E-way bills are digital documentation that comes in handy in tracking the interstate movement of commercial goods in India. A GST-registered business can generate e-way bills using multiple methods:
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Using a web-based facility, ie, visiting their official website: https://ewaybill.nic.in/
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Using the Android application launched by Goods and Services Tax Suvidha Provider
However, a third method also becomes effective in emergencies during business operations. Here we are talking about performing e-way bill login using a mobile SMS facility – a service that helps GST-registered traders in times of urgency.
How to Initiate SMS E-Way Bill Service on Mobile?
Provided you own a business that has successful GST registration, then you must follow a few basic steps to access e-way bills using your mobile phone:
Another window on your mobile device pops up, partially displaying the business-registered phone number. Here you get the option – ‘Send OTP’. Click on this option to receive the unique code through SMS. Now carefully enter the OTP in the blank field provided below.
Note: The mobile e-way bill login process cannot be performed for users who have yet to link their phone number with a GSTIN.
After entering the OTP, a new screen pops up showing all account details from where you can download your bill or request the bill via SMS facility.
A list of all the accounts shows up for businesses which have registered multiple accounts with one phone number. You must identify the unique user ID of the account you wish to access and click on the ‘Submit’ option.
How to Generate/Cancel E-Way Bills Using Mobile?
The Indian Ministry of Finance has introduced several SMS codes you must use to pass requests for e-way bill generation or cancellation. For your convenience, we have listed these codes and their associated instructions to ensure you can avoid possible errors while filing a request.
E-Way Bill SMS Codes |
Purpose |
EWBG |
Bill generation request (suppliers’ copy) |
EWBT |
Bill generation request (transporters’ copy) |
EWBV |
Updating vehicle details |
EWBC |
E-way bill cancellation request |
To execute the desired function, you must enter the correct information in the format: (e-way bill code_info) and send a message to 77382 99899. Once the SMS reaches its intended destination, you will get a reply from the authorities. Verify the details to proceed. In the upcoming sections, you will learn how bill generation takes place for transporters and suppliers.
What Steps Should You Follow as a Transporter or Supplier to Generate E-Way Bills?
Transporters can now get hold of e-way bills by sending an SMS to 7738299899.
The correct format of typing a message would be:
EWBT transportation_typetransporter’s/ supplier’s_GSTIN recipient’s_GSTIN delivery_pin_code invoice_number invoice_date total_amount HSN_code approximate_distance vehicle_number
Please note that you do not need to place any underscore while entering the details. We have used them to ease your understanding.
Let us understand with an example. Suppose Shree Shyam Transport of Mumbai wishes to deliver goods worth Rs. 2 Lakhs to Mr. Gowda in Bangalore by road, covering an approximate distance of 950 kilometers. The transportation vehicle bears the number MH 01 PO 1255, while the HSN Code assigned to the parcel is 6786. Additionally, suppose the invoice number is 2119, and the date on which the bill was issued is 1st December 2022.
Then the commercial transporter Shree Shyam Transport will send the following draft SMS to the e-way billing authorities: EWBT SST08BAPPB9667L1ZW 29AAEPM1443K1ZP 560025 2119 01/12/2022 200000.00 6786950MH01PO1255.
As you have entered all the requested details correctly, a message notification will promptly be sent to the same mobile number. It confirms that the e-way bill login has been successful. Also, it lists the following information:
However, there are some exceptional cases where you can only avail an e-way bill through the web portal. For example, you cannot depend on the SMS facility when you are dealing with over-dimensional cargo or handling a bill-to-ship-to scenario.
How to Cancel an E-Way Bill Using SMS?
Unless a GST officer verifies an e-way bill, the bill generator can cancel its issuance within the first 24 hours of generation. Like bill generation requests, the cancellation operation is also executed following a set syntax.
The cancellation request format is EWBC EWB_NO. For example, suppose you generated a bill having the number 160059990192. Then you must send EWBC 160059990192 to the mobile number 7738299899 to nullify the bill’s validity. Upon successful cancellation, you will receive an instant text confirmation on your GSTIN registered phone number.
E-way bill support through mobile is beneficial for small and mid-scale business owners. Moreover, it helps suppliers and transporters who are yet to be ready to invest in an expensive technological setup required for fool-proof web access. Hence, follow the steps above carefully to execute e-way bill login efficiently and execute bill generation or cancellation.
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