📢Release Notes - Clear Finance Cloud

This page has details of new features release, enhancements made to existing features and bugs fixes.

Features with the tag EA are available selectively to certain customers. All other features are available to all customers who have purchased the relevant Clear products.

EA products/features are made available to customers on an invite-basis only. Customers can expect some bit of instability and bugs in the product since these will be early versions of the product/features. If you would like to get early access to these, please write to your account manager.

Release 26 |Apr-2024

Improved Vendor Management

This month, we empowered customers with greater control and efficiency in vendor management and tax workflows. The new features are designed to effectively handle vendor details, facilitate seamless onboarding, expedite invoice processing, improve communication efficiency, and ensure tax compliance for improved business outcomes.

Key highlights of this release

1. Enabled one-way bulk email functionality to request missing documents from vendors and safeguard working capital (Clear GST & Clear Max ITC)

2. Updated GSTR-1 and GSTR 2B report flows with Tables 14 & 15 details (Clear GST)

3. Integrated new APIs for generating IRN-based E-Way Bills on ClearIRP and other improvements and fixes (Clear E-INV)

4. Accounts Payables has been improved with SRN for service invoice matching, estimated tax values preview, up to 5 custom fields addition, prefilling line items from selected sources, and viewing linked documents within an invoice (Clear Supply Chain & Accounts Payable)

5. Update vendor details (MCA CIN, MSME Udyam) or contact/address information. Reassign or add missing approvers in new vendor onboarding requests (Clear Supply Chain & Vendor Management)

6. Improved web interface for faster data upload, multi-error correction, new invoice edit flow, refreshed visuals, and MIS dashboard with reports. Introduced E-Invoice vs. Sales data reconciliation feature (GCC)

INDIA

Clear Compliance Cloud

Clear GST & Clear Max ITC

One-way vendor email functionality has been enabled in GST 2.0 and Max ITC 2.0

Users utilizing this feature can now efficiently communicate with their vendors, prompting them to take corrective actions on any missing or mismatched documents, thereby safeguarding their working capital from being blocked.

Quick Look

• Go to global settings and choose the vendor contact master flow. Vendors can be added individually through the interface or uploaded in bulk using the provided template.

• Users can also access the contact master inside the send email flow. For this, the user access should be enabled. Admins will have access by default if resource for same is added.

• Add vendors, then access email flow by clicking vendor communication card on Max ITC landing page or from ‘vendor view' in '2B vs PR Reconciliation'. Select vendors for communication to activate 'Send Email' button. If vendors are not added through vendor contact master, you can directly send email to vendors from vendor view in reconciliation, 'Select vendor’ and then click on send email. After clicking on send email button users can add email in the email flow.

• After selecting vendors and landing on email flow, users have option to apply filters according to their preferences for sharing the email with vendors regarding documents that need corrective actions.

• Upon sending the email, vendors can easily access the report from the received email to take corrective actions. The report has been enhanced to help vendors identify documents that need corrective action. It will only include the essential fields for corrective actions, rather than the entire reconciliation report.

Note: Our current email functionality only supports one-way communication, and we no longer provide a two-way communication facility. Also user access management flow will work in the same manner as in the old flow.

Clear GST

1. GSTR-1 Table 14 and 15 report changes: Enhanced GSTR-1 report flow now includes the capability to download government data for tables 14 and 15. Users can now conveniently view detailed information for table 14 and 15 directly on the UI, as well as add section-level details for these tables in various reports.

Quick Look

• View details of table 14 and 15 on UI for GSTR-1 filed report flow

• Download of government data for table 14 and 15 in GSTR-1 filed report.

• Addition of Table 14 and 15 section level details in GSTR-1 filed pdf, summary level report, document level report and insight report

2. GSTR-2B report changes: Improved GSTR-2B report flow now supports downloading govt data for table 14 and 15.

Note: This will be available at PAN/GSTIN Level

3. Improved GSTR-9 table 8A report

   1. Improved data handling: Previously, users with more than 25 lakh line items encountered difficulties in accessing the report. With our latest update, we now accommodate up to 3 crore line items, ensuring seamless access and consumption for users with larger datasets.

   2. When downloading an Excel file, users will receive the data in chunks if the file contains more than 8 lakh entries.

Note: This is being supported at GSTIN level

CLEAR E-INV

E-Way Bill generation on ClearIRP

• Faster response time and higher uptime with unified e-invoice and e-way bill generation powered by ClearIRP. Users can now generate both IRN and IRN based E-Way Bills on ClearIRP.

• Implementing the new APIs shared by GSTN with ClearIRP to enable generation of IRN based E-Way Bills.

Product fixes and improvement

• Enabled the editing of shipping details for export transactions during E-Way Bill generation. Users can now modify the shipping details that were initially provided during IRN generation when generating E-Way Bills, and include the required Indian port details.

• Enabled the ability to update transporter ID in the ‘Edit Invoices’ flow for generated E-Way Bills.

• Added the option to import invoices settings to restrict the ingestion of backdated invoices. If an invoice with a date before the configured date in the settings is ingested, it will not be allowed for ingestion and IRN generation.

• Fixed the issue where address 2 was not being picked and mapped during ingestion for shipping and dispatch details.

• Fixed the bulk contact addition through Excel template ingestion. The vendor contact can be configured at a business hierarchy level.

• Fixed the redirection and viewing of the downloaded E-Way Bills from NIC via the option provided in the notifications

• Showing the full description name instead of enums for supply type, transaction type etc on the product UI for better user understandability

• Fixed the issue in loading of captcha in NIC API credentials creation automation flow

• Added an option on the invoice and E-Way Bills page to select all invoices at once

Clear Supply Chain

Accounts Payable

• Service invoices processing: Users can now process service invoices using Service Reference Notes (SRN) similar to goods invoices and can perform 2/3 way matching using invoice, SRN, and PO

• Improved ‘Others’ section experience

  • The 'Others' section, designed to manage non-invoice documents, has been enhanced to improve visibility on duplicate invoices or other junk files. Users can now download all items within this section.

  • Additional details have been added to each document entry, if available, like Vendor name, Location, Invoice number, etc. to enable users to make a decision and take action on the duplicate/junk files

• Preview and Adjustments:

  • Users can now preview estimated tax values for line item entries posted via ClearAP. The ERP handles these tax values directly. Users can compare extracted values from the invoice document with calculated values from the ERP to identify discrepancies, mainly rounding-off values on the invoice documents.

  • To account for these differences, users can add the differential amount as 'Adjustments' as additional line items. This gives users the flexibility to add ad-hoc line item entries for adjustments specifically for invoices backed by POs that need to adhere to entries accounted in the PO, a feature which was previously unavailable.

• Custom fields: Support has been added for users to add custom fields (up to 5) under each section of an invoice. These can also be configured and posted to ERP

• Source selection for line item data prefills: Users don’t have to manually fill in all line items, which is a tedious process when the line items in an invoice are in tens or hundreds. They can choose from a reference-linked document GRN/SRN, PO, or e-invoice apart from the OCR extracted values to prefill all line items. Priority of prefill from available sources can be configured as well.

• Enhancement on the ’Reference doc’ section within an invoice, to show all linked documents (PO, GRN added). Users can directly click on the available linked documents and view the details of these documents

Vendor Management

• Update Vendor Details

  • Customers can send an update request to their vendors to add missing details (eg: MCA CIN Number, MSME Udyam Registration Number) or Update existing details (eg: Contact or Address details). Updated details submitted by the Vendor are reviewed and approved.

• Reassign or Add missing Approvers in New Vendor Onboarding

  • When a specific new Vendor onboarding request’s approver is on leave an Admin can reassign it to a different approver. Approvers can also be added to an existing request.

GCC

Cleartax E-Inv

E-Invoicing web interface has been upgraded for a brand new experience with refreshed visuals, faster page loads, quicker data upload, easily correct multiple errors and intuitive interactions.

1. Dashboard page with E-Invoice generation timeline and announcements section

   • Timeline gives details of E-Invoice generation for the last 30 days as compared to 7 days earlier

   • Easily access government and other announcements immediately after you login

2. Lightning fast data upload with multi-error correction feature

• Now upload 40,000 documents in less than 2 minutes

• Easily navigate between multiple errors and correct them all at once and save it

• Real-time validations that help you identify if corrections made are right or not

• New invoice edit flow with capabilities to add new line items

• Refreshed ‘Documents’ and 'Reports' pages with faster load time and filter interactions:

  • Improved the page load time and filter actions for data larger than 5 mn documents

  • Refreshed visuals to easily navigate through the page and accomplish tasks easily

Launching E-Invoice vs. Sales data reconciliation to ensure that VAT amount calculated from E-Invoices submitted to government is the same as VAT Amount filed to the government by enterprise.

Key functionalities:

• Auto sync all E-Invoices generated from ClearTax for the selected return period

• Upload sales data in ClearTax format for the selected return period:

  • Data will be validated upon upload for correctness

  • Multi-document error correction flow to quickly correct errors during upload

  • Add more data to an historical return period i.e. add new documents or overwrite existing ones

• Reconciliation algorithm which primarily matches on 9 fields to bucket the results into 7 buckets

  • Algorithm can be tweaked to include additional fields and modify thresholds to boost matching accuracy

  • Bucketing logic can be modified as per needs to enable quick decision making

• Summary and detailed output reports of matching:

  • User can view summary of matching results on the web interface to filter for specific results and plan next steps

  • User can also view document level results to understand the reasons for mismatch and compare the values of the corresponding fields from both datasets

  • Summary and detailed reports can be downloaded in .csv files for further action

Release 25 | Mar 2024

Stability improvements

This month, we made significant improvements across key product modules, enhancing usability, flexibility, and performance.

Key highlights of this release

1. Enhancements in Tables 14 and 15 in GSTR-1, ensuring ease of use and accuracy in reporting for e-commerce operators (CLEAR GST)

2. Enhanced ERP data sync logic to ensure ERPs with limitations can still efficiently handle large-scale data (CLEAR MAX ITC)

3. Performance optimization for faster loading of vendor payments data (CLEAR MAX ITC)

4. Enhanced reconciliation actions ensuring the integrity of reconciliation actions during concurrent user activities (CLEAR MAX ITC) (CLEAR GST)

5. New API for Bank Account Verification now available (CLEAR IDENTITY-API)

6. Support Desk now enables users to submit tickets with uploads in multiple file formats, and other enhancements in the application for a smooth and interactive support experience (SHARED SERVICES)

7. Multiple fixes like e-way bill bulk operations, mapping and display of feilds etc. were released to stabilise the latest product version release (CLEAR E-INV)

8. Enhancements to eliminate duplicate invoices and functionality introduced to download archived XMLs (GCC)

INDIA

Clear Compliance Cloud

Clear GST

• Enhanced Support for Amendments in Sections 14 & 15: Building on our previous release, which introduced support for Table 15, this update extends our support to include amendments for Sections 14 & 15 in GSTR-1. This ensures that your filings are accurate and reflective of the latest regulatory requirements.

• Direct Ingestion of Summary Data for Tables 14 & 15: Recognizing the need for flexibility in how our users report their e-commerce transactions, we now offer the option to directly ingest summary data for Tables 14 & 15. This feature is designed for users who prefer not to enter document-level details for the supplies made through e-commerce platforms. To facilitate this, users can utilize the government-provided template attached to this release note.

Quick look

Accessing Tables 14 & 15: Navigate to the GSTR-1/IFF section within our platform. You will find the options to enter data for Tables 14 & 15 for the January 2024 tax period onwards.

Using the Government Template for Summary Data: Download the attached government template for summary data ingestion. Once filled, upload it directly to the designated section for Tables 14 & 15 within our platform.

Clear Max ITC

Purchase recon actions stability improvements

Recon actions being taken by multiple users can be corrupted between GSTIN and PAN levels without user knowledge in a few scenarios. We have added some redundancies to help users avoid such cases.

1: Actions taken at the GSTIN level affect PAN level recon results, and vice versa.

For example:

• Suppose a user runs GSTIN-level recon and takes actions on GSTIN level recon results

• If another user views PAN level recon results without rerunning, the updated actions are missed until a PAN level rerun occurs. If this user takes different recon actions on the same documents, actions by 1st user may be overwritten unknowingly.

Update: Recon actions will be restricted, requiring a PAN level recon rerun for subsequent actions.

2. Actions taken at GSTIN level recon results when PAN recon run is in-progress (or vice versa)

   • Suppose User 1 has already run GSTIN level recon results.

   • User 2 runs a PAN level recon, and User 1 simultaneously undertakes recon actions on the GSTIN level recon results.

   • In such cases, there are possibilities that the actions taken by User 1 will not be updated in the PAN level recon results.

