How to Create GST Invoice on Shopify: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Every Indian Shopify seller needs GST-compliant invoices. But Shopify's default order confirmation is not a GST invoice. If you're sending customers order summaries without proper GSTIN, HSN codes, or CGST/SGST/IGST breakup — your invoices don't meet Indian tax law.

This guide walks you through everything: what makes an invoice GST-compliant, how to set up your Shopify store correctly, and how to generate professional GST bills automatically — step by step.

Whether you're a new seller setting up your first store or an existing merchant fixing your invoicing, this is the complete walkthrough.

Why Shopify's Default Invoice Isn't Enough

Out of the box, Shopify generates an order confirmation, not a GST invoice. Here's what's missing:

• No seller GSTIN displayed
• No customer GSTIN field (critical for B2B)
• No HSN/SAC codes on line items
• No CGST + SGST or IGST tax breakup
• No invoice serial number as required under Rule 46
• No place of supply logic for interstate vs intrastate

This means if a customer asks for a proper GST bill — or your CA needs data for GSTR-1 filing — Shopify's default documents won't work.

For the full legal requirements, see what a GST invoice must contain by law.

Step 1: Get Your GST Registration Right

Before generating invoices, make sure your GST registration is in order.

Do you need GST registration?

Yes, in most cases. If you sell through an online marketplace or your own Shopify store in India:

• All ecommerce sellers must register for GST regardless of turnover (if selling through marketplaces)
• If selling only through your own website, registration is mandatory once turnover exceeds ₹40 lakh (₹20 lakh for special category states)
• Interstate sellers should register regardless of threshold

Once registered, you'll receive a 15-digit GSTIN — this must appear on every invoice you issue.

Step 2: Configure Tax Settings in Shopify

Shopify needs to know you're operating in India with GST.

Basic tax configuration:

1. Go to Settings → Taxes and duties in your Shopify admin
2. Select India as your country
3. Ensure tax rates match your product categories (5%, 12%, 18%, 28%)
4. Enable "Include tax in prices" if your listed prices are tax-inclusive (common in India)
5. Set up your shipping origin address — this determines place of supply for CGST/SGST vs IGST logic

Important: Shopify calculates tax at checkout, but it does not generate GST-compliant invoice documents. Tax calculation and invoice generation are two different things.

Step 3: Set Up HSN Codes for Your Products

Every product on your store needs an HSN code (Harmonized System of Nomenclature). This is mandatory on GST invoices and determines the applicable tax rate.

How to assign HSN codes:

1. Identify the correct HSN code for each product using the GST portal HSN search tool
2. For Shopify, you can add HSN codes in the product's Harmonized System (HS) code field under the Shipping section
3. Use 4-digit codes minimum (6 or 8-digit recommended for accuracy)
4. Keep codes consistent — don't change HSN codes for the same product mid-year

Common examples:

For a deeper guide, read how to find and apply HSN codes for ecommerce.

Step 4: Collect Customer GSTIN (for B2B Sales)

If you sell to businesses, you must capture their GSTIN at checkout. This is required for B2B invoices and affects how the transaction is reported in GSTR-1.

Options for collecting GSTIN:

• Shopify checkout customization — Add a custom field or use Shopify's additional checkout fields (Shopify Plus)
• Order notes — Ask customers to enter GSTIN in the order notes field (less reliable)
• Post-purchase form — Collect GSTIN after checkout via email or a dedicated page
• App-based collection — Use a GST invoicing app that adds a GSTIN field directly in the checkout flow

Without the customer's GSTIN, you cannot issue a proper B2B invoice, and the buyer cannot claim Input Tax Credit (ITC).

Step 5: Generate the Actual GST Invoice

This is where most merchants get stuck. You have three main approaches:

Option A: Manual invoice creation (not recommended)

• Create invoices in Excel, Word, or a billing software separately
• Copy order details from Shopify manually
• Add GSTIN, HSN codes, tax breakup, serial numbers
• Problem: Slow, error-prone, doesn't scale beyond 20-30 orders/month

Option B: Customize Shopify's order printer template

• Edit the default Shopify order template with Liquid code
• Add your GSTIN and basic tax information
• Problem: Limited — cannot do proper CGST/SGST/IGST logic, HSN mapping, or sequential numbering automatically

Option C: Use a dedicated GST invoice app (recommended)

• Install an app built specifically for Indian GST compliance
• Invoices are generated automatically from Shopify orders
• Proper tax breakup, HSN codes, GSTIN, and serial numbering handled automatically
• Exports for GSTR-1 filing included

For a detailed comparison, see automation vs manual invoicing — where compliance breaks.

