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Why is the HSN code added in the Shopify store description not appearing on the invoice?

If the HSN code added in the Shopify product description is not appearing on the invoice, it usually means GST Pro is not receiving structured HSN data from Shopify. GST Pro does not automatically fetch HSN codes from product descriptions. It only pulls HSN data from the specific HS Code field or from its own Products database after syncing.

Most Common Root Cause

HSN code was added in the wrong place (product description instead of HS Code field)

The most frequent reason is that merchants enter the HSN inside the product description, a custom metafield, or notes/text sections. GST Pro cannot fetch HSN from these locations.

  • HSN was entered in the product description text
  • HSN was stored in a custom metafield
  • HSN was added in notes or other text sections

Due to Shopify API limitations, HSN must either be entered in Shopify's native HS Code field, or be synced/defined inside GST Pro → Products. If the HSN is not imported into GST Pro's database, it cannot appear on the invoice.

Other Possible Causes

  • When new products are added in Shopify, their HSN codes are not automatically available inside GST Pro
  • You must manually sync HS codes or update them via bulk edit
  • If a product was added manually to an order, it may not exist in Shopify inventory
  • It will not have a stored HSN

HSN must be entered manually on the invoice preview page.

  • GST Pro expects data from Shopify's native "HS Code" field
  • If HSN is stored in a differently named metafield, it will not populate
  • Shopify restricts third-party app access to "smart" (automated) collections
  • If HSN updates rely on collection-based filtering, the app may not fetch product data properly

Why This Happens

GST Pro works by reading structured product data from Shopify.

  • If the HSN is written inside a paragraph (product description), Shopify does not send it as structured tax data
  • GST Pro can only read HSN from Shopify's native HS Code field or its own synced Products database
  • Product descriptions are treated as free-form text, not structured tax data

So even though the HSN is visible in your store admin, GST Pro does not "see" it as a usable tax field.

How We Typically Resolve This

1

Sync HSN codes from Shopify

  • Go to GST Pro → Products → More Actions → Sync HS codes from Shopify
  • This pulls data from Shopify's native HS Code field into GST Pro
2

Use Bulk Edit or CSV upload

  • For large catalogs:
Go to GST Pro → Products → More Actions → Bulk Edit
Or download the CSV file, update HSN values, and upload it back
3

Manually override on invoice preview

  • On the invoice preview page, click Edit GST and HSN
  • Add or correct the HSN before generating the invoice
Manual edits affect that specific invoice unless saved properly in product settings

Important Shopify & Data Dependencies

  • GST Pro is a downstream app. It cannot automatically retrieve HSN from product descriptions, arbitrary metafields, or custom text fields

  • Shopify does not provide an API for third-party apps to fetch HSN from all product areas

  • Data sync is one-way: Shopify → GST Pro

  • Changes inside GST Pro do not update Shopify backend records

What This Will NOT Do

  • It will not fetch HSN from product descriptions automatically
  • It will not detect HSN written inside custom metafields unless specifically synced
  • It will not retroactively update invoices unless HSN is synced properly
  • It will not infer HSN for custom or manually added products

Related Questions

Why is the app counting total orders instead of actual prints towards the plan limit? Why is the CGST and SGST split not appearing on the GST invoice for intra-state orders? Why is the app applying tax on top of a price that is already inclusive of tax? Why is GST being calculated on the original price instead of the discounted value? Why is the app unable to generate reports for specific months?

Last updated: February 2026