Update: In such cases, the recon action will not succeed for User 1, requiring her to rerun the recon after some time.

Processing of huge matching and vendor payment status results in ERP

Challenges arise in processing huge matching and vendor payment status results in ERP due to system limitations, like 2GB Memory size limitation in SAP, etc.

Update: Matching and vendor payment status results data sent to ERP is now split into multiple chunks which can now be processed at ERP.

Performance optimization in processing vendor payment results

• Vendor payment data loads 3X faster in Vendor and Document level views.

• Time for sending matching and vendor payment status results back to ERP decreases by 60-70%, particularly for large datasets (e.g., 100,000 invoices).

• Reduced system/timeout failures.

Clear e-Invoicing

Stability and bug fixes in the new product UI and ingestion

Multiple fixes were released to stabilize the latest product version release:

• The scale of e-way bill bulk operations on the product was not the same as in the earlier version. Bulk flows are now enabled to support operations at scale, update transporter flow added, and bulk selection and generation of consolidated EWB is enabled.

• Improper mapping and display of some ingested fields in the UI under invoice details.

  • ‘Tax collected at Source (TCS)' value mapping is fixed. It is no longer shown under 'Other charges’

  • Mapping of the Address-2 field for shipping and dispatch details is fixed. It is now visible on UI.

• Emails sent from the product were being sent to all contacts from the contact master instead of only for corresponding GSTIN. The contact master settings is now fixed. The email will now be sent to the correct contacts for the buyer GSTINs.

• Resolved the issue where shipping details were automatically populated even if the user had not provided this information.

Clear Identity (API)

Bank Account Verification Penniless API: Simplifies bank account verification by eliminating the need for micro-deposits into bank accounts for the supported banks on the list.

Ideal for companies providing eKYC & Onboarding solutions, or any other companies who wants to verify their employee or vendors' bank account numbers.

Shared Services

Support Desk in Product

• The Support Desk now allows users to directly upload Excel files (as well as csv, xml, and pdf files) when submitting a support ticket, with a maximum file size of 24MB and a limit of two files per submission.

• Support desk functionality is now live in the sandbox as well, allowing users to report any issues encountered in the sandbox environment.

• The application has been enhanced to automatically capture entire page screenshots, offering a comprehensive view of full web pages, including scrolling pages and models

• Experience seamless support with our co-browsing feature, available across all our products. EA

  • Connect with our support team effortlessly, without the hassle of installing third-party apps or using external links.

  • On CFC, our co-browsing allows agents to guide you effectively by highlighting and controlling the screen through scrolling and clicking. This functionality extends to various applications beyond app.clear, providing comprehensive screen sharing capabilities.

  • The functionality extends beyond visuals, incorporating audio and video support to enhance communication between our agents and you, ensuring a smooth and interactive support experience.

GCC

ClearTax e-Invoicing

• Users can now download archive XMLs from the 'Archives' section. This is an additional option alongside existing reports.

  • This feature allows the retrieval of Signed XMLs used for E-Invoice generation from all sources, including store-generated offline invoice XMLs, with a one-day-at-a-time download limit to accommodate large volumes of both standard (B2B) and simplified (B2C) tax invoices.

  • The downloaded zip file organizes data into multiple folders for each branch/store on the ClearTax E-Invoicing platform.

• Fixed the issue of incorrect unique identifier used while generating an edited invoice from web portal. This eliminates duplicate copies of the same invoice on the web portal and avoids confusion.

• Custom fields sent through the API will now be included in the E-Invoice payload when the invoice is edited and regenerated from the web UI.

Release 24 | Feb 2024

Seamless compliance with new government regulations

This month, we have introduced an update to GST reporting per the latest government notification. Additionally, stability improvements have been done across modules, to enhance product performance and user experiences.

Key highlights of this release

1. Introduction of Table 14 and 15 in GSTR-1 forms, ensuring accurate and efficient reporting for e-commerce operators (CLEAR GST)

2. New APIs added to ensure reliability and operational efficiency (CLEAR E-InV)

3. New API to access and fetch eInvoice details for a GSTIN and return period (CLEAR IDENTITY - API)

4. TDS feature, allowing users control over TDS posted in ERP, and enhanced invoice posting with new cost allocations and backdated posting controls for Non-PO invoices. (CLEAR SUPPLY CHAIN)

5. Improved validations and ICV generation logic for better performance (GCC)

INDIA

Clear Compliance Cloud

Clear GST

Our GST filing product has been updated to align with the latest government notification (No. 26/2022). Now, it includes two new tables- Table 14 and Table 15, in GSTR-1 forms, enhancing reporting for e-commerce transactions as per section 52 and section 9(5) of the CGST Act, addressing tax collection and payment responsibilities for e-commerce operators (ECOs) and specified services.

These tables capture comprehensive details of supplies made through ECOs, facilitating compliance with the updated regulations. These additions are effective for GSTR-1/IFF forms starting from the January 2024 tax period, enabling

• Enhanced Compliance: Ensure accurate reporting of e-commerce transactions, complying with the latest GST regulations.

• Streamlined Tax Filing: Experience a more efficient tax filing process, minimizing the risk of errors and omissions.

Quick look:

1. For Table 14(i) - Supplies by E-commerce Supplier (Section 52): Input the ECO's GSTIN in the ClearTax Excel template to automatically populate values for supplies subject to tax collection under section 52.

2. For Table 14(ii) - Supplies by E-commerce Supplier (Section 9(5)): Set the flag to "3.1.1(ii) Furnished by person making supplies through ECO" in the ClearTax template's "Supplies u/s 9(5)" column to report supplies liable for tax collection under section 9(5).

For Table 15 - Details Furnished by ECO: Use the flag "3.1.1(i) Furnished by ECO" in the "Supplies u/s 9(5)" column and provide "E-Com Supplier GSTIN" and "Recipient Billing GSTIN" where applicable for accurate transaction reporting.

Clear E-Inv

• Introducing 2 new APIs for E-invoice compliance validation.

  • API to validate the data for E-invoice generation to check the success of IRN generation. Sends success response upon passing validations and provides detailed error messages for failures.

  • API for validating IRP authentication credentials enabling users to check if credentials are correct or not

• Added support to aggregate line item level details (also supported for transformations) at the invoice level and print them on the invoice PDF.

• Introduced API to attach digital signature to PDFs from SAP and Microsoft Dynamics ERPs, supporting file input in base64 format.

Clear Identity (API)

Purchase & Sales eInvoice Download API: Provides access to details of all eInvoices generated for a specific GSTIN and Return Period.

• Key Features:

  • Accesses data of both Purchase and Sales eInvoices.

  • Retrieves comprehensive information including buyer and seller details, item descriptions, HSN/SAC codes, total invoice value, etc.

  • Capability to generate PDF of an eInvoice complete with IRN and QR code.

• Ideal for lending companies for leads evaluation, eCommerce businesses, companies offering financial services aiming to automate the Sales and Purchase register recording process.

Clear Supply Chain

Clear Supply Chain

1. TDS: Allows the user to select TDS types applicable while posting an invoice. User will get an option to view all the TDS codes assigned against a vendor, select the applicable TDS codes for a particular invoice & then calculate & post TDS in ERP

2. Invoice upload via FTP: In addition to manual upload of invoices with FTP now users can upload the invoices to Clear AP using an SFTP folder

3. Invoice Posting Improvements:

   1. Supporting new cost allocations for Non-PO invoices like Profit Centers and Work Breakdown Structure, for budget allocations

   2. Backdated Posting - with proper controls, so that accounting team can do the posting mainly during the financial year-end

GCC

Clear E-Inv

• Values forming the ‘Tax subtotals’ object are now validated at an aggregate level corresponding to each tax category codes against the aggregate value computed for the same tax category code from the line items. This is done to enable users to pass multiple 'Tax subtotal’ object for the same tax category codes.

• The web portal now shows numbers in universally recognized comma-separated format, enhancing readability.

• If a failed invoice is retried without correction, a new error message indicating duplication is returned. Also, the original error messages are now shown alongside to aid users in correcting validation errors effectively.

Release 23 | Jan 2024

Intuitive workflows and enhanced efficiency

Throughout this month, our emphasis has been on optimising your operational processes and ensuring adherence to regulatory standards. We've implemented measures to minimise repeated tasks, make workflows intuitive, and prioritise critical business requirements.

Key highlights of this release:

1. Electronic Credit Reversal and Reclaimed Report to comply with new government rules for reporting ITC (CLEAR GST)

2. Higher control and efficiency with ‘Bulk Error Report Download’ and ‘Delete History Flow’ (CLEAR MAX ITC)

3. Improved IRN/EWB generation success, better data handling, and enhanced handling for Eway bills, ensuring reliability and efficiency (CLEAR E-InV)

4. E-Invoice QR Code Validation API and GSP API Stack for efficient operations and reliability (CLEAR IDENTITY - API)

5. Direct ticket creation within the product, reducing the need for extensive interactions and touchpoints with customers and CSMs (SHARED SERVICES)

6. Autofill invoices with data from the government portal, 3-way matching, to identify discrepancies between GRN and invoices, and accelerated MSME invoice processing (CLEAR SUPPLY CHAIN)

7. Fixes and improvements like FU creation, auto bid acceptance, holiday aware action, multi-level authorization support for better user experience (CLEAR ANCHOR-ID)

8. Improved validations and ICV generation logic for better performance (GCC)

INDIA

Clear Compliance Cloud

Clear GST

Introducing ‘Electronic Credit Reversal and Reclaimed Report’ at GSTIN and PAN levels

• Notification 14/2022 introduced changes to Table 4 of Form GSTR-3B to improve reporting of ITC:

  • The re-claimable ITC earlier reversed in Table 4(B)2 can be re-claimed later in Table 4(A)5 on fulfillment of necessary conditions

  • Re-claimed ITC must be explicitly reported in Table 4D(1).

• To avoid errors, a new electronic credit and re-claimed report is introduced:

  • Tracks reversed ITC in Table 4B(2) and re-claimed ITC in Table 4D(1) and 4A(5) for each return period (starting August).

Benefits:

1. View/ download both at GSTIN as well at PAN level in a single shot to save time

2. Check opening and closing balance for different time frames to know about the unutilised ITC

3. View/ download the report for the larger time frame in a single shot for efficiency

Clear Max ITC

New ‘Bulk Error Report Download’ Streamlines Data Ingestion

• Key feature: Combines multiple error files from different ingestion activities into a single, downloadable file.

• Primary users: ERP customers who prefer batch error correction.

• Current availability: Purchase use case.

• Error file timeframe: Downloadable for the past 2 months.

Benefits:

• Significant time-saver: Users can address errors in bulk, reducing overall time required for correct data ingestion.

• Enhanced efficiency: Eliminates the need to access and manage multiple error files individually.

Introduction of ‘Delete History Flow’ in Max ITC

• Details of deleted documents and a complete audit trail.

• Recover deleted information from the past two months without raising support requests.

Improvements to existing features: Stability improvements to reconciliation, Table-4 and vendor payments.

Clear E-Inv

• Improved IRN/EWB generation success with GSTIN status validation check and validation to prevent IRN generation for invoices over 30 days, for taxpayers with 100+ Cr turnover.

• Improved Data Handling: Increased speed and efficiency in searching, filtering and saving e-way bills

• Enhanced Error Handling for e-way bills: Improved handling of failure for duplicate EWBs and updating details on the portal, fetched from govt systems.

Clear Identity (API)

E-Invoice QR Code Validation API: Scan and validate e-invoices instantly, extracting detailed line item line item level details of the e-invoice.

GSP API Stack: Interact with the GST system to access taxpayers' information for compliance and KYC purposes. Key features:

• Lookup Capabilities: Access data of return filings, HSN summaries, and sales/purchase registers, etc.

• Popular APIs: Return APIs (GSTR1 Details, GSTR3B Details), Public APIs (Search Taxpayer, View & Track Returns Filing)

• Ideal for E-commerce platforms onboarding sellers, Consumer and SME lenders, Companies providing KYC solutions

Shared Services

Support Desk in Product

• 'Get in Touch' interface is replaced with a more robust Support Desk, with auto-capture functionalities for product-related data to provide faster resolution of tickets

• Users can easily log support requests through the product UI, tickets will be automatically created and users will receive a unique ticket number immediately within the UI and through email.

• Convenient tracking and management of tickets in the "All Tickets" section.

1. Direct Ticket Creation via Product:

• User details are automatically captured, reducing the need for extensive interactions and touchpoints with customers and CSMs.

  • This includes a screenshot of the active screen, user email, product, GSTIN/TAN, and the last 10 API requests for efficient debugging.

