How to use this checklist
- Demo on your data, not a sample company. Bring 20 real bills: a scheme bill, an inter-state bill, a credit note and a bill to a party over its limit.
- Score each point 0 (missing), 1 (partial or paid extra) or 2 (works well). Weight the sections that matter to you.
- Ask for it in writing: limits on users, GSTINs, e-invoices and messages, and what costs extra.
- Check the law dates yourself. Rules change; a vendor's page may be out of date. Our sources are listed at the end.
1. Compliance (12 points)
- Generates the IRN and signed QR when the bill is saved, not in a separate portal session.
- Checks GSTIN status, state codes, HSN length and line arithmetic before calling the IRP, and explains rejections in plain words.
- Bulk IRN for a backlog, with retries when the IRP is slow.
- Counts days on every pending e-invoice for the 30-day rule if your turnover is ₹10 crore or more.[1]
- Makes the e-way bill from the IRN, with distance from pincodes and Part-B updates later.[2]
- Handles movements without an e-invoice (delivery challans, B2C) for e-way bills, or says clearly that it doesn't.
- Uses 6-digit HSN codes when aggregate turnover is above ₹5 crore.[3]
- Keeps GST rates with effective dates, so old bills keep old rates after a rate change.
- Prepares GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B from the same bills, so they agree (avoids DRC-01B).[4]
- Helps match GSTR-2B with purchases, and supports IMS actions, now or on a dated roadmap.[5]
- Tracks TDS on purchases under section 393 per supplier against ₹50 lakh, with FY 2026-27 labels.[6]
- Credit notes linked to the original bill, with the 30 November deadline shown.[7]
2. Distribution features (10 points)
- Party-wise rates and price lists that apply as you bill.
- Quantity-slab and festive schemes on the bill, and target schemes by linked credit note.
- Credit limit and credit period per party, with a hold or approval at billing.
- A payment-behaviour grade per party, not just an outstanding figure.
- Several GSTINs (state registrations) under one login, with branch-wise returns.
- Godowns and stock transfers, with the right document for each movement.
- Units that match your trade: cartons and pieces, kg and tonnes, coils and sheets.
- Keyboard-first billing for a busy counter, with shortcuts your team already knows.
- Works when the internet drops, and syncs later without duplicate bills.
- Bills and messages in your parties' languages.
3. Collections (6 points)
- Automatic reminders before and after the due date, on a calendar you set.
- WhatsApp messages through approved business templates, with a payment link for the exact amount.
- Payments matched to bills automatically where the payment route allows it.
- Ageing by party and by salesman, updated daily.
- A ledger the party can see and pay from.
- Opt-out handling, so parties who ask to stop messages are respected.
4. Team, CA and data (8 points)
- Your CA can log in with their own account at no extra cost, and work across clients.
- Roles: billing staff can't see margins or delete bills; the owner approves overrides.
- Two-factor login and an audit log of every edit and deletion. GST rules require a log of edited or deleted entries for electronic records.[8]
- Imports masters and opening balances from your current software or Excel, with checks for bad GSTINs and HSN codes.
- Exports everything (masters, vouchers, bills as PDF and data) in open formats, any time, without a fee.
- Exports vouchers to Tally if your CA keeps the books there.
- Keeps records for the period the law requires: 72 months from the annual return due date.[9]
- Tells you where your data is stored, who can access it, and how backups are restored.
5. The full yearly cost (4 points)
- Price per year for the users, GSTINs and branches you actually need, before GST.
- Limits on e-invoices, e-way bills and messages, and the price above the limit.
- Extra costs for remote access, mobile use, CA access, migration and training.
- Renewal price and what happens to your data if you stop paying.
Worked example: a total cost sheet
Bhavani Distributors, Madurai (sample firm): ₹14 Cr turnover, 2 GSTINs, 5 billing users, a CA, about 600 e-invoices and 1,200 reminders a month. It fills this sheet from written quotes. Options A and B are the kind of quotes a firm might receive; the figures are examples, not any vendor's price. Option C is Moharbill's published Business plan.
| Yearly cost, before GST | Option A (desktop) | Option B (cloud) | Option C (Moharbill Business) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence or plan | ₹24,000 | ₹18,000 | ₹24,999 |
| Second GSTIN | Included | ₹7,200 | Included (up to 5) |
| Remote access for 5 users | ₹21,600 | Included | Included |
| CA access | CA's own licence | Included | Included (2 CA seats) |
| E-invoices (600/month) | Included | ₹6,000 | Included (5,000/month) |
| WhatsApp reminders (1,200/month) | Add-on, quote pending | ₹3,600 | Included (2,500/month) |
| Total known cost | ₹45,600 + add-on | ₹34,800 | ₹24,999 |
Price is only one section. If Option A scores far higher on the features Bhavani needs, it may still be the right choice. The sheet's job is to make the full cost visible before anyone signs.
Where Moharbill stands on this checklist
We built Moharbill for distributors and wholesalers in the ₹5–50 crore range, so we score well on most compliance, distribution and collections points. To be fair, here is what we don't do yet:
- Coming in v1.1: full GSTR-2B and IMS matching inside the app (a free 2B tool works today); standalone e-way bills without an IRN; matching UPI payments to your own UPI ID; sales and purchase orders.
- Later: filing returns directly through a GSP (today you or your CA upload the JSON we prepare); a beat and salesman app; pharma batch and expiry.
- Not planned: payroll and manufacturing accounting. If you need those, a full accounting package fits better, and you can still bill in Moharbill and export vouchers to Tally.
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for in GST billing software for distribution?
E-invoice and e-way bill on save with checks before the IRP, a 30-day guard if turnover is ₹10 crore or more, GSTR-1 and 3B from the same bills, TDS on purchases under section 393, party-wise rates and schemes, credit limits, CA access, full data export and a clear yearly cost.
Is e-invoicing required in billing software?
If your aggregate turnover has crossed ₹5 crore in any year since 2017-18, you must issue e-invoices for B2B supplies, so your software should generate IRNs.
How do I compare the cost of billing software?
Add up the yearly cost for your real number of users, GSTINs, branches, e-invoices and messages, plus remote access, CA access and renewal, from written quotes.
Should my CA have access to the billing software?
It helps. A CA with their own login can review bills, returns and TDS without asking for exports, and catches mistakes before filing.
Can I keep using Tally for accounts and change only billing?
Yes, if the billing software exports vouchers to Tally. Many distributors bill in one tool and let their CA keep the books in Tally.
Sources
All read on 17 Oct 2026.
- IRIS IRP (einvoice6), 30-day reporting limit for AATO ₹10 crore and above. einvoice6.gst.gov.in
- NIC, e-invoice system web user manual, section 14 (e-way bill from IRN). einvoice1.gst.gov.in
- NIC e-invoice portal notice on 6-digit HSN (Notification 78/2020-CT). einvoice1.gst.gov.in
- CGST Rules 2017, rule 88C, CBIC. taxinformation.cbic.gov.in
- GSTN, advisory on the Invoice Management System. tutorial.gst.gov.in
- Income-tax Act 2025, section 393, Table Sl. 8(ii). incometaxindia.gov.in
- CGST Act 2017, section 34(2), CBIC. taxinformation.cbic.gov.in
- CGST Rules 2017, rule 56(8) (log of edited or deleted entries in electronic records), CBIC. taxinformation.cbic.gov.in
- CGST Act 2017, section 36 (retention for 72 months from the annual return due date), CBIC. taxinformation.cbic.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.