Start free

Industries

Traders & distributors Retail shops Manufacturers Service businesses Pharma distributors Wholesalers
Features Pricing Questions Help Contact us Log in

Add the shipping bill to an export invoice

Open the issued export invoice and click Add shipping bill. Enter the shipping bill Number, Date and Port code from customs and click Save. EaseDesk puts them in table 6A of your GSTR-1, the e-invoice's export details and the printed invoice.

In EaseDesk: Sales → export invoice → Shipping bill. Log in or start a free trial.

Steps

  1. 1 Open Sales and the issued tax invoice for the export (with or without payment of IGST).
  2. 2 In the Shipping bill panel, which reads Not added yet until you add one, click Add shipping bill.
  3. 3 Enter the shipping bill Number (up to 7 digits) and its Date as customs gave them.
  4. 4 Enter the Port code of the port of export, a 6-character code such as INNSA1 for Nhava Sheva.
  5. 5 Click Save. The panel shows the number, the date and the port.
  6. 6 If a detail was wrong, click Change, correct it and save, or click Remove.

Why it belongs on the invoice

A shipping bill is the customs document for goods leaving India by sea or air. GST asks for its number, date and port code against every export invoice in GSTR-1, and the e-invoice can carry them too. Keeping them on the invoice in EaseDesk means you enter them once, and your return, your e-invoice and your printed copy all agree.

When to add it

Customs usually gives the shipping bill after the invoice is made, often after the goods are handed to the shipping line. Add it as soon as you have it, and before you prepare GSTR-1 for the month if you can. If an export in the period still has none, the checks at the top of GSTR-1 list it, and you can either add it on the invoice or enter it on the GST portal after uploading.

Who can do it

Anyone whose role can edit sales documents: the Owner and Admins, and any custom role you give that permission. See the GST compliance page for more.

Questions

What if I do not have the shipping bill when I issue the invoice?

Issue the invoice as usual and add the shipping bill when customs gives it. Until then, GSTR-1 and the e-invoice checks list the export as having no shipping bill yet, so it is not forgotten.

Where do the shipping bill details go?

Into table 6A (exports) of your GSTR-1 file, into the export details of the e-invoice, and onto the printed invoice next to the e-invoice and e-way bill details.

Do I need a shipping bill for an SEZ supply?

No. A supply to an SEZ unit or developer is reported in table 6B of GSTR-1 and does not take a shipping bill. The Shipping bill panel appears only on export invoices.

Why does the shipping bill matter for my IGST refund?

For exports with payment of IGST, the shipping bill filed with customs is treated as your refund claim, once the matching invoice details reach customs through your GSTR-1 table 6A and you have filed GSTR-3B. A missing or mismatched shipping bill number, date or port code is a common reason refunds are held up, as of September 2026.

Still stuck? WhatsApp or call +91 91525 20552 or write to support@easedesk.com. Updated 29-09-2026.