Key points
- Excel to JSON: download the bulk tools from the e-way bill portal, fill the sheet, convert to JSON, then upload under e-Waybill → Generate Bulk.[1]
- NIC advises keeping a bulk JSON to around 2,000 requests to avoid upload problems.[1]
- The same tools cover consolidated e-way bills, master uploads and bulk vehicle (Part-B) updates.[1]
- From IRN: the e-invoice portal can generate e-way bills in bulk from IRNs, so Part-A comes from the invoice.[2]
- Since 1 Jan 2025, e-way bills can be made only for documents up to 180 days old, and 2-factor login has been compulsory for all users since 1 Apr 2025.[3][4]
The three routes at a glance
| Route | How data gets in | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portal bulk tool (Excel → JSON) | Fill the NIC sheet or your own export, convert to JSON, upload | Firms without an integrated system; batches at fixed times | Code lists, date formats, re-uploading failed rows |
| E-way bill API | Your software calls the API for each bill | High volume, real time, no manual upload | Needs API access (directly or through a GSP) and a developer |
| From IRN (e-invoice) | IRN already holds Part-A; add transport details | Firms that e-invoice every B2B bill | Only for e-invoiced documents; B2C and non-supply moves need another route |
Route 1: the portal's Excel-to-JSON tool
NIC built the offline bulk tool for taxpayers who have their own billing data but cannot use the API.[1] The steps:
Generate e-way bills in bulk on the portal
Fill one row per e-way bill
Use the codes in the sheet for supply type, sub-type, document type, transport mode, unit and state. Wrong codes are the most common reason a row fails.[1]
Upload
Log in, open e-Waybill → Generate Bulk, choose the file and click Generate. The portal creates e-way bills for the error-free rows and shows errors for the rest.[1]
Save the results
Export the grid with e-way bill numbers to Excel and attach each number to its bill in your books.[1]
The same page has tools for bulk consolidated e-way bills (several e-way bills on one vehicle), bulk masters (customers, suppliers, products, transporters) and bulk vehicle updates for Part-B.[1]
Route 2: the e-way bill API
The API lets your billing software ask the e-way bill system for each bill directly, so there is no file to prepare or upload. NIC publishes an API user manual on the e-way bill site.[6] Access is either direct, for taxpayers who meet NIC's conditions, or through a GST Suvidha Provider. Every call still goes through the same validations as the portal, and you need someone to handle errors and retries.
Route 3: bulk e-way bills from IRNs
When you e-invoice, the IRP shares the invoice with the e-way bill system, which creates Part-A from it; only transport details such as the vehicle number remain.[2] The e-invoice portal offers bulk e-way bill generation from IRNs with a converter or Excel file that makes one JSON for many IRNs.[2] Use our guide to e-way bills from IRN for the details.
Rules that cause bulk rejections
- Document older than 180 days: since 1 Jan 2025 the system will not generate an e-way bill for a base document dated more than 180 days before.[3]
- Distance: the portal works out pin-to-pin distance, and you can enter up to 10% more or less than that figure.[5]
- Services only: an e-way bill cannot be made with only SAC (chapter 99) codes; at least one goods HSN is needed.[5]
- Temporary vehicle numbers must start with TM.[5]
- 2-factor login: compulsory for all taxpayers and transporters from 1 Apr 2025; plan who receives the OTP before a big upload.[4]
- Blocked GSTIN: e-way bill generation is blocked for taxpayers who have not filed returns for the specified period; unblocking needs Form EWB-05.[5]
Worked example: one dispatch evening
Jain FMCG Distributors, Pune (sample firm) sends 140 consignments on a Friday evening: 120 are B2B bills that are e-invoiced, 20 are transfers to its own second godown in Pune district under the same GSTIN, sent on delivery challans, which are not supplies and have no IRN.
| Consignments | Route | What the team does |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | From IRN | IRNs already exist from billing; add vehicle numbers for each route in one bulk file |
| 20 | Bulk tool | One Excel sheet with delivery challans as the document and the supply sub-type the portal lists for own-use movement; convert and upload Verify |
| All 140 | Consolidated EWB | Six trucks: one consolidated e-way bill per truck listing its e-way bills |
Two uploads plus six consolidated e-way bills replace 140 separate entries. If you time your own team on one manual e-way bill, multiply by your daily count; that is the time a bulk route gives back.
How to choose
- Under about 20 a day, one person: the portal form or the bulk tool is enough.
- Dozens a day, all e-invoiced: generate from IRN at billing time, so the dispatch desk only adds vehicles.
- Hundreds a day, many branches: use the API through your billing software, so nothing is uploaded by hand.
How Moharbill helps
- The e-way bill is made from the IRN when you save the bill, with distance filled from the pincodes, and Part-B can be added later from the e-way bill screen. See e-way bill software.
- Bulk IRN for a backlog, with automatic retry when the IRP is slow; see e-invoice software.
- Coming in v1.1: standalone e-way bills for movements without an e-invoice, such as goods sent on delivery challans.
Frequently asked questions
How do I generate e-way bills in bulk?
Download the bulk tool from the e-way bill portal (Help → Tools → Bulk Generation Tools), fill one row per e-way bill, convert it to JSON and upload it under e-Waybill → Generate Bulk. Or generate them from IRNs, or through the API.
How many e-way bills can one bulk file have?
NIC's bulk generation manual advises preparing the JSON with around 2,000 requests to avoid upload problems.
Can I use my own Excel instead of NIC's tool?
Yes. The tool is optional; you can prepare the JSON from your own system using the attributes and JSON schema NIC publishes on the portal.
Can I update vehicle numbers in bulk?
Yes. The bulk tools include a bulk vehicle number update for Part-B.
Why does the portal refuse an old invoice?
From 1 January 2025, e-way bills can be generated only for documents dated within 180 days of the generation date.
Sources
All read on 17 Oct 2026.
- NIC, "E-Way Bill System, User Manual – Offline Tool" (bulk generation, about 2,000 requests per file, consolidated, masters, vehicle updates). docs.ewaybillgst.gov.in
- NIC, e-invoice system web user manual, sections 14.1–14.2 (e-way bill from IRN, bulk e-way bills using IRN). einvoice1.gst.gov.in
- NIC, "Updates to E-Way Bill and E-Invoice Systems" (180-day document limit and 360-day extension cap from 1 Jan 2025). docs.ewaybillgst.gov.in
- NIC e-way bill portal, latest updates (2FA mandatory for all taxpayers and transporters from 1 Apr 2025). ewaybillgst.gov.in
- NIC e-way bill documents page (note on the bulk tool and JSON schema, ±10% pin-to-pin distance, HSN rule for services, TM vehicle numbers, blocking and EWB-05). docs.ewaybillgst.gov.in · Bulk EWB note
- NIC, e-way bill API user manual. docs.ewaybillgst.gov.in
Written by the Moharbill team
We build GST billing for distributors at Hexa Secure Labs and write these guides from the rules we code into the product. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it within two working days.