• Users can alternatively use the shortcut Ctrl+Q to open the ticket-raising window.

• This flow functions best when customers report issues directly from the page where they encountered the problem.

2. History of Tickets: Users can now access a comprehensive history of their tickets directly within all products. This feature allows users to review previously created tickets, enhancing transparency and ease of reference.

Clear Supply Chain

Clear Supply Chain

1. Autofill invoices with e-invoice data directly from the government portal, reducing OCR dependency. The system fetches details from the GSTIN portal directly based on IRN, reducing manual review time and ensuring accuracy through a reliable data source.

2. GRN & 3-way Matching: AP users will have the option to manually enter or autofill the GRN for a particular invoice. Once the GRN is identified, they can also configure 3-way matching, to highlight any quantity discrepancies between GRN and invoices.

3. Accelerated MSME Invoice Processing: Processing MSME invoices within 45 days is a priority for Claer AP. The classification feature allows users to swiftly filter and process invoices from MSME vendors, streamlining the workflow for faster processing.

4. Introduced keyboard shortcuts for reloading pages and performing actions such as opening, navigating, editing, and filtering invoices. This improves the overall performance of invoice processing.

CLEAR ANCHOR-ID

1. Invoicemart 3.0: Tech enhancements for better user experience:

• FU Creation eliminates duplicate invoices and resubmissions from Invoicemart End.

• Auto Bid Acceptance for faster processing

• Holiday Aware Action adjusts maturity dates to account for holidays etc.

• Multi-level Authorization support for better management

2. Return Posting Failure Intimation: In case an invoice fails to be posted to the client's ERP, an email notification will be automatically sent to the Key Account Manager (KAM) and the Technical Support team, prompting them to look for the reasons and reinitiate resubmission.

3. Invoice Uniqueness Logic Change and Update values: The invoice duplicity maintained in the system is changed from ‘Vendor ID + Internal Invoice number + Vendor Invoice Number + Fiscal year’ to ‘Vendor ID + Internal Invoice number + Fiscal year’

4. System Update for Invoice Value Changes:

• The system will automatically update the invoice details if there is a change in the invoice value.

• This update applies to invoices in the open stage and uniqueness logic defined for invoices must be the same.

5. Platform Fixes and Improvements:

• Performance Dashboard: Arrow buttons are added to give results for next 6 months.

• Rejected Recovery and Auto Offer: Rejected recoveries and invoices are no longer automatically resubmitted through auto offer after rejection.

• User Role Mapping Screen: Permission for new banks (Axis Bank/ DBS Bank/ HSBC Bank/ ICICI Bank/ Invoicemart) added in the user role mapping screen to ensure visibility of ‘Rejected Invoices.’

• Bank Financing Display Improvement: Modified the bank financing case to display individual invoice-level interest rate in CSV.

GCC

Clear E-Inv

• Validations for improved experience:

  • Relaxed validation on buyer country code for all invoices in line with ZATCA update. Now export invoices with country code ‘SA’ can be generated

  • Added a validation to prevent the generation of another document with the same document number in the same financial number irrespective of the type i.e. invoice/credit/debit note/prepayment receipt

• Print PDFs can now be generated or converted using the APIs for prepayment or advance invoices

• Updates to the ICV generation logic

  • For all cases where there is a genuine validation error from ZATCA which is corrected then a new ICV will be assigned otherwise the same ICV will be used

  • In case of retriable errors or if the ZATCA server has issues, or if there are validation errors from Clear, then a new ICV will not be assigned

• Increased the number of digits that are accepted in the invoiced quantity field to avoid conversion of the value to scientific format

• Fixed issues in all CSV reports where error messages are not populated correctly for failed invoices.

Release 22 | Dec 2023

Elevating User Experiences

Enhanced user experience is not just a goal but a guiding principle for Clear. This month, we have focussed on elevating each user touchpoint to ensure ease of use, seamless flow of documents, and improved efficiency. You will see this reflected in all the 30+ features launched this month across all Clear products. A few key highlights from this month’s release are:

1. Actions in 6A vs PR recon seamlessly flow to GSTR 6, and other improvements such as reports and delete history CLEAR GST CLEAR MAX ITC

2. Stability improvements in 2B vs PR recon to handle scale, and other improvements such as link / de-link documents via. excel ingestion and vendor’s G3B status in workbench CLEAR MAX ITC

3. Now create and pay challans directly from the product, and use token-based DSC instead of e-mudhra CLEAR TDS

4. Renew or upgrade within the product. Test out higher plan features for 30 days, free of charge! CLEAR GST

5. E-invoicing UI is revamped to make it more user-friendly, addressing gaps for easier and more intuitive interactions CLEAR E-INVOICING : INDIA

6. Improved invoice reviewing experience is enhanced with a summary listing completed checks and next steps for invoice processing CLEAR SUPPLY CHAIN

7. Paid invoices can now show payment reference number, payment date, and payment amount, and other improvements CLEAR SUPPLY CHAIN CLEAR ID

8. ClearTax E-Invoice utility for POS systems: Generate ZATCA compliant E-Invoice from anywhere without the requirement of continuous internet connection

INDIA

Clear GST

1. Enhanced Reports for Quicker Data Interpretation

   1. One single sheet for all the GSTINs and PAN level summary

   2. Headers are aligned to enable users to easily filter and get insightful information.

   3. Changes made in the following reports:

• Filed G3B

• GSTR-1 vs 3B vs Books

• GSTR-2B vs 3B Vs Books

• GSTR-2A vs 3B vs Books

2. Support for 6A vs PR Reconciliation:

• Distribute accurate ITC to branches by seamlessly linking documents from 6A vs PR to GSTR-6.

• Just have to follow three simple steps

  • Run 6A vs PR recon

  • Taken actions on documents

Select the source as “6A vs PR”

All the data and documents accepted either in 6A or PR will seamlessly flow into GST-6, with pending documents automatically carried forward to the next months.

This streamlines the manual creation of the Final Purchase Register based on 6A and PR, enhancing overall efficiency.

3. Delete History Dashboard for clarity on deletions, audit trail, and reduced support requirements.

   • New dashboard for deleted document details and audit trail.

   • Recover deleted information from the past two months and minimize the need to raise support requests.

     • Track deleted invoices in the Document and Import History sections.

     • Currently supports GST (Sales, Purchase) at the document level.

     

Clear MAX ITC

1. Ingest ITC Action via Excel: The user can now export the recon results, take actions on excel, and re-ingest on the platform. The user can now not only take actions and remarks but can also link / de-link documents via excelNEW

Use the document linked to following the usage mechanism Excel Ingestion - User Manual

2. Now users can check G1 / G3B filing status in Recon in 2B v PR. Even though the GSTR 2B does not share the said information, we are running GSTIN verification to populate such information

3. Toggle button on / off in VP 2.0 for ease of use of Vendor Payment for existing & new customers, without any delivery team dependency

4. Introduction of Sub-buckets INDUSTRY FIRST

• Sub-buckets will give users a granular view of the matches enabling them to take actions at a higher speed and accuracy (Examples of sub-buckets are ‘Matched within tolerance’, ‘Matched at Vendor-PAN level’, ‘Matched but PR or 2B in-eligible’)

• This feature enables users to:

  • Ease of use for the user since the sub-bucket automatically bifurcates the links in smaller buckets mentioning the reason of the link in that bucket

  • Easier way to claim ITC since the sub-bucket can be used instead of match status filter

  • Ease of correcting data due to incorrect accounting or incorrect reporting by the vendors

  

Clear Supply Chain

1. Invoice Reviewing Experience

   • The banner enhances the invoice reviewing experience of an AP user & helps save time by highlighting a summary of what validation/compliance checks have been done & nudges the user to take the next steps to process the invoice

   
2. Productivity: Features that enhance AP users' productivity & efficiency in processing invoices:

   • Expanded line items edit option

   • Quick Copy functionality in table

   • Custom columns/reordering List View

   

3. Labels allow users to tag an invoice for below use cases

   • Invoice Classification based on common errors, blockers

   • Workflow management using tags & filters

   
4. Import Invoice allows users to upload Import invoices (foreign invoices), extract the data, process & send them to ERP

5. Item Level Configuration sllows users to enable/disable columns at line item level & allows her to keep these as mandatory/optional

Clear E-INV

1. Enhanced User interface

   • Web product is revamped to make it more user-friendly, addressing gaps for easier and more intuitive interactions.

   • Accelerated page and filter interactions to provide quicker response (2x faster page load and filter refresh as compared to earlier)

   

Optimized ingestion process

• Improved invoice ingestion speed and efficiency.

• Streamlined error correction and updated workflows, making them more user-friendly.

• Minimized the need for manual steps, simplifying the overall user experience.

Clear Supply Chain: Clear ID

Program Performance Dashboard Changes:

1. The dashboard is updated to show only the currently active bank products.

2. Now, when you switch companies, the dashboard accurately reflects the current company's results.

3. Added arrow buttons to easily navigate and view data from previous months/weeks in the dashboard.

Payment Reference Number introduced for Paid Invoices:

For paid invoices, you can now see the Payment Date, Payment Number, and Payment Amount. This information is retrieved from your ERP and is visible to both buyer and seller.

Password Format Changes - New User Creation:

When a new user is created, a default password is generated and sent to the user via email. The password format has been updated to include one special character (like @, #, $, %, ^, &, +, =!), one numeric character, one lowercase letter, and one uppercase letter.

Platform Fixes and Improvements:

1. Invoice Date Visibility: Invoice Date is now visible for vendors when they download CSV in all the screens - Amount under offer, Amount under clearing, Days received early

2. Default invoice data upload template: Lots of columns were present in the default invoice data upload template earlier. The count of columns is now reduced to 9 mandatory fields only, to simplify the process. These fields are - Vendor ID, Invoice Date, Buyer Invoice Number, Vendor Invoice Number, Invoice Amount, Due Date, Location, Fiscal Year, Invoice Type

3. Internal document number has been added in the Recovery section for both vendors and anchors, to eliminate duplicity.

4. Default posting configuration: Whenever a new anchor gets onboarded, a default posting information has been added to the system.

5. Invoice duplicity logic change and updation: The logic for handling invoice duplicity has been updated from “Vendor ID + Internal Invoice number + Vendor Invoice Number + Fiscal year “ to “Vendor ID + Internal Invoice number + Fiscal year”

Clear TDS

1. Challan creation and Payment: Now create and pay challans directly from the product!

   1. Determine the monthly TDS liability and create challans based on deductions

   2. Alternatively, create independent challans by Excel import.

   3. Generate CRN for the generated challans in the Income-tax portal

   4. Post payment direct import and tagging of challans to the deductions.

2. Based on customer demand, we have now introduced Token-based DSC support to digitally sign the TDS certificate:

   1. Only the e-Docu signer provided by eMudra was supported to digitally sign the TDS certificates.

   2. Now any token-based signature provided by any provider can be used to digitally sign the TDS certificates

   3. Request, Annexure, Generation and Emailing of digital signature remains unchanged.

   

Clear Identity (API)

1. GST Unregistered Applicant Details & Verification (2 APIs): Designed for seamless onboarding and verification of GSTIN unregistered sellers/vendors. Useful for e-commerce platforms for Seller Onboarding, LCs for verification of unregistered Vendor during onboarding

2. UPI ID Verification: Validates authenticity of a given UPI ID. Useful for corporates, e-commerce companies, and startups, both during onboarding as well as during payment journey.

3. MCA Detailed API: Offers extensive breakdown of company details, including directorships, signatories, potential related parties, and charges. Useful for verifying legal compliance, financial position etc.

4. Company Financials: Provides comprehensive financial details of a company, including summaries, establishment details, employee numbers, and credit ratings. Useful for Lending Companies.

Shared Services

GST Auto-Renewals: Exclusively for selected customers- renew or upgrade within the product itself!

• Alerts: Timely email and product reminders ensure you never miss a renewal.

• Simple 3-Step Process: Review details, update billing, and choose payment method to renew.

• Complementary License Upgrade: Test out higher plan features for 30 days, free of charge. After the offer period, you can revert to your current plan, or upgrade to the new plan.

• Payment Process: Track payment clearance and receive receipts on successful payment.

Renewal & Upgrade flow: 60 days before expiry, users get notified via email and within the product to:

• Renew their current licence

• Upgrade to a higher tier and test it for 30 days, for free!

The GST Advantage user upgrades to Premium and sees details of the 30-day free trial, including the end date.

Click ‘Start’ and begin the free Premium trial for 30 days. Reminders on email and in-product keep you informed.

Review billing, choose payment, and close the renewal/upgrade.

