To use the API interface, Taxpayers / GSPs / ERPs / E-Comm. operators (ECO) have to meet the following conditions:
- Should have automated their invoice generation process.
- Must ensure that traffic originating from their end and destination to the e-Invoice system is free from viruses, malware, intrusions, Bots/C&C threats etc. NIC will reserve the right to block/suspend the services of GSP/Taxpayers if malicious traffic impacting the e-Invoice system is detected.
- Must adhere to all Government of India IT Security standards and regulatory requirements. GSP/Taxpayers must comply with IT Act 2000 (including 43A) and amendments.
- Taxpayers / ECOs, as notified by the government, are allowed to register the e-Invoice on the GST Portal. Please see the laws section on the e-Invoice portal for the category of the taxpayers eligible for this purpose.
- They must have provision for adequate bandwidth at their end to connect to the e-Invoice system.
- Initially, the taxpayers with an annual turnover of 500 Crore and above in their previous financial year can access the API credentials.
- Applications consuming APIs should support SSL with minimum version – TLS 1.2
- Will be allowed to access the production environment by whitelisting a maximum of up to 4 Indian Static IP addresses.
- Need to modify their automated system for data exchange with the e-Invoicing system as per the APIs.
- It is recommended that Taxpayers / GSTs / ERPs/ ECOs should also consider backup connectivity to be provided from different service providers at their location.
- Should have a pre-production system for testing.
- Need to test their modified system on the e-Invoice pre-production site with all types of activities/services.
On-boarding Process
E-Way Bill and E-Invoice API Access Mechanism
- GSPs/ERPs/ECOs/Taxpayers should preferably nominate a Project Manager and Technical SPOC for overseeing all project-related matters and issues.
- GSPs/ERPs/ECOs/Taxpayers should have met the pre-requisite conditions to access production.
- Once they have finished testing all APIs in a pre-production environment with a minimum number of successful and failure cases considering all possible cases, they have to file their complete test results in the Test Summary Report in the format as given here.
- Testing should be carried out by interfacing the APIs with the taxpayer’s ERP/Accounting application and not through the NIC online testing tool.
- Testing should be done for all possible scenarios and not limited to the scenarios provided in the test summary format.
- The test report should be submitted only by the GSPs/ERPs/ECOs/concerned Taxpayers (not by the third parties)
- The test report may contain a summary for the test using a single client ID.
- GSPs / ERPs have to send the report to support[dot]einv[dot]api[at]gov[dot]in email id, and Taxpayers / ECOs have to upload through the portal along with a request for whitelisting IPs
- It may take 4-5 days for verification of report and whitelisting of the IP addresses. Hence the requests should be sent/submitted well in advance to avoid inconvenience when go-live.
- Should submit Correct IP addresses after due verification. Once whitelisted, it takes more time to change the same.
- A duly filled-in report in PDF format has to be uploaded to the production E-Invoice Web Portal and can submit a request for whitelisting the IPs as well.
- Shall provide access to the e-Invoice system to evaluate and confirm the test report.
- GSPs/ERPs/ECOs/Taxpayers can initially reach the e-Invoice system through the internet. However, subsequently, they would access the e-Invoice system through MPLS links provisioned by GSTIN. will inform the cut-off date for the same in due time.
- The users have to create credentials for the production environment separately by visiting the production e-Invoicing self-help portal.
- If the taxpayers have multiple taxpayer registrations (GSTINs) with the same PAN, they can use the same client-id and client-secret of their main business place. However, they have to create a separate user name and password credentials for each registration/GSTIN in the e-Invoice system.
- Taxpayers who wish to use the APIs through GSP / ERP have to opt for the GSP / ERP in the portal and create their user name and password.
Documents Required
- 4 Indian Public Static IPs (maximum) for whitelisting at NIC end.
- The summary test report of the successful test on the sandbox.
- Contact details of Project Manager and Technical SPOC.(to be provided in the above report)