IRN, for business bills
GST e-invoice software for restaurants, and where it stands
Most restaurant bills never need an e-invoice. The ones that do are business bills, and the rules for them are strict.
Last reviewed 1 Oct 2026
- 1B2B billThe buyer gives a GSTIN; once your turnover has crossed ₹5 crore, it needs an IRN
- 2IRN portalNot open at launch: the portal connection is not configured
- 3Guest billsNo buyer GSTIN, no IRN: they print as they always do
- B2Bbills only: a buyer who gives a GSTIN
- ₹5 croreturnover in any year since 2017-18 brings e-invoicing in
- 24 hoursto cancel an IRN; after that, a credit note
- Not openat launch: the portal connection is not configured
01At a glance
What an e-invoice involves
- Which billsBusiness-to-business invoices, where the buyer gives a GSTIN, once your turnover has crossed ₹5 crore in any year since 2017-18.
- The IRNThe portal checks the invoice and returns an Invoice Reference Number and a signed QR, which belong on the invoice.
- Cancel within 24 hoursA registered invoice can be cancelled on the portal within 24 hours. After that, a credit note corrects it.
- Built, and not openA per-outlet setting, “E-invoicing (business above ₹5 crore)”, and a Generate IRN button for business bills are built and not open at launch.
- Why it is not openRegistering needs a connection to the portal that is not configured at launch, so Generate IRN answers “E-invoice (IRP) not configured”.
- Bills to guests are untouchedA bill with no buyer GSTIN is not an e-invoice, so the till’s everyday bills print as they always do.
02In detail
Is e-invoicing the same as filing GSTR-1?
No. An e-invoice is registered one business bill at a time, when the bill is issued, and the portal answers with an IRN. GSTR-1 is the return of all your sales for the month, business and guest alike. Invoices registered on the portal are carried into GSTR-1 there, but the return is still yours to file.
CountStand gives you the month’s GSTR-1 as one file, named for the month (GSTR1_092026.json for September 2026), from Reports, Accounts, GST. That part is open at launch and does not depend on e-invoicing.
What should a restaurant above ₹5 crore do at launch?
Keep registering business invoices the way you do today. CountStand cannot register an IRN for the first restaurants, and it would be wrong to let you think a bill had been registered when it had not.
Most bills a restaurant prints go to guests and need no IRN at all. Those carry the GST split, the FSSAI number and the other particulars of a tax invoice from the till, in every plan.
03Questions
Questions about e-invoicing
Only for business bills, where the buyer gives a GSTIN, and only once turnover has crossed ₹5 crore in a year since 2017-18. Bills to guests need no IRN.
Not at launch. The outlet setting and the Generate IRN button are built, but the portal connection is not configured at launch, so no invoice is registered.
An e-invoice is registered one business bill at a time, when it is issued. GSTR-1 is the monthly return of all sales, and CountStand gives it as one file.
Within 24 hours of registration, on the portal. After that, the correction is a credit note.
GST done at the till, on every bill
Tax invoices and the monthly GSTR-1 file are in every plan. Apply for access, and we reply within two working days.