GCC

Clear E-INV

ClearTax E-Invoice utility for POS systems: Generate ZATCA compliant E-Invoice from anywhere without the requirement of continuous internet connection

A truly offline utility that functions without internet to validate your invoice data, add mandatory fields and generates a ZATCA compliant E-Invoice with signed QR code that can be readily shared with the buyers on the spot. This offline utility is compatible with any POS system and can be installed easily to register devices to generate E-Invoices and also to generate E-Invoices itself. Accepts input data directly from the POS system and enriches it to make it a buyer sharable compliant E-Invoice. Reporting can be done to the government systems subsequently via a file upload strategy. All the E-Invoices generated would be visible on the ClearTax web portal and reports/corrections can also be made if required. NEW

More improvements and Fixes:

1. Added support to print/generate PDF for prepayment invoices

2. Added support to convert normal PDF to ZATCA compliant PDF/A-3 invoices for type prepayment invoices

3. Now force retry is accepted for invoices that are in ‘Pending’ status due to ZATCA server being unresponsive. Retry happens from our cron every 1 hour but in case a taxpayer retries a pending invoice then it will be attempted immediately

4. Updated the ICV logic for invoices that are failed by ZATCA with a blank error message. New ICV will not be generated and the previous one will be reused during subsequent reattempts

5. Updated the logic of business hierarchy API calls to handle 4040 errors in async E-Invoice generate calls

6. Updated the error message for cases where ZATCA error message is blank or in a different format so that no error messages in the response or reports is blank

Release 21 | Nov 2023

Date: 8th Nov, 2023

Boost your cash flows

Managing and improving cash flow is a key agenda for any CFO. For businesses to continuously invest in their growth, it is imperative to be cash-rich. Clear’s product and engineering teams have worked with a laser-sharp focus to launch products and features that help Indian businesses boost their cash flows. This month’s release focuses on three main pillars to accomplish this:

1. Fixing your cash flow problems at the root with faster and accurate invoice processing

2. Improving your working capital with an industry-first hybrid early payments program

3. Maximise ITC with innovative sub-bucketing and ‘terminal state’ of vendor payments

INDIA

Clear Supply Chain

Fix cash flow problems at the root: AI-powered invoice digitisation, validation, approvals, and automated invoice posting to ERP

AI-powered invoice digitisation NEW

Clear’s superior AI-powered OCR technology provides higher accuracy than other competitors. Invoices can be uploaded to the platform via multiple ways: E-mail, FTP, direct bulk upload, and vendor portal.

Once the invoice is uploaded on the platform, all header and line item data is extracted via OCR.

Invoice enrichment and validation NEW

On top of our OCR, we also have the capability to enrich the invoice fields from multiple other sources like EINV, QR, EWB, 2A, Purchase Order, Goods Receipt Notification, and Vendor Master. This feature adds value especially when invoices are of poor quality and OCR accuracy drops, the feature will ensure your overall digitisation accuracy stands at 95% on key fields.

45+ validation checks against EINV, QR, EWB, Purchase Order and Vendor Master to make sure the invoices are booked accurately in the ERP. This will also ensure there are no downstream impacts during payments or ITC.

Ability to run extensive 2-way and 3-way matching on invoices to make sure you account/pay accurately. The 2-way and 3-way matching feature is also completely configurable to suit every business need.

Approval workflows NEW

Once invoices are all digitised, validated, and assured of accuracy, some of them might require approvals from other stakeholders/P&L owners before they get posted to the ERP. You can use Clear’s robust approval workflow to set approval policies, so that the required invoices are approved before being booked in ERP.

In case you need to follow up with the approver or collaborate with other team members on a particular invoice, you can do that from the platform too. There is a built-in chat facility for seamless communication.

Automated invoice posting NEW

All invoices can be automatically booked in ERP. It seamlessly works both for PO and Non-PO invoices. And we have the feature of tagging the expense to the right cost center so that the expenses are booked at the right place.

We are currently live with a 2-way integration on SAP ECC and SAP HANA. Integration with other ERPs such as Oracle, Microsoft, and Tally will be live soon.

Clear ID

Improve working capital with an industry-first hybrid early payment program, new financing partners, convenient ways to onboard vendors and finance dashboard

Hybrid Early Payment Program INDUSTRY FIRST

Extend DPO (days payable outstanding) at no cost with Hybrid Early Payment Program: A unique product to avail longer credit periods with suppliers by leveraging funds from external financiers at lower interest rate. This provides a significant boost to the company's cash flow, offering more time for repayment and reducing immediate financial pressure.

Program performance dashboard NEW

A new dashboard has been launched to aid cash flow planning:

1. track due dates of payables across vendors and banks

2. identify gaps in available capital vs cash outflow due in the next 6 weeks

3. identify the savings generated from early payment programmes

4. impact on DPO (days payable outstanding)

Unified WhatsApp based vendor onboarding and transacting NEW

Improve vendor participation with a convenient channel for onboarding and transacting. Vendors can now be onboarded via a convenient WhatsApp channel owned by Clear. Vendors can also directly raise discounting requests via their mobiles.

Previously there were two separate flows for onboarding and transaction, but we have now integrated these two flows in one WhatsApp business number and incorporated additional features such as "Raise a ticket," "Contact us," and "Visit our website."

HSBC Bank as Financing partner NEW

Yet another banking partner has been added to the platform. You now have the option to select from the following financiers:

For MSMEs Only - Invoicemart and RXIL (TREDs Platform)

For MSMEs / Non MSMEs - Citi Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, DBS Bank, HSBC Bank

Clear Max ITC

Maximise ITC with innovative sub-bucketing and 'Terminal State' of vendor payments

Introduction of Sub-buckets INDUSTRY FIRST

• Sub-buckets will give users a granular view of the matches enabling them to take actions at a higher speed and accuracy (Examples of sub-buckets are ‘Matched within tolerance’, ‘Matched at Vendor-PAN level’, ‘Matched but PR or 2B in-eligible’)

• This feature is very powerful to -

  • Reduce mind-space for the user since the sub-bucket automatically bifurcates the links in smaller buckets mentioning the reason of the link in that bucket

  • Easier way to claim ITC since the sub-bucket can be used instead of match status filter

  • Ease of correcting data due to incorrect accounting or incorrect reporting by the vendors

More Improvements and fixes:

Clear GST

1. G1 Settings for Document Series and HSN Summary Auto-compute: You can now configure how Document series and HSN summaries are auto-computed, making it easier to manage these activities for PAN and multiple GSTINs, eliminating any confusion.

2. Pre-upload Validation for Inactive GSTIN: Enhanced pre-upload validations in GSTR 1 now provides accurate results for inactive GSTINs, improving data accuracy.

3. Increase in the Number of challans shown per page in G3B: You can now view and download a higher number of challan details on a single page. This allows for more efficient data retrieval in a single Excel file, simplifying your workflow.

4. In Product Announcements by GSTN: Stay updated with in-product announcements about advisories and GSTN changes, ensuring you are always informed of the latest developments.

5. Performance Boost for G9 and 9C Form: We've optimised data retrieval for G9 and 9C forms, enhancing overall productivity when preparing these forms.

6. Bulk Error Report Download: Using this functionality ERP users can now download multiple error files belonging to different ingestion activities in a single consolidated file. This will significantly reduce the time taken to correct errors. This is currently supported for Purchase documents and users can download the error files for the latest 2 months.

7. Licensing and Metering: Users can now track number of invoices ingested by them against the invoice count limits as agreed upon in the signed order form. An invoice will not be accounted:

• If a document is duplicate and being overwritten

• If a document is ingested and then deleted same

Note: This has now only been enabled for GST 2.0 for Sales and Purchase documents

Clear TDS

1. Challan and LDC tagging from UI:

   • Now TDS product can be used for monthly compliance checks rather than only for quarterly filing.

   • Challan details are no more mandatory while ingesting deductions details.

2. Option to append Digital signature only on the last page of TDS certificate: Now users can add digital signature only to the last page of the TDS certificate in addition to All pages and Custom pages.

3. Removal of PAN-Aadhaar linking status column from Deductee tab: Reporting portal is not providing the PAN-Addhar linking status. Now PAN-Adhaar linking status is available in TRACES, non-linked PANs will be flagged as 'Active & inoperative'.

4. Import Conso file changes: New section codes 194BA, and 194NF were introduced as a part of FVU 8.2 along with other changes. Conso files having those sections can be easily imported for making necessary corrections.

5. Validation for ITDREIN during 206AB check: Validation check for ITDREIN format. Expected value <TAN>.<2 Alpha><3digits>. Sample JLDA05637C.TU683

6. Other improvements:

7. Updation of latest utility to extract Justification Report - v3.0

8. Enabling removal of LDCs not tagged to any of the deductions from the return.

9. Correction return optimisation to fasten the detection of changes in correction return

10. Accurate definition of date range for challan file download during FVU generation.

Clear Identity (APIs)

New APIs have been added to the API Suites:

1. GSTIN Ownership Verification API: Verifies ownership of a GSTIN against provided Mobile and Email ID.

2. Contact Validation APIs: Validates Phone and email using OTP. Useful for Corporates that need a plug and play service to verify contact details during partner onboarding.

3. GST Unregistered applicant Verification APIs: Validates and provides details of unregistered GST applicants. Useful for ecommerce companies in Seller onboarding, NBFCs and other corporates for KYC of unregistered vendors/partners.

4. MCA Company Details API: Provides Company’s status as per MCA and additional information on as registration details, directorship information, filings, compliance status. Useful for due diligence of potential. Useful for Large corporates (partner due diligence) lending institutions.

5. Company Financials API: Provides extensive data on company’s financials such as paid-up capital, turnover, profits or losses, total equity, liabilities, and assets for a specific financial year, along with whether the data is standalone or consolidated. Useful for lending institutions.

Clear Supply Chain

1. Vendor Onboarding:

• You can create a customised vendor onboarding form with document upload, validations (e.g., if PAN entered for AADHAR). You have the flexibility to decide which fields are optional or mandatory. Clear will provide a few standard templates.

• Anyone in your org can send this form to any vendor to be onboarded. Vendor gets the form, fills it quickly like a Google Form / Survey Monkey

• Vendor details are verified using 20+ KYC APIs while being filled out (viz. GSTIN validity, Bank Account validity and ownership, MSME status etc.)

Clear ID

1. Integrated ERP - Invoice Retrieval and seamless Return Posting: Invoices and vendor details are automatically fetched from Client’ ERP on a daily basis. It seamlessly works for PO invoices / Non - PO invoices / Credit- Debit Note/ Quality Rejects and all types of Recoveries. After the Financing is done, the system also does the return posting of all invoices. We are currently live with a 2-way integration on SAP ECC and SAP HANA, Oracle and Microsoft.

2. Anchor based Configurations: Platform allows multitude of configurations for anchors to manage the program construct:

• Setting up Approval Workflow

• Managing Payment Dates & Holiday Calendar

• Interest Rates Assignment (Fixed/ Variable / Flat Rate)

• Activate- Deactivate Vendors

• Minimum Discount Config

• Ability to add/delete banking product

Release 20 | Oct 2023

Date: 16th Oct, 2023

Uninterrupted compliance with new rules and tight deadlines for businesses in India and GCC

So far the year of 2023 has brought with itself 15+ new regulations for businesses in India and GCC. All of these changes have increased the cost of non-compliance for businesses.

In India, a new electronic credit and reversals ledger was introduced. DRC-01B and DRC -01C intimations were announced. 2 factor authentication was mandated on NIC for E-Inv and EwB generation. TDS for gaming companies was introduced.

The second half of the year is a fairly busy time for finance professionals. In addition to dealing with audits and the regular monthly compliances, there are indirect and direct tax related annual compliances to focus on. Businesses also need to prepare for seeing an increase in notices since the government will be sending out notices for FY 18-19 from Oct 2023 to 31st Dec 2023.

In GCC, phase 2 of ZATCA E-Invoicing was announced on 1st Jan 2023, creating another level of complexity for businesses. This move mandates that all businesses with annual turnover greater than SAR 3 Bn (wave 1) to generate ZATCA compliant E-Invoices for all B2B and B2C transactions.

To ensure that our customers have the assurance of compliance despite new rules and upcoming deadlines, Clear has enhanced its products. In this release, you will see 13 exciting new features and 15+ improvements to existing features across all products.

INDIA

Clear Max ITC

Track all deferred/unclaimed ITC claims with ease: first in market Table 4 automation, convenient ways to take claim actions and avoiding double claims

It is now mandatory to accurately declare all ITC reversals in the new ECRS. This means that every business in India will now have to improve the diligence on tracking all unclaimed ITC month-on-month, adding more burden to an already burdened tax team. Clear has released several new features to ensure all reversals are tracking accurately and with absolute ease.

