GST Returns Offline Tool

Businesses that generate plenty of invoices during a tax period may find it inconvenient to upload invoice details one-by-one, and it’s become a time-consuming activity with a cost implication. To facilitate the bulk invoices uploading, Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) provides Returns Offline tool for filing returns in which a taxpayer can add up to 19,000 line items in the offline mode and upload to the GST Portal. If a taxpayer has a large number of invoice data, he/she can use the Returns Offline tool multiple times to upload such invoices. In this article, we will look procedure to install GST Returns Offline Tool in detail. Know more Types of GST Returns and Due Dates

Basic System Configurations

System Requirement: The GSTR offline tool functions work best on Windows 7 and above, the GST returns offline tool does not work on Linux and Mac. Note: Detailed system requirement are available in the readme.txt, and the detailed user manual downloaded along with the Offline tool. Browser: You need any one of the below- mentioned browsers to run GST returns offline tool:

Internet Explorer 10+
Google Chrome 49+
Firefox 45+

MS Excel: Microsoft Excel 2007 and above is needed for running GST returns the offline tool. Alternatively, for any below version, the GST tool will open in a default browser

If there is any problem in installing & processing the offline tool on some versions of Windows 7, please make sure that the installed browser is Internet Explorer version is 10 and above.
It is highly recommended that Internet Explorer 10+ is installed on the system

Note: The offline tool cannot be used on mobile phones.

Download Returns Offline Tool from the GST Portal

Follow the steps by step guild lines given here to download and install GST Returns Offline Tool in your computer: Step 1: You have to log in to GST Portal. (Know more about GST.GOV.IN – GST Portal) Step 2: Go to Downloads and select Offline tools and then you need to click on Returns Offline tool. Step 3: By clicking on the download button, the Returns Offline tool will be downloaded on your system. Step 4: Unzip the downloaded Zip file which contains GST Offline-Tool.exe setup file, Sample files folder, Readme.txt and User Manual. Note: Before launching offline tool ensure that the system requirements are met including the disk space of 50 MB.

GST Offline tool.exe set-up file – It is for the Returns Offline tool to be installed in the computer
Sample files folder – This folder contains the excel templates with some sample data which can be deleted, and actual data can be captured for importing the same to the Returns Offline tool.
txt - It is explaining the prerequisites (a system and software requirement of the computer in which the GST returns offline tool is to be installed) for the successful working of the GST tool.
Invoice Upload Offline tool User Manual.pdf - This file is helpful to review the detailed steps with screenshots to upload the invoices through the GST tool.

Step 5: Install the Returns Offline tool by double-clicking the GST Offline tool.exe set up the file and browse the location where you want to save the GST Returns Offline tool files in the computer. Note: Avoid installing the GST returns offline tool in the same location where you have saved the zipped files. Step 6: After installation. The shortcut icon of the return offline tool with a name GST Offline tool can be found on the desktop. [caption id="attachment_63920" align="aligncenter" width="91"]

GST Returns Offline Tool Icon Step 7: Fill the invoice details in the GST Returns Offline tool manually or use sample templates. Important Note:

In case, User uninstalls the GSTR offline tool and re-installs the tool, he/she should re-install at the same location. If the user re-installs the tool on different location he has to restart the system so that tool refers to the new location.
If a user doesn’t restart the system, GST Returns Offline tool will refer to the old path and file will not be opened.

Know more about Who can File GST Returns & Reply Notice

GST Returns Offline Tool Features

Features of GST returns offline tool explained in details here:

Upload Invoice Details at Anytime

The taxpayer can use the GST returns the offline tool to upload the invoice details of supplies to registered taxpayers at any time.
The taxpayer can enter the details of the invoices of supplies to registered taxpayers in the b2b worksheet of excel workbook template and can import it in the Java offline tool or directly enter into the b2b section of the offline tool and generate a JSON file and upload to the GST Portal.

Kindly refer the help instruction sheet in the excel workbook which mentions the mandatory and non-mandatory fields.

Free Excel based Java Offline tool

A free Excel-based Java Offline tool along with the Excel workbook template of GSTR 1 can be downloaded from the GST Portal and these can be used to prepare GSTR 1 and GSTR 2 in offline mode without any internet connectivity. You can prepare GSTR1 in case of handwritten invoices by following ways:

You can enter the required details of handwritten invoices in the excel workbook template and then import them in the Java offline tool to prepare the JSON file.
You can enter directly in the Java Offline tool to make the GSTR 1 file in JSON format which can be understood by the GST Portal.

Prepare GSTR 1 and GSTR 2 of several registered GSTINs

The taxpayer or GST Practitioner can prepare the return of several registered entities (GSTINs) of the same PAN or different PAN from the same computer after installing the GSTR Offline tool on his computer. The tool will prepare JSON files for different GSTINs with a different name in the default format Month_YYYY-YY_GSTR1_SupplierGSTIN. The taxpayer can modify this format as per his/her convenience. Note: The ‘default name’ of JSON file generated from the tool will have details of GSTIN and Tax period for easy identification.

Declare Your Action at Anytime

After uploading the return to the GST Portal, the taxpayer has to generate a summary, verify the correctness of the review and electronically sign the GSTR 1 by DSC, E-sign or EVC.
The offline tool allows the taxpayer to declare his action on the auto-populated invoices with submitted status.
The taxpayer can also export the downloaded auto-populated details in excel file and maintain the operations and eligibility of ITC and its availing and prepare his GSTR 2.
Such an excel Returns Offline Tool can be imported back into the tool and the JSON file generated and uploaded to the portal to prepare one’s GSTR 2.

Edit Invoices Uploaded

You can edit the invoices uploaded through GST returns offline tool in the GST Portal before the return submitted for processing.

Status of the Uploaded Invoice

You can track the status of the uploaded invoice details on the GST Portal once JSON file is uploaded to the Portal. Once the JSON file is uploaded to the Portal, a reference ID will be generated along with status. After that, the summary of the invoices uploaded will be updated in the respective section of the return.

Upload JSON file to Portal

JSON file created by the Offline tool can be uploaded by logging to the GST Portal through the Prepare Offline button. It is available on return dashboard in GSTR 1 tile or GSTR 2 tile. Know more about Monthly GST Return – New 2018 Format