Billing · 5 min read
What a proper shop bill needs
A good bill does three jobs — it keeps your accounts clean, it keeps you on the right side of GST, and it quietly advertises your brand.
Kai-la ezhudhura bill ippo podhum.
The hand-written bill book has served Kovai shops for decades. But today’s customer pays by UPI, asks for a bill on WhatsApp, and judges your shop by how professional it looks — down to the paper you hand over.
The basics every bill should show
Whatever your size, a clear bill has:
- Your shop name, address and phone
- A bill number that never repeats
- The date
- Each item, quantity and price
- The total, and how it was paid
If you’re registered under GST
A GST tax invoice needs a few more details. Typically these include:
- Your GSTIN, and the customer’s GSTIN when you sell to another business
- HSN or SAC codes for what you sell
- The tax rate and tax amount — CGST and SGST, or IGST for other states
- The place of supply
Shops under the composition scheme issue a bill of supply instead of a tax invoice.
Why printed bills win customers
A printed bill with your logo says: this shop is serious.
It also makes returns, warranties and repeat orders simple — the customer has your number and your name right there.
The bill as a mini-advert
Every bill leaves the shop with the customer. Put it to work: your logo, your WhatsApp number, your Instagram handle, a line like “Thank you — see you again!” in Tamil or English.
What Kallapetti does
Kallapetti — our billing app — prints bills with your logo on a regular or thermal printer, keeps your stock and a credit book (khata) for regulars, and works without internet at the counter. It comes with HeadStart Run.