Table 4 automation IMPROVED

Instead of a completely manual, complicated process of maintaining multiple excel sheets, tracking unclaimed ITC has been reduced to a simple 3 step process:

• Run 2B vs PR reconciliation

• Take ITC claim actions on each document (use filters to take actions in bulk)

• Generate and review Table 4 (detailed calculation trail is downloadable from the platform)

  • You can now add custom columns in the downloadable excel to meet company-specific reporting requirements

  • A new column has been added in Table 4 excel report to clarify whether ITC has been claimed as per PR or 2B

Table 4 automation is also available in ClearGST.

Here is the user manual for running reconciliation and generating Table 4.

Convenient ways to take claims actions

Configurable settings: Users can now configure the reconciliation rules and match buckets (exact, suggested match etc.). Based on their accounting practice and risk tolerance, they can now determine which match should go under which match bucket. NEW

Example: Currently any transaction where the tax tolerance is within the limit (eg: Rs. +/-10) goes to Suggested Match bucket, and anything beyond that always goes in Mismatch bucket. With the new configuration, users now have an option to configure cases where Tax value as per 2B > Tax Value as per PR and beyond the tolerance limit under suggested bucket.

Actions via excel re-ingestion: Now update actions and remarks (including claim %) using excel. Simply export the recon results, take actions on the excel and re-ingest on the platform. NEW

Enriched recon results: 25 new columns have been added to the recon results excel. Some of the new columns added are filing frequency, vendor risk, amendment / deletion flag etc. This will provide you with information that help you take the right decision on ITC claims. NEW

Avoiding double claims

Actions taken on 2A v PR reconciliation(where G1 is filed) will now automatically traverse to 2B v PR recon thereby reducing double effort and avoiding dual claims. NEW

Clear E-Inv & EwB

Skip the OTP: No 2 factor authentication required on Clear

With Clear, you don’t have to worry about dealing with OTPs every time you login to NIC to generate E-Inv. This not only saves you time but ensures a hassle-free E-Inv generation experience. NEW

Clear GST

Meet your annual compliance needs: File GSTR 9/9C accurately in less than 1/10th time

Enterprises spend days to file GSTR 9/9C each year. Businesses can now rely on Clear to ensure that this return form is filed accurately in the minimum time possible.

• One Click Download of Filed G1, 3B, 2B, 8A (Documents details), G9 (PY), Draft G9 for 19months for all GSTINs

• PAN-level data preparation, reconciliation and filing NEW

• Auto-preparation of 9C from draft GSTR 9

• A comprehensive 19-point checklist ensures only 100% accurate data is filed and highlights any possible discrepancy

• Compare different sources of data to determine the right turnover (TO), net ITC available/claimed etc.(Example: TO from filed G1, SR, filed 3B, G9 (CY)) NEW

• View a month-wise break up of each source of TO, tax liability, ITC claimed to determine the right source for filing NEW

• Option to select the source of data for filing the different tables of the form NEW

  (Example: Table 4, 5, and 9 can filled from GSTR-1, or SR)

• View important reports right on this screen - G1 vs 3B vs SR, 2B vs G3 vs PR, Filed G1, Filed G3B, Filed G9 NEW

Here is a step-by-step guide for filing GSTR 9/9C on Clear.

Clear TDS

Improved user experience: Updated version of FVU, Edit challan details from UI and integrate with ERP

To make our customer’s experience even better and help them meet all upcoming deadlines for 27EQ, 24Q, 26Q and 27Q, the below new features have been released:

Updated version of FVU generation NEW

The govt released an updated version of the RPU utility on 1st Sept 2023. Accordingly, the FVU generation of forms 24Q, 26Q, 27Q and 27EQ has been updated on ClearTDS.

Edit challan details from UI IMPROVED

User can now make changes to

• all the challan fields, where challan status is blank or unmatched

• amount break-up only without impacting Total challan amount, where challan status is Matched

• none of the fields if the challan is tagged to correction return

Integration with ERP NEW

Users can now send all relevant data for filing Form 26Q from their ERPs to ClearTDS

Clear Managed Services

For enterprises that want additional support in meeting their annual compliance needs, Clear’s expert managed services team can provide the below services:

• Filing of GSTR 9/9C

• Claiming of airline credits

• Preparation of Form 3CD

More Improvements and fixes:

Clear GST

1. GSTR 7 and GSTR 8: Users can now perform the following actions in addition to PAN level capabilities already supported on the platform

   1. Download the “Rejected By Supplier” information from GSTN

   2. File NIL returns

   3. PAN level error file post Upload to GSTN, similar to GSTR-1

   4. Download Draft and Filed PDFs from GSTN, like GSTR-1 draft and filed PDFs

2. GSTR 6: View late fees information, if any, in GSTR 6 filing flow

3. Data Ingestion:

   1. Support for Voucher merge option at GSTIN and Org level, while ingesting purchase documents

   2. No longer need to map Custom fields in Custom mapper. Custom fields will be directly ingested without mapping if the same is added under “Custom fields” settings.

Clear TDS

1. PAN/Deductee tab: Addition of “Active & inoperative” filter, fixed the count of invalid PANs to exclude the PANs with Active & inoperative status.

2. TRACES Requested files: Handled the use-case wherein TRACES status is Available but no-files present in TRACES portal, there by re-setting the status to “Failed”

3. TRACES user id validation: TRACES user id should be no more 11 characters with no spaces

Clear Notice Management

1. Improved case handling experience for new cases received in case of errors in syncing with portal to ensure user knows what are the next steps to be done to resolve the error.

Clear identity (APIs)

Several new APIs have been added to the list of APIs already available:

1. HSN Search & GST Rate Finder API: Get GST Tax rate for a given HSN/SAC Code. Find HSN/SAC code for a given product/service name

2. FSSAI Verification API: Verifies FSSAI licenses by providing details such as license status, entity name, license type, address, list of products given license was given for.

3. Company Name to GSTIN Search API: Takes company name - full or partial, as input and gives list of legal names of companies that have the given search name and gstins associated with that name

4. Company Name Verification API: Takes company name - full or partial, as input and gives list of legal names of companies that have the given search name and pans associated with that name

5. International Business Name Search API: Search for, verify name of a company in ~50 countries

6. Driving License Details API: Verify validity and other details for a given driving license information

7. Vehicle Registration Details API: Verifies validity of the vehicle registration and provides details about the owner, the vehicle's details and the insurance details

Updates to existing APIs:

1. PAN Verification API: Added a new field panOperativeStatus classifying PANs based on Aadhaar linkage

2. MSME Verification API: New fields provide MSME classification history in addition to the latest year's MSME status

3. New API Versions released for 3 APIs - MSME Verification V2, MCA Status Check V2 and Bank Account Verification V2

GCC

Clear E-Inv - GCC

Be audit ready: Archive and store all your E-Invoices at a single place

As per ZATCA regulations, E-Invoicing data should be stored and archived by taxpayers for a period of six years plus one year which includes the financial year to which the document belongs to. Now, ClearTax offers you the option to easily access all the stored data which is older than 365 days from the new 'Archives' section. Access lite, detailed and offline reports from the archives page while pdf with embedded xmls can be accessed in the upcoming release. NEW

In case you have not yet opted for the data storage option then do it from the option available in the archives page or reach out to your account manager.

More Improvements and fixes:

1. Updated the ZATCA SDK to the latest version 3.2.6

2. New feedback module to capture the user’s experience with major flows within the E-Invoice product

3. Updated the QR Code generation step to match the timestamp in QR Code with the Invoice Issue time in XML which has to be in KSA local time

4. Detecting the branch code or store code from the filename of xmls

Release Note for GST: Release 19 of 2023

Date: 21st Sep, 2023

1. PAN level GSTR- 7/8

a. We are thrilled to launch the v1 version of GSTR-7/8 at a PAN level.

1. In this second version, users can now perform the following actions in addition to PAN level ingestion, preparation and upload to GSTN:

PAN level computation of liability which will calculate the Interest, Late Fee on GSTN and fetch it on app.clear bringing it more closer to E2E form

2. Autofill capability of challans similar to GSTR-3B

b. OTP active date was showing +30 days from current date and not +30 days from the date of activation. This issue has been resolved and users will see the correct date of expiry

Changes in GSTR-1

1. Pre upload validation improvements

a. Users were getting error during pre upload validation for cases which seemed incorrect. We have made fixes for the following cases which will improve user experience and user will not be facing the error

1. Validation error for suspended GSTIN

2. Validation error for active GSTIN due to status mismatch between GST portal and clear

3. Validation error for B2BA for previous FY and B2B in current FY

Changes in GSTR-6

File with EVC is now live for GSTR-6 which makes our form on app.clear an E2E GSTR-6 form. Users can complete the process easily on app.clear without even logging to GSTN portal

Changes in Reports

1. For all comparison reports like (G1 vs 3B vs Books, 2A vs 3B vs Books, 2B vs 3B vs Books) users will have the flexibility to show/hide books or G1/2A/2B data as per their need. User will also be able to download excel reports without books)

Changes in EWB vs Sales/GSTR-1 recon

1. There was a restriction to run EWB recon for a return period which is older than 12 months from the current month. This restriction is removed & EWB vs Sales / GSTR-1 recon is now supported for older return periods as well.

a. Only those users for whom the older return period EWBs are already available on the Clear Tax system will be able to utilize the same.

b. Note: When running EWB recon for older than 12 months, count of EWB docs available for the selected month will not be shown in the data preparation step prior to recon run.

c. In-case there are no EWBs to reconcile, EWB recon will fail stating there is no EWB data to reconcile.

d. EWB recon run for older return periods shall take longer time than usual as the EWB data needs to be retrieved from archives.

Changes in Ingestion

1. Adding of banner for users who only have branch level access and can’t access Forms, Reports and reconciliation

We came up with a banner on the UI for communicating with end users for no access to forms, reconciliation and reports if they have access to some branches and for getting access they need to connect with their admin for getting access for GSTIN/Pan level access to use above features.

2. Purchase and Sales Tax rate not visible on Ui while editing the documents

In the Edit flow on Ui for both sales and purchase if the user edits the tax rate having 3 decimal places and tries saving it , it gets rounded off to 2 decimal places. The above issue is now fixed .

3. Fixing of functionality of Get error file under import history

In Import history user was not able to download the error file on Ui under the actions tab, the fix for same has been done and now user after clicking on “ Get error file” can download the error file Seamlessly.

4. Fixing of amendment issue for GSTR-6 prepare page view sections for table 6A and 6C

GSTR-6 Prepare page view sections table 6A and 6C view was giving error "Error Occurred while fetching view data details" when the same file is re-ingested and duplicates are overwritten . This case is now handled and user will now be able to handle to view the sections without any error

5. Support for Purchase Government template

We now have added support for Purchase Govt Template , users can ingest the Purchase data using the govt template. Currently it has been supported only for document level data , summaries cannot be ingested using the govt template for now. Same can be used for Filing 3B and doing the Pr Reconciliation.

Release Note for GST: Release 18 of 2023

Date: 4th Sep, 2023

We are excited to introduce several new features and enhancements in this product update. These changes are aimed at improving your experience with preparing and filling GST returns and ensuring compliance with GST regulations. Here is the detail of the key features and updates:

1. PAN level GSTR- 7/8

a. We are thrilled to launch the v0 version of GSTR-7/8 at a PAN level.

b. In this first version, users can now perform the following actions in addition to PAN level ingestion:

1. PAN Level Preparation of the form, similar to other forms on CFC.

2. PAN level Upload to GSTN, which includes a comparison of Your Data vs. Data on GSTN after upload.

3. Reset Data on GSTN, even if it is not available on GSTN.

4. Bulk Challan creation, similar to GSTR-3B

2. GST Return Applicability check

1. To streamline the GST return process, all GSTINs will now be validated at the preparation step of each form.

2. This validation ensures the GSTIN's applicability for the return period, preventing issues during the upload.

3. Possible reasons for failure, such as GSTN being Cancelled/Suspended, registered after the return period, or inactive, will be flagged.

3. Changes in GSTR-3B

1. Upload time stamp in GSTR-3B

a. We have introduced a new feature that allows users to track when

they last uploaded data to GSTN.

b. This timestamp is conveniently displayed on the GSTR-3B upload page, enhancing transparency and record-keeping.

2. Logic update for Ineligible ITC in Table 4

a. We have addressed an issue related to ineligible ITC in Table 4 of GSTR-3B.

b. Previously, all ineligible ITC was accumulating in 4A(5) and getting reversed in 4B(1), regardless of whether it was for IMPG or RCM.

c. With this update, if the user selects PR for creating Table 4, ineligible ITC for IMPG, RCM, or other categories will be correctly placed in 4A(1), 4A(3), and 4A(5), respectively, and reversed in 4B(1).

