GSTR-1 Filing

ClearGST End-to-End GSTR-1 Filing Guide

The advanced ClearGST solution provides an end-to-end filing of GSTR-1 at a PAN level, across multiple GSTINs. It also provides its users a smart error correction UI at every stage - upon importing of data, reconciliation/review, uploading prepared data onto the GSTN, and filing with the GSTN, for a hassle-free, quick and accurate GSTR-1 filing experience.

With the advanced, enterprise-grade ClearGST solution, you can ensure a notice-free 2023! Here’re some exclusive features for GSTR-1 you must not miss exploring on the platform-

• PAN-level filing that reduces time spent on filing by over 70%

• PAN/GSTIN-level reconciliation of e-invoice (GSTR-1) vs SR

• Comprehensive reporting dashboard to identify discrepancies in GSTR-1 vs GSTR-3B vs SR

• Enjoy a single file import of all docs for preparing sales data

• Proactively address errors with our smart error correction on UI such as the ingestion duplicate warning layer, mismatch in tax rate vs tax amount, and invalid customer GSTINs

• Pre-upload GSTR-1 validations such as past GSTR-1 validation, GSTIN validation, and HSN summary checks

If you are an existing ClearGST user, skip to ‘Import Data for GSTR-1’ section. If you happen to be a new user, follow the steps given under ‘One-time Account Registration’ and ‘Create a Workspace’ sections before proceeding to ‘Import Data for GSTR-1’ section.

One-time Account Registration

If you are a first time user, register with ‘Clear’ using our web portal or app, by creating a new account using the authorised person’s email address. Follow the below steps-

Step 1: Visit https://app.clear.in/ and click on "Create an account”

Step 2: Verify the email ID via link sent on the registered email ID.

Create a Workspace

Once you’ve created an account, login to the account to add company and GSTIN details-

1. Add legal name, annual turnover, ERP in use, and products offered by Clear that you’re interested to use.

2. By entering these minimal details, you’ve created a workspace.

3. After that, you can add GSTINs and respective business names.

Step 1: Log in to https://app.clear.in/

Step 2: On the launchpad, select the tile named ‘GST’ to open the GST software.

Step 3: Click on ‘Add GSTINs →’

Step 4: Add GSTINs, business name and click on ‘Continue →’.

Import Data for GSTR-1

An existing user can login to their account and begin with PAN/GSTIN level GSTR-1 filing!

Our advanced ClearGST solution provides multiple templates/ options to download/import sales data with minimal manual intervention. Follow the below steps-

Step 1: Click on the ‘Filing’ option, available on the left hand panel highlighted in the below screenshot.

Step 2: After that, select the tile named ‘GSTR-1’ on the filing dashboard.

Step 3: Select the ‘PAN/GSTIN/Business’ > Select the ‘Return Period’, for which you want to prepare GSTR-1.

Pro tip 1: If you have subscribed to the Ultimate or Premium SKU of ClearGST, you can choose to file GSTR-1 for multiple GSTINs in one go. This helps you save ample time since as you can file GSTR-1 for multiple GSTINs in a shot instead of filing for each one separately.

Step 7: Enter the username & password obtained for accessing your account on the GST Network (GSTN).

It is essential to connect with the GSTN or the government portal to auto-pull the relevant data.

Note: Enter the Captcha only if you are a first-time user to activate the API.

Step 8: Enter the One-Time Password (OTP) received in the email ID & mobile number registered for the GSTIN.

Step 9: Download/Import the sales data for GSTR-1 data preparation by choosing one of the below two options-

Option 1: Download Draft GSTR-1 data from the government portal- This will be your e-invoice data, already available on the GSTN.

Option 2: Import sales data into Clear for a return period from your computer by clicking on the ‘Select a file to import’ button. Alternatively, an option to drag and drop the file is available.

You can download the sample file by using the ‘ClearTax/government template’. You can also use your own template after mapping the same from the overview.

Fix Data Import Errors

Click on the ‘Review & fix errors→’ button if there are any errors that need to be fixed. The errors are identified by Clear based on the 200+ validations, such as HSN Validations, GSTIN Validation and Tax rate v/s tax amount mismatch, to mention a few.

If there is any error, take actions by choosing one of the two options given below-

Option 1: Fix it in the UI over the web portal and proceed with the next step.

Pro tip 2: You can click on the no of errors, as highlighted in the below screenshot.

You will be redirected to the error section/tab, fix the error like copy-paste just like Excel!

Note: Be cautious not to use ‘Ctrl+z’ (Undo) as that will not work!

Option 2: Download the ‘Error File’.

Fix the error and re-upload the same file from the ingestion/import page to proceed.

Review GSTR-1 Before Filing

Step 1: Prepare and review data created/uploaded for GSTR-1 filing.

Pro tip 3: Subscribers to the Ultimate and Premium SKU of ClearGST will be able to see the GSTR-1 data for multiple GSTINs on one screen!

Step 2: View a PAN-level summary and GSTIN section-wise bifurcation, as shown in the three screenshots given below-

Pro tip 4: You can conveniently switch to another GSTIN/Business under the same PAN from the Text bar to check the section-wise details for other GSTINs under the same PAN.

Pro tip 5: Click on the ‘Download PAN Summary for GSTR1’ button to access an Excel-based PAN-level summary for GSTR-1.

Step 3: Users, other than e-invoicing, users can skip this step. If you are an e-Invoicing user, we recommend you to conduct reconciliation. Click on ‘E-Invoice (GSTR-1) vs Sales Register (SR) Recon’ button on the Data Review page.

