the discount.
7. Add your bank details or UPI ID. A UPI QR code can print on the bill so your customer can pay by scanning it.
8. Click Download PDF, or share a link your customer opens in their browser.

Need place of supply or a reverse charge note on every bill? Add them once as custom fields in Settings → Fields & labels. Save your signature in Settings → Business and it prints on every bill automatically.

Good to Know

• One GST rate per bill. If you sell items at different GST rates, such as 5% and 18%, make a separate bill for each rate.
• The heading reads "Invoice". That is the standard name for a GST bill, and your customer's accountant will expect it.
• E-invoicing. If your turnover makes e-invoicing compulsory for you, your bills to registered businesses also need an IRN and QR code from the government's e-invoice system. DynamicAT doesn't generate those.
• GST returns. DynamicAT makes your bills. It doesn't file returns, so keep sharing your bills with your accountant as usual.

Is It Free?

Yes. Your first 10 documents are free, with no credit card needed. Pro is ₹49 a month, or ₹999 for two years, and gives you unlimited bills, quotations and receipts. Freelancers can find more in our GST invoice generator for freelancers, and shops and small firms in invoicing for small businesses in India.

New to invoicing? How to Create a Professional Invoice goes through each section in more detail.