Users can now include custom information in their reports, enhancing their analysis and reporting capabilities.

3. Custom Column support in Table 4 excel report

a. To provide more flexibility and insight, we have added support for custom columns in the Table 4 Excel report.

b. Users can now include custom information in their reports, enhancing their analysis and reporting capabilities.

4. ITC Claim as per PR/2B column in Table 4 excel report

a. We have added a new column to the Table 4 Excel report, displaying the ITC claim as per PR/2B.

b. This addition will easier for users to track and manage their ITC claims.

4. Edit UX improvements in GSTR-3B

a. We have made significant user experience (UX) enhancements across the "view prepared 3B" section.

b. These improvements streamline the process of editing Table 4, providing users with better clarity and ease of use.

Changes in Ingestion

1. Support for new headers in Purchase for ERP Users

a. We are now supporting additional system fields in purchase for ERP users, ensuring a seamless data ingestion experience.

b. Users can include columns such as Voucher type, ERP Expense GL code, and more during data ingestion.

c. These columns will be part of the UI and will be included in the downloaded report from data ingestion.

2. Support for new headers in Sales for ERP Users

a. Similar to the purchase module, we are supporting additional system fields in Sales for ERP users.

b. Users can include columns such as Voucher type, ERP_Business Place, and others during data ingestion.

c. These columns will also be part of the UI and the downloaded report from data ingestion.

Release Notes GST 21st August 2023

Changes in GSTR-1

Release Sept 2023

TDS

Enabling FVU v8.2 to support of Q1 of FY24 returns.

Changes in Form 26Q

1. Introduction of section 194BA - 'TDS on winnings from online games' w.e.f 1st April 2023

2. Introduction of section 194NC - 'TDS on cash withdrawal from co-operative societies' and addition of 3 new columns to capture the value of withdrawal w.e.f 1st April 2023

Changes in Form 27Q

1. Introduction new column to capture 'Whether deductee opting out of new taxation regime [u/s 115BAC (1A)]?' w.e.f 1st April 2023.

2. Introduction of new items under 'Nature of remittances' in relation to capital gains for returns belonging to Q1 of FY24 and onwards.

3. Introduction of section 194BA - 'TDS on winnings from online games', section 194B ‘TDS on winnings from Lottery’, Section 194BB ‘TDS on winnings from Horse Race’ w.e.f 1st April 2023

4. Introduction of section 194NC - 'TDS on cash withdrawal from co-operative societies' and addition of 3 new columns to capture the value of withdrawal w.e.f 1st April 2023.

5. Bifurcation of section 194LC into LC1, LC2 and LC3 to accurate reporting of transactions applicable with different TDS rates.

Changes in Form 27EQ

1. Introduction new column to capture "Whether collectee opting out of new taxation regime [u/s 115BAC(1A)]?' w.e.f 1st April 2023 returns

2. Introduction of section 206C(1G)^T - Remittance under LRS for purposes of education or medical treatment w.e.f. 1-July-23.

Changes in Form 24Q

1. Enabling original and correction returns to match the updated data structure (without incorporating the FVU feature changes).

Fixed and improvements

1. Challan Deletion from UI when challan is not tagged to any deductions within the return.

2. Under LDC tab - show only certificates that are tagged with Reason ^A

3. Re-enabling 206AB check with speed and scale optimisation

4. Certificate generation progress bar implementation and state management to cover closing the generation page while generation is in progress, add DSC if the DSC is expired etc.,

5. Visibility of LDCs in the short deduction report in a few scenarios.

6. Resolving duplicate PAN creation during deduction template or conso ingestion.

7. Fixing TRACES request with PAN - TDS combination having 0.00 TDS value.

8. Other minor fixes and improvements to enrich user experience and product capability

Release Notes GST 21st August 2023

Changes in GSTR-1

1. Auto-computation of summaries in GSTR-1 flow has now been optimzied basis the latest update time stamp. We will now not automatically compute summaries everytime if there has been no change in data. This implementation will improve performance of Preupload validation and G1 drilldown section

2. PAN Level summary generation report was failing for a few users. The issue has now been resolved and users should be able to generate and download PAN Level prepare summary in GSTR-1 flow

Changes in GSTR-3B

1. Users were facing issue while uploading data to GSTN for NIL GSTINs or upload was not working intermittently for a scenario. The issue has now been resolved and users will be able to upload to GSTN seamlessly

2. Users will now be able to access the last uploaded time stamp in the GSTR-3B upload page. This implementation will help customers to know if they already uploaded data to GSTN or not

3. In table 4 of GSTR-3B for ineligible ITC docs, the data was going into 4A(5) and 4B(1) for IMPG, IMPS and RCM PR docs. The issue has been resolved and now data will go in the right section of GSTR-3B table i.e. 4A(1), 4A(2), 4A(3)

Changes in GSTR-6

1. Users were not able to see the ingested data on Prepare page of GSTR-6 even though the data was accessible on data overview. The issue has been fixed and users are able to access the data in GSTR-6 properly

Changes in Reports

1. Users with large no of GSTINs and data in their registrations were facing failure in report generation. The issue has now been resolved and users will be able to generate reports for their GSTINs with large data

Changes in Ingestion

1. Support for Increasing the Line Item Level Limit and File Size Limit at Customer Level

We have added a support in ingestion where we can now Increase the Number of Line

items and file size limit at customer level , earlier the default support for line item was

upto 5k ,also the file size supported is now upto 200 Mb( can be configured on the user

basis)

Release 9th August 2023

Clear ID

Bank Maturity amount and Date on Confirmation pop up at Fulfilment Screen:

With this release, External Financing points like Maturity amount, Maturity date and Bank interest charges are now visible before submitting the invoices. Buyers can view the exact amount and maturity date beforehand which earlier was populated after allocation to the bank. This gives the buyer flexibility to select the correct option.

Custom Return Posting File for Buyers:

For clients which are not ERP integrated, need for custom return posting files where separate columns should be added after calculation in the CSV was there. With this release, capability of generating custom columns in the CSV is enabled.

Warning pop up if approval is being done after payment date:

Each buyer has their payment dates, and if for any reason approval is being done after payment date, a warning pop up is now shown for the buyers. This helps them better understand the calculation of discounting for invoices.

[Tech] Invoice Status Duplicity/ Active MQ Implementation:

To stop the invoice duplicity, stringent database changes were done. In future, if any issue arises for invoices duplicity, the database will mark them duplicate automatically. Along with this, active Queue is implemented. This fix will process the invoice status sequentially and change the status from Available for Posting → Sent to ERP → Posted to ERP.

Release 3rd August 2023

GST

Changes in GSTR-1

1. Error message addition and improvements in GSTR-1 upload and filing screens. The error messages which were not reflected on the UI will now appear on the UI and in a user understandable manner (E.g. : Latest summary is not generated on GSTN, please retry upload to GSTN from upload step)

2. The text in the “Upload to GSTN without fixing” modal wasn’t clear to users and what would be its implications. We have updated the text for better clarity.

3. In the prepare page drill down users were seeing a difference in value if the invoice was linked to an advance which was supposed to be adjusted. We have now addressed this, and users will see consistent values across all pages of GSTR-1 (i.e. Prepare Page, View Sections and Invoice listing screens)

4. In GSTR-1 users were facing upload error due to negative values in the doc series summary for the cancelled docs column. The issue has been addressed and now users wont find negative values in the cancelled docs column for Doc series summary. Upload failure will also no longer happen due to this.

5. NIL filing tag was getting removed in the filing page post filing was successfully done. The issue has now been resolved and users will continue to see the NIL tag even after filing is successfully done

6. There was an inconsistency is displaying Filed with EVC/DSC in the filing screen. The issue has now been resolved and user will see consistent information even after filing is successfully done

Changes in GSTR-3B

1. For table 3.2 users were getting two options in the dropdown for Andhra Pradesh (State Code : 28 and 37). Now that has been updated and user will see only one option 37-Andhra Pradesh which is the code after division

2. While editing challan is GSTR-3B, the decimal point at the end was getting removed and additional zeroes were getting added at the end. This led to sharp increase in challan values and users had top put additional effort to fix these. The experience has been updated and no longer additional zeroes will be added at the end

3. In the Tax Calculation - the taxable w.r.t sec 9(5) was getting adjusted with ITC available. However, based on GSTN notification, it should be paid via cash. The adjustments have now been addressed and tax liability of sec 9(5) will now be considered under cash payment

4. The users were not clear with what does the deferred ITC In table 4A(5) means. We have now added a ( i ) button beside it which will explain what does it mean when hovered over it. The message will be “ITC present in 2B but not claimed in current month”

5. NIL filing tag was getting removed in the filing page post filing was successfully done. The issue has now been resolved and users will continue to see the NIL tag even after filing is successfully done

6. There was an inconsistency is displaying Filed with EVC/DSC in the filing screen. The issue has now been resolved and user will see consistent information even after filing is successfully done

7. The 3B drilldowns have been made user friendly and users now don't need to scroll left-right and vice versa to edit form or view details like SGST or Cess. The form will be completely visible till cess information

Changes in GSTR-6

1. In GSTR-6 we were getting errors in different formats from GSTN. This was leading to loss of information during upload errors from a user perspective. We have now taken care of format difference and user will get complete information after there is any error during upload

2. Users were seeing upload failure for GSTINs whose OTPs weren’t active. We have updated the experience and users will not see any failure for inactive GSTINs

Changes in ITC-04

1. DSC filing isnt implemented in ITC-04, however it was available on UI. We have now disabled the option of DSC filing in ITC-04

2. Users were seeing upload failure for GSTINs whose OTPs weren’t active. We have updated the experience and users will not see any failure for inactive GSTINs

3. Asterik (*) symbol is added in the challan creation flow for ITC-04 to make sure all mandatory fields are clear to users

4. Users were not able to delete data from the import history screen by simply deleting the file. The issue has now been addressed and data will be deleted if files are deleted from import history

Changes in Reports

1. Trade name wasn’t coming in the GSTIN verification report. The issue has now been addressed and users will see the correct trade name in GSTIN verification report

Changes in Ingestion

1. Support for Branch Level Ingestion

   1. Users will now have the option to ingest the data at Branch level , samefeature was supported in GST 1.0 , we came up with this feature to support the users who migrated to GST 2.0 and were having branch level data.

   2. At UAM Level the users who will be having access to only specific Branches will not be having access to Forms or reconciliation same will also be communicated to end users on UI and user will be blocked using these feature. A Banner clearly having a communication for this will be part of next release.

2. Improving the experience of ingesting the data having multiple sheets( Sales Govt Template)

   1. Today if the user was having more than 5k line items for a document in any of the sheets we were failing the import for the entire file. Also the error message shown on Ui was incorrect .

   2. We now have improved the experience for the same, the user will get the error message clearly communicating that line item for a particular document has exceeded 5K line items( For some users we have enabled this for more than 8 K Line items and depending on use case by use case we can support the same) and also rest of the sheets and rest of the documents which will not be having any validation failure and will get successfully ingested .

3. Support for Delete column in Purchase Flat Template

   1. We have added a support for Delete column in Purchase Flat template, using the same user can delete any document from the system. User has to pass the “Y” flag for deleting any document. This feature works at document level.

Notice Management

1. Reducing notices sync effort

   1. Password for notice sync will be saved upon first usage to ensure from second attempt onwards users only have to enter captcha for syncing cases from portal.

2. Minor bug fixes to improve user experience

   1. Sorting of cases has been improved to show the latest notice/order on top for a case

   2. Due date population across all case types now being populated

E-Invoicing India

Fixes and Improvements

• Signed invoice and signed QR code field has been removed from the E-Invoice lite report downloaded from archives section to significantly reduce the time taken for download.

  • If signed invoice and signed QR code field is required, lite report can be downloaded from documents screen for last 12 months

• Generation of an einvoice is not allowed for a B2B or B2C invoice already in generated or cancelled status. This is mandatory to avoid duplicacy and correctness of invoice data.

  • A sample use case avoided because of this validation - Users generate a B2B invoice and cancel it. Subsequently they generate a B2C invoice with the same invoice number. This leads to the cancelled B2B invoice response getting overwritten with the latest response and B2C contains the govt. response earlier stored for B2B invoice.

TDS

Fixes and Improvements

Verify PAN in batches - optimized the PAN verification (from ui to api), it reduced the time taken to verify 100 PANs from 3.30mins to less than 1 min.

