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 ચકાસો |
| 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
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