What a Compliant GST Invoice Must Show

Under Rule 46 of the CGST Rules, every GST invoice must include:

1. Invoice number — unique, sequential, max 16 characters
2. Date of issue
3. Seller details — name, address, GSTIN
4. Buyer details — name, address, GSTIN (for B2B), state code
5. HSN/SAC codes for each item
6. Description, quantity, and unit of goods/services
7. Taxable value per line item
8. Tax rate and amount — split as CGST + SGST (intrastate) or IGST (interstate)
9. Place of supply
10. Total invoice value
11. Signature or digital signature

If any of these are missing, the invoice is technically non-compliant — and the buyer may not be able to claim ITC.

CGST + SGST vs IGST: How Tax Breakup Works

This is the part that confuses most new sellers. The tax split depends on where you ship from and where the customer is.

Intrastate (same state)

If your business is in Maharashtra and the customer is also in Maharashtra:

• 18% GST = 9% CGST + 9% SGST

Interstate (different states)

If your business is in Maharashtra and the customer is in Karnataka:

• 18% GST = 18% IGST

Your invoice must show this breakup correctly. Getting it wrong affects both your filing and your customer's ITC claims.

A GST invoicing app handles this automatically based on the shipping address and your registered state.

Step 6: Set Up Invoice Delivery to Customers

Once invoices are generated, you need a way to deliver them:

• Automatic email — Send the GST invoice PDF with order confirmation or fulfillment emails
• Download link — Provide a link on the order status page or thank-you page
• WhatsApp delivery — Some apps support sending invoices via WhatsApp (popular in India)
• Bulk download — For your own records and accountant handoff

The key is making the invoice accessible without customers having to email you asking for it.

Step 7: Export Data for GSTR-1 Filing

Your invoices need to feed into monthly GST returns. GSTR-1 requires:

• B2B invoices — listed individually with buyer GSTIN
• B2C large invoices — interstate sales above ₹2.5 lakh
• B2C small invoices — consolidated by state
• Credit/debit notes
• HSN summary — total sales grouped by HSN code

If your invoicing system doesn't export in this structure, your accountant has to reconstruct it manually from raw order data — which is where errors creep in.

See the full process: how to file GSTR-1 from Shopify sales data.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Treating Shopify order confirmations as GST invoices

They are not. An order confirmation is an operational document. A GST invoice is a legal tax document with specific mandatory fields.

2. Not showing tax breakup on the invoice

A lump sum "Tax: ₹180" is not compliant. You must show CGST/SGST or IGST separately with rates.

3. Missing or wrong HSN codes

Since 2025, the GST portal validates HSN codes during GSTR-1 filing. Wrong codes get rejected.

4. No sequential invoice numbering

GST requires unique, sequential invoice numbers. Random or duplicate numbers create audit issues.

5. Forgetting to collect GSTIN for B2B orders

Without buyer GSTIN, B2B transactions are treated as B2C — and your customer loses ITC eligibility.

6. Ignoring credit notes for refunds

When you refund an order, you may need a GST credit note — not just a Shopify refund.

How GST Pro Makes This Simple

GST Pro automates the entire invoicing workflow for Indian Shopify sellers:

• ✅ Auto-generates GST invoices from every Shopify order
• ✅ CGST/SGST/IGST logic applied automatically based on shipping address
• ✅ HSN codes mapped at the product level — appear on every invoice
• ✅ Sequential invoice numbering with customizable prefixes
• ✅ Customer GSTIN collection built into the checkout
• ✅ Professional PDF invoices with your branding
• ✅ GSTR-1 ready exports — B2B, B2C, HSN summary in Excel
• ✅ Credit note generation linked to original invoices
• ✅ Bulk operations — download or email invoices in batch

Instead of juggling spreadsheets, templates, and manual calculations, GST Pro turns your Shopify orders into compliant, professional GST bills in one click.

Install GST Pro from the Shopify App Store →

Quick Setup Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure your Shopify store is GST-ready:

Final Thoughts

Creating GST-compliant invoices on Shopify is not optional for Indian sellers — it's a legal requirement. The good news is that once you set it up correctly, it runs on autopilot.

The merchants who avoid GST trouble are not the ones who know tax law best. They're the ones whose invoicing system handles compliance automatically, consistently, and from day one.

If you're still copying order details into Excel or sending customers screenshots, it's time to fix that. Your CA will thank you. Your customers will trust you more. And your GSTR-1 filing will go from a weekend headache to a 10-minute export.

For more GST guides for Shopify sellers, explore:

• GST Invoice Format: What's Required by Law
• HSN Codes for Ecommerce: How to Find and Apply Them
• GST Credit Notes and Refunds on Shopify
• How to File GSTR-1 from Shopify Sales Data