Improving the PAN uniqueness - optimised the PAN uniqueness criteria to reduce the write conflicts in DB - it reduces the ingestion/upload time and better handling of the multiple ingestions at a given point in time. Also, additional columns related to deductions such as Address, contact details, NR -Yes/No, PE - Yes/No (applicable for 27Q and 27EQ) are moved to deduction tables from deductee tables, thereby PAN report is simplified.

What are deductee uniqueness criteria? Identification of unique deductee. It is implemented to reduce the number of duplicate PANs thereby verifying PANs and the PAN report will clean data. Post changes, below is the uniqueness criteria..

Structurally valid PAN: TANofDeductor_PANofDeductee_RefNumber/SerialNumber_Country [Country will be considered only in case of form 27Q, If PAN and Country match Ref number will be updated]

Structurally Invalid PAN: TANofDeductor_PANofDeductee_NameofDeductee_RefNumber/ SerialNumber_Country [Country will be considered only in case of form 27Q if the RefNumber is different a new deductee will be created.]

Release 27th July 2023

eInvoicing - India

Changes in onboarding flow

• Onboarding flow will consist of just the GSTIN addition step and selection of eWay bill requirement for business

• Upon completion of onboarding steps user will be able to explore the product and ingest invoices

Authorise Clear to Generate IRNs (Adding API credentials)

• Users will be able to create and add API (NIC/ClearIRP) credentials from the IRN generation action itself

• Users can register and create API credentials for multiple GSTINs at once

• Auto detection of registration status, automation has been implemented to reduce manual effort and make process easy

eWay bill for ship transport mode

• User can provide the vehicle details - vehicle number for ship mode of transport where goods are initially moved by road

• User can either send the vehicle number details during ingestion or update the transporter details

User role permission

• User which do not have the permission to add user in other product like GST, MaxITC, but have admin role in eInvoicing would not be allowed to invite users in other product.

• User will be shown only the product for which they have permission in the user invitation flow

Release 21st July 2023

GST

Changes in GST

1. Help and Support (v0)

   1. We are launching our first version (v0) of Help and Support on GST 2.0

   2. User’s can now easily create a support ticket using Help and Support

   3. User’s will be able to provide Feedback for all flows

   4. User’s will be able to access the release notes directly from the product

2. A GSTIN can have a password length of max 15 characters and GSTN has restricted it on their UI. We were however accepting more than 15 characters as well which led to confusion amongst the user. We have added validations for it and now user can only enter a max of 15 characters in the password field

Changes in GSTR-3B

1. 4D(2) others has now been updated and user can also see the breakdown of 4D(2). The breakdown will give user details about ISD Ineligible ITC and others

2. User Experience Improvements

   1. User were seeing a shift in columns while editing prepared 3B. The issue has been fixed and user would see a consistent behavior in edit and saved mode

   2. In the edit mode, the copy paste of values was not working as per expectation and some users were experiencing page breaks. The issue has now been resolved

   3. While downloading the data from GSTN, we error messages were wrongly populated. The messages have now been updated

   4. Some users were experiencing intermittent page breaks while accessing the recon flow from GSTR-3B. The issue has been resolved

   5. Text changes have been made on several CTAs for better user understanding and clarity

3. Negative value in 4B(2) - Banner for user clarity

   1. GSTN doesn't accept negative values in 4B, however while using Table 4 autopopulation table 4 does get negative values in 4B due to presence of excess Credit Notes. We have now added a banner for user communication which will make it clear to them that how they can fix this

4. GSTR-3B Multi GSTIN Template update

   1. Null/Zero values in the template were not handled correctly on the product, which has now been resolved

   2. PoS validation didn't exist in the multi GSTIN template and that also now been added

   3. Adding additional rows in table 4 with similar description in no longer a challenge now. User can add rows with same description (e.g. “Others” can be a added multiple times)

5. Ineligible ITC was appearing in 4A(4) - Inward supplies from ISD while updating table 4. The values should have been part of 4D(2). The issue has now been resolved and the ineligible ITC will now correctly be part of 4D(2) instead of 4A(4)

6. Table 4 population from 2B vs PR -

   1. Users were seeing different values in Table 4 in 3B and Generated Table 4 in reconciliation. The issue has now been resolved. Users will see consistent table 4 across forms and reconciliation

   2. Users were seeing zero values in Table 4 after pushing data from reconciliation. The issue has now been resolved and users will see expected values in table 4 after pushing data from reconciliation

Changes in Reports

1. User Interface for Multi PAN Filed 3B Reports

2. User can now access the information for Multi PAN Filed 3B reports on the GST 2.0 UI itself. No need to download multiple excels and work on it

3. Generate report and access insights on the UI in a matter of clicks

Clear ID

I2F Banner Live: With this release Invoice to Finance Banner is visible to all proprietor companies. Vendors can login and on clicking on the banner is redirected to the I2F product.

ID to I2F

Changes in Roles and Privileges: Roles and privileges Screen is modified to accommodate all the newer features in the platform. For eg: New Banks added in the roles. And previously unused roles and privileges are removed. Now Each Action on the platform can be controlled fully by Roles and Privileges Screen.

RXIL Code Refactoring: RXIL code was refactored from previous 3 year old version to new -

1. Replaced Withdraw API from Soft Delete API

2. RXIL Logs are created

3. Transaction Withdraw - Invoice Status Issue fixed

FTP Magnet Solution: Anchor Companies can drop invoice and payment files at FTP Magnet link. This gives input capability to Clear ID to solve for more companies.

[Tech] Axis Bank Allocation Changes : Bank Allocation wrt one anchor company was modified to keep a clause that “Invoice maturity period” should not exceed 120 days than invoice date. This check was implemented in the fulfillment section and system will throw an error if the criteria is not matched.

TDS

Release dt 25th July 2023

Features

1. Enabled direct import of challans from IT portal along with Section code and Major head information.

2. Enabled Form 24Q salary reconciliation report, this will help to reconcile Annexure 1 (deductions) with Annexure 2 (salary details) and accessible only by TAN Admin, data preparation, salary admin and data preparation, not by non-salary admin and data preparation.

3. PAN Verification changes - incorporated new status to PAN

   1. Active and inoperative - this will be marked as Active and inoperative in ClearTDS - applicable for individual PANs only and represents PAN-Aadhaar are not linked. TDS is to be made at a higher rate.

   2. Active and operative - this will be marked as Active in ClearTDS - applicable for individual PANs only and represents PAN-Aadhaar are linked. TDS is to be made at a normal rate.

   3. Deleted - this will be marked as Inactive in ClearTDS - represent PAN is surrendered on account of entity closure or death of PAN holder.

4. Data preparation role access changes - restricting the user from accessing the creation of new deductor, edit of deductor, TRACES certificate generation.

Improvements

1. Blocking FVU generation for Q1 - Form 26Q, 27Q and 27EQ for FY 2023-24 until next RPU version update.

2. Due date update for Q1 - Form 26Q, 27Q and 27EQ for FY 2023-24 to 30th Sept 2023, helps in accurate calculation of late filing fees under potential notices.

3. Incorporated the short deductions in Form 27Q as per Rule 37BC of the IT Rules.

Fixes

1. Enabling FVU download option post e-filing Successful or Failure as well will help the user to download the filed FVU file and keep a copy of form 27A for future reference.

2. Fixing the issue of signing on all the pages when no cover page and signing on custom cover pages is selected.

3. Fixing the date calculation for determining the period for which the interest on the late deposit is to be levied. Number of months or part of the month = [(date of deduction+ 1 day)] till the date of deposit after the due date.

4. Minor fixes in salary details ingestion rules in Form 24Q, Q4.

Release 6th July 2023

GST

Changes in GSTR-1

1. Pre-Upload Validation - Min 6 Digit HSN/SAC code

   1. We are continuously improving our pre-upload validations and now have added the validation for the requirement of a minimum 6 digit HSN/SAC code in the HSN summary

   2. Earlier users were blocked at the time of ingestion and that took more time to import data. Now users can simply update their HSN summary after pre-upload validation

   3. The fix will also resolve the issue with the Sales sync feature where data was not getting synced directly from Clear E-invoicing to Clear GST as sales data in E-inv didn't have proper HSN details.

2. User experience improvement during Upload to GSTN

   1. After triggering the upload, users will see a banner on the upload page indicating that information is being fetched from GSTN for the "Uploaded to GSTN" row.

   2. This enhancement builds more trust with users by providing real-time updates.

   
3. Error Handling Improvement:

   1. Previously, when users encountered errors such as 403, 404, or 500 in our internal system, the product showed the data as if it was still being processed. However, we have made an enhancement to provide more accurate feedback.

   2. In case of a failed request due to internal system errors, users will now see a clear message informing them that the request has failed. They will be advised to retrigger the same request for further processing. This improvement ensures better transparency and helps users take appropriate action

4. Filtered PAN Summary

   1. Excel PAN summary will now be prepared only for the filtered GSTINs, instead of all GSTINs.

   2. This improvement ensures users receive relevant summary data based on their selection.

5. Ordering of GSTINs across screens

   1. Fixed the inconsistency in the ordering of GSTINs when viewed on different pages and dropdowns.

   2. The ordering will now be consistent based on the state code, providing a better user experience.

6. Delete document on GSTN

   1. Introduced a new action, "Delete from GSTN," allowing users to delete single or bulk documents directly from the GSTR-1 listing screen.

   2. Users can now delete documents from GSTN without the need for reconciliation.

   
7. Performance Improvement of Auto Compute

   1. We have optimized the performance of the auto computes, resulting in faster summary generation and page loading times.

Changes in GSTR-3B

1. Edit GSTR-3B UX updates

   1. Resolved an issue where number formats were not updated properly when copying and pasting values from sheets, eliminating errors and ensuring a smooth user experience.

2. IMPS SEZ details in 4A(5)

   1. Addressed the issue where IMPS SEZ details were incorrectly placed in 4A(2) instead of 4A(5).

   2. Users will now find the IMPS SEZ details in the correct line item of 4A(5).

3. Improvement in Logic of populating ISD ITC from 2B in Table 4 of GSTR-3B

   1. Fixed the issue where both eligible and ineligible ITC were being populated incorrectly in 4A(4) instead of segregating them appropriately.

   2. Now, eligible ITC is correctly populated in 4A(4) and ineligible ITC in 4D(2), ensuring compliance with GST regulations.

   3. This improvement ensures accurate reporting and management of ISD ITC.

4. Improvement in the Table 4 Excel report downloaded

   1. PAN Level and GSTIN Level Summary Sheets for Table 4 will now include a new row, 4C, representing "Net ITC Available."

   2. Reordered columns in the GSTR 3B summary Excel report for better clarity and consistency.

      1. "Original Doc IGST," "Original Doc CGST," "Original Doc SGST," "Original Doc Cess," "Original Doc Total Tax," and "Original Doc Taxable value" columns are now positioned before the "4A5 Total Tax" column.

      2. This reordering improves the logical flow of information and facilitates easier analysis of the report.

5. Delete summary from import history

   1. Users were able to the see GSTR-3B summary on UI even after deleting the file from the import history. The issue has now been resolved and data will be deleted from the UI if the file has been deleted via import history

Changes in GSTR-6

1. Error Report Generation

   1. Resolved the issue where users couldn't see data in the error report post-upload due to case sensitivity differences in the document numbers between GSTN and Clear.

   2. The error report will now provide detailed information even in cases of document number case sensitivity mismatch.

2. Previously, ISD Docs were generated for all GSTINs regardless of user selection.

   1. This issue has been resolved, and ISD Docs will now be generated only for the selected GSTINs.

   2. Generate ISD docs for selected GSTINs

Change in Sales Recon

1. EWB vs Sales / GSTR-1 Recon improvements

   1. Added support for custom fields in the Recon report, making custom fields imported as part of the Sales register available in the Recon results report.

2. E-invoice (GSTR-1) vs Sales Register Recon improvements

   1. Improved matching results

      1. Previously, differences in document sub-section details were not highlighted, leading to potential errors. Now, such differences are flagged, categorizing the documents as mismatched.

      2. Previously, scenarios with multiple documents (Invoices, CDNs) sharing the same document number on Sales and GSTR-1 did not get matched. The improved matching rules now facilitate 1-1 matching for such scenarios, improving accuracy and reducing missing matches.

   2. Customer name not appearing in Matching results issue

      1. There was a long pending issue that the customer name was not appearing in matching results for Export, B2CL and also B2B documents in some cases. This issue is resolved.

      2. Customer names present as part of the Sales register will be considered and shown in the matching results (both Product UI and Excel report). In case the customer name is not present in the sales register, the system will try to fetch & show the customer name from the Govt data

Changes in Ingestion

1. Disabling the duplicate file ingestion

   1. Disabled the option for users to ingest the same file when the ingestion is already in progress.

   2. Users will now receive an error message stating, "This is a duplicate file. Data import for this file is already in progress. Please refer to the import history section for more details."