Step 4: Go to ‘View’ > ‘Edit’ > Make changes in the field > ‘Save’ if any editing is required in the imported/prepared data from the summary page,

Option to expand and collapse the section-wise details will be available.

Step 5: Click on ‘Validate and Upload’ button to run Clear’s 40+ exclusive pre-upload validations, before uploading the data to the GSTN/government portal such as Past GSTR-1 Validation, GSTIN Validation, and HSN summary checks, to mention a few.

Step 6: Click on ‘Download’ button to download the previous GSTR-1 data to effectively run the pre-upload validations. Proceed further if it is already downloaded.

Fix GSTR-1 Errors

Option 1: Download the error file & fix the error in Excel, in case of errors and re-upload from the Data Import page.

Pro tip 6: Examples of errors - If the same invoice number has been used in other months of the same financial year or if any GSTIN is inactive for the selected return period.

Option 2: Click on ‘Upload to GSTN without fixing errors’ link when you choose to continue without fixing the error.

Upload GSTR-1 onto GSTN

Step 1: Once the GSTR-1 is reviewed and corrected for any errors, click on the ‘Upload to GSTN’ button to upload the data onto the GSTN/government portal.

The GSTIN-wise GSTR-1 upload status gets updated as ‘Processed’, ‘Processed with errors’ or ‘Upload failed’.

Pro tip 7: You do not need to login to GSTN to confirm if the data is successfully uploaded on it! Get a complete visibility of this on ClearGST platform itself.

Step 2: Under the column ‘History & Errors’, click on ‘View Errors’/‘View History’ to check details of the upload history with the status.

Ultimately, ensure that all GSTIN-wise GSTR-1 upload status is updated as ‘Processed’ to proceed to the next step.

Pro tip 8: Give a final check for any differences before filing - Check out the snapshot of the data available in ClearGST versus the data available in the government portal displayed on the screen, as given below.

Step 3: From the action tab you can download the PAN-level error file too, in case of errors, as given in the below two screenshots.

Pro tip 9: Wishing to reset data as per GSTN? Click on ‘Reset data from GSTN’ to reset the data from the government portal.

Pro tip 10: Click on the ‘Upload Summaries Only’ button, if you wish to upload only summaries.

File GSTR-1 using DSC

File GSTR-1 on the GST portal using Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) or Electronic Verification Code (EVC). If you choose to file using DSC, ensure that your system meets following prerequisites-

a. emSigner (Use the link to download: https://www.gst.gov.in/help/docsigner)

b. Java 1.6 JRE 1.6.0_38+, Java 1.7, Java 1.8

c. Desktop Browser: Microsoft Edge/ Chrome 49+ or Firefox 45+

(If you’re using Google Chrome, then use the following link "chrome://flags/#allow-insecure-localhost" & enable the flag called “allow-insecure-localhost” and then re-launch the chrome browser.)

Thereafter, follow the below steps-

Step 1: Under the ‘Authorised signatory’ tab, select/add the authorised signatory, as the case may be, to begin filing the GSTR-1.

Step 2: Under the ‘Filling Method’ tab, click on the arrow against ‘Select EVC or DSC’ > select ‘File with DSC’ option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Under the ‘Acknowledgement’ tab, click to acknowledge that the GSTR-1 filing data is reviewed and correct.

Step 4: Click on the ‘Proceed to filing’ button.

Step 5: Click on the ‘File with DSC’ button against the respective GSTIN to proceed with the filing of GSTR-1.

Step 6: Click on ‘Sign’ to continue to file with DSC.

Step 7: Enter the user PIN and login to complete the filing of GSTR-1 using DSC.

The GSTR-1 filing gets completed at this step.

The following is a screenshot of a successfully filed GSTR-1 signed using DSC-

File GSTR-1 using EVC

File GSTR-1 on the GST portal using Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) or Electronic Verification Code (EVC). If you choose to file using EVC, follow the below steps-

Step 1: Select/add the authorised signatory, as the case may be to begin the filling.

Step 2: Under the ‘Filling Method’ tab, click on the arrow against ‘Select EVC or DSC’ > select ‘File with EVC’ option from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Under the ‘Acknowledgement’ tab, click to acknowledge that the GSTR-1 filing data is reviewed and correct.

Step 4: Click on the ‘Proceed to filing’ button.

Step 5: Click on the ‘Get EVC’ button against the respective GSTIN to proceed with the filing of GSTR-1.

Step 6: Enter the EVC in the field as highlighted below, to complete the filing of GSTR-1.

Step 8: Click on the ‘File GSTR-1’ button after entering the OTP.

The GSTR-1 filing gets completed at this step.

The following is a screenshot of a successfully filed GSTR-1 signed using EVC-

How to file Nil GSTR-1 on ClearGST

A nil GSTR-1 return is to be filed by all registered taxpayers (GSTIN) mandatorily when there are no sales or supplies during the month or quarter or no taxes to pay. The advanced ClearGST solution provides a quick option to file a nil GSTR-1.

Following are the steps to file a nil GSTR-1-

Under the action item from ‘Prepare GSTR-1’ page, click on the ‘Select for NIL Returns’ button.

Select the GSTINs for nil return filing & click on the ‘Proceed’ button.

Upload and file GSTR-1 using DSC or EVC as per the steps provided under ‘How to file GSTR-1 on ClearGST’ section.

For further assistance, please contact us at [e-mail]