2. Ingestion issue fixes

   1. Added support for selecting the current FY (financial year) in the Sales summary. Users can now select 23-24 from the dropdown.

   2. Supported the selection of port codes along with port names. Previously, users were unable to pass the port code and name, but this fix enables seamless data entry in the backend.

Changes in Reports

1. PAN Level G1 vs 3B vs Books - Individual GSTIN sheets

   1. Updated the G1 vs 3B vs Books report to include individual GSTIN level sheets in the Excel report.

   2. Users will now have access to specific GSTIN-level data for better analysis

TDS

Improvements

1. Enabling the users to get multiple RRR/PRN in correction returns.

2. Improving the correction return filing related to section 194Jb having no TDS with lower deduction reason.

3. Enabling manual upload of csi file for FVU generation along with existing IT portal and NSDL automation.

Fixes

1. Fixing the failures related to import and sync of LDCs where the number of LDCs to be imported is more than 150.

2. Improving the TRACES login failure use cases in case of Bulk PAN verification.

3. Potential notices - fixing the interest on late deposit calculation for Form 27EQ and short deduction calculation logic for sec 194C for non-company deductees.

4. Sec 80D calculation in case of Form 24Q, Q4 correction returns.

E-Invoicing (India)

Switchers mechanism between NIC1, NIC2, ClearIRP

A switcher mechanism has been implemented to divert the incoming user requests to a secondary source to ensure maximum uptime.

• If NIC1 is down/APIs are slow the user requests will be sent to NIC2

• If ClearIRP is down/APIs are slow the user requests will be sent to NIC1

All depended API calls like cancellation, GET_IRN etc would be sent to the source where IRN was generated

Validation addition

• Using the IRP db to check the GSTIN status for IRN generation

• Reverse charge supply is not allowed for ISD recipients

• Updated the pincode to state mapping to ensure pincode belongs to the state mentioned

Updating the master codes

• In the state master codes, 99 is removed for other country

• Added validation for country code, port code and currency codes from master code list

• Tax rates 10, 20 and 30 have been removed as these are not allowed by GSTN

• Exact pin code to state mapping have been implemented according to the master codes

Changes to DSC user role permissions

Earlier only the workspace and PAN/GSTIN admins had the permission to add digital signature to an invoices. The user permissions have been update so that users with permissions to generate einvoice and eWay bill can add digital signature. User roles einvoice only, eWay bill only, non cancel can add digital signature.

Improvements

• Index optimisation to reduce the time for loading screens on UI

• Support print pdf download for same invoice number in different FY. A suffix for FY is added to print pdf downloaded.

• Setup Alerts for the e-invoicing and clear invoicing services for CPU and memory usage

• Reverted the country code validation for export transactions as it is not implemented on NIC yet

• Changes for GST recon

  • Changes to eWay bill count API to support filter for supplier GSTIN

  • Customer billing state is included in eWay bill data to be compared against place of supply in SR/G1 for recon

ClearIRP

• Support ticket creation by users from UI tool. User will have to fill few fields and give issue description. These tickets will flow to SF from where the L2 support team can check the issue and resolve.

• Update the turnover for the GSTIN and update the einvoicing eligibility status for 5-10 Cr turnover

• Handling dedup slowness/downtime

  • Invoice can be registered even when dedup is down. However, if the same invoice is registered with any other IRP then the status needs to be changed as "Rejected"

Release 22nd Jun 2023

GST

Changes in Recon

1. GSTR-1 download improvement in GSTR-1 vs Sales recon

   1. Due to an issue in the GSTR-1 vs Recon flow, even when GSTR-1 data download is complete, the status keeps showing as download is in progress until the page is refreshed. This gave the impression that the data download is taking time.

   2. This issue is fixed. Immediately after the GSTR-1 data download is complete, status will show as success.

Changes in GSTR -3B Filed Report

1. Split of turnover in filed 3b report ( Taxable and Non- taxable)

   1. We will now provide a feature that allows users to view a detailed breakdown of their turnover in the Field 3B report, categorizing it into taxable and non-taxable components. This enhancement aims to provide users with enhanced visibility and better understanding

      

TDS

New Features

Multi TAN - Filing Status Dashboard: Single TAN-based filing tracker revamped to support Multi TAN Filing Status tracker to capture both internal and TRACES return status with recommended actions based on the return status.

Enabling Annexure to Form 16 and non-Form 16: to capture 12BA, Annexure to Part B, Password and Emails of the employee/deductee PANs.

Blocking users with no active license

Improvements

1. Enabling draft status and navigation flow for correction wherein conso file having only challan details

2. De-coupling deductions, salary details, txt file, error file in case of FVU failure for better user experience

3. Improving the E-file via ITR

   1. Get RRR number based on ack number, if initial automation is failed

4. Option to download FVU file, even after e-filing is successful

5. Removing the restrictions of data presence capability to access the Repository.

6. Re-write of LDC import capability with import + sync values

7. PAN report to provide “Not Available” status for Aadhaar linking of non-individual PANs.

8. Form 16

   1. Bifurcated the templates into 3 sections to solve the alignment issues

   2. Excel-based certificate generation report for all the Forms

Fixes and minor improvements

1. Fixing unable to view/download return data due to FSD sync

2. Salary details deductible, taxes and short deductions calculation fixes

Release 13th June, 2023

EWB recon (Sales)

• Enterprises can reconcile their EWBs against the Sale Register or GSTR-1 (Draft or Filed) at a monthly level.

• PAN level reconciliation of XX lakh invoices in less than XX minutes

• Struggling to download & prepare EWB data for Recon? We will auto download your EWBs (by me, by others) daily & keep it ready.

• Actionable matching report to quickly narrow down on the valid discrepancies in documents.

*This is an early availability release

Ingestion

PR Validation Removal to reduce Integration TAT(For ERP Users)

To expedite the integration process, we have removed certain validations from PR, allowing user data to be ingested into the reconciliation system more swiftly. This means that users can now run reconciliations without being blocked by validation errors. Instead, the system will generate warnings for any documents that have validation errors.

This new approach empowers users to take control of the reconciliation process and make informed decisions about the next course of action for documents flagged with warnings. By providing users with visibility into potential validation issues, they have the flexibility to review and address them as needed.

We believe that this change will significantly reduce integration TAT for ERP users and enhance the efficiency and ensure smooth onboarding

Changes in GSTR-3B

1. 3.1 d comparison row In 3.1d comparison with GSTN row was showing data from PR and not from GSTN. The issue has been fixed and now data is updated from GSTN

2. a. GSTR-3B source update After ingesting GSTR-3B summary the source was not getting changed to GSTR-3B summary and now that has been fixed.

b. After running the recon of 2B vs PR, the data source for entire table 4 was getting update to recon. Now the issue has been fixed and user will have the option to decide whether to update for all rows or for selected ones

3. a. Make Payment post credit to ledger - Bug Fixes The offset feature was failing because tax liability or input available was getting rounded off to a lower value. The issue has been fixed and now the values will rounded to higher/lower precision correctly

b. Clear GST smart offset was getting calculated wrongly and negative values were appearing in ITC utilization. The issue has been resolved and user wont see negative values in ITC utilization

4. GSTR-3B connected flow from recon

a. Users can now seamlessly move to GSTR-3B filing from recon (2B vs PR) after their table 4 is prepared. One CTA will take the users to GSTR-3B with all data sources pre-filled

5. Recommended source in GSTR-3B

a. The recommended source in GSTR-3B has been updated and now the recommended sources are 2B vs PR wherever data could be filled via recon

6. DSC filing failure

a. Few users were facing failures while filing returns using DSC method. We have fixed the issue

7. Multi GSTIN summary template - Fixes

a. Deleting of sub rows in template lead to ingestion failure and users were not clear with the issue. The bug has been fixed

b. Deleting of sub rows in template also lead to duplication of rows in table 4 and also led to upload failure. The issue has been fixed with the release

8. UX improvements

a. In table 4 users were facing an issue where an edit was not saved even after doing multiple attempts. The issue has been addressed and now values will be saved immediately after the user clicks on save

9. Difference in value between prepare and review tax calculation page

a. Users were noticing a difference in prepare page and review tax calculation page due to the rounding error. The issue has been addressed and now there will be a parity between the pages for all values

10. User edited table 6.1 on upload page

Users who were using user edit mode of ITC offset were not able to see the table 6.1 on Preview 3B page in the Upload screen. The issue has been addressed and now users will be able to see what mode of tax calculation they are using in the upload screen as well

11. Download failure messages of 2B and Interest/Late fees Users were seeing download failures in the data source page of 3B and were not able to get clarity why is it failing. Messages have been added for better clarity for our users

12. Ingestible GSTR-3B recon report

The table 4 recon report coming out of 2B vs PR is now ingestible and users can easily use that report to seamlessly work with their GSTR-3B

Release 6 June, 2023

Changes in GSTR-1

Sequencing for Sub section drill down in G1 GSTIN Summary

• The drill down sequencing of sub-sections for Credit Debit Note - Registered (9B), B2B Amendments (9A), and CDN Registered Amendments (9C) in the GSTR-1 Prepare page did not match the sequencing on the GSTN portal.

• The sequencing has been updated to align with the GSTN portal, allowing users to easily compare the information.

GSTR-1 Amendment linking issue

• Users were experiencing issues in the amendment section, where documents related to the current financial year were incorrectly linked to older FY invoice numbers during amendments.

• This issue has been resolved, and now the linking will be accurate with respect to the current financial year.

Delete from Clear - Action

• A new action has been added on the prepare page of GSTR-1, allowing users to delete all data from clear GST without leaving the GSTR-1 flow.

• Users can now easily delete all data from clear GST within the GSTR-1 interface.

Description in HSN Summary

• Users were not receiving description information in the HSN summary when using Auto compute.

• The Auto compute summary of HSN will now include description information.

• The first description information for that HSN code provided by the user in the clear sales register template will be considered.

Settings for defining logic for HSN Auto compute

• Users can now choose the logic for HSN auto compute and decide whether to consider CDNs and their quantity for computing the HSN summary.

• Users will also be able to configure this setting at a GSTIN level.

Improved Error Messages and New Additions

• Error messages while “Uploading to GSTN” have been updated to provide clearer explanations and make it easier for users to understand.

• New error messages have been added to cover cases that were not addressed previously eg: GSTIN cancellation status etc

Changes in GSTR-3B Backward Compatibility for GSTR-3B Prepare Page

• The prepare page of GSTR-3B for return periods before Aug'22 has been made similar to GSTN.

• Users will no longer see the table 4 drill-down breakups on the view prepared 3B page, aligning it with the GSTN interface for the Return period till July,2022

ITC Savings Banner - Smart Offset

• Previously, users were encountering a banner for zero savings in the Tax calculation drill down.

• The banner will no longer be visible to users when there is zero savings in the clear GST calculation as compared to the Government calculation.

Enhanced User-Friendly Error Messages

• Error messages for uploading to GSTN have been updated to provide a simpler understanding for users.

• New error messages have been added to cover cases that were previously not addressed, ensuring comprehensive error handling.

Changes in GSTR-6 Amendment Support in GSTR-6 Clear Template

• Users can now add amendment details in the GSTR-6 form using the clear GST template.

• Details can be added for Table 6A (Amendment of ITC received in previous returns), Table 6C (Amendment of Debit/Credit Notes received), and Table 9 (Amendment of ITC received in previous returns).

Invoice Number Validation in GSTR-6

• Users were encountering issues such as invoice numbers exceeding 16 characters or containing special characters while uploading data to GSTN during GSTR-6 filing.

• Validations have been implemented to address these issues, ensuring a smooth upload process without any errors related to invoice number format

Changes in ITC-04

Warning Modal during Upload to GSTN

• Users will now receive a warning modal when uploading to GSTN in the case of NIL filing.

• If users have selected NIL filing but still have some data available on GSTN, the warning modal will appear.

• This enhancement aims to alert users about the presence of data on GSTN despite selecting NIL filing, ensuring accuracy and preventing unintended actions.

Changes in Reports

G1 vs 3B vs Books

• In the comparison report for G1 vs 3B vs Books, G1 summaries were displaying twice the ingested summary sections, resulting in inconsistent data in the books section.

• The issue has been resolved, and users will now see consistent data in the comparison report, aligned with their books.

GSTIN Verification Report - Additional Address Details

• Users were not receiving additional address details for their vendor GSTINs when using the GSTIN verification report.

• The issue has been resolved, and users will now be able to access the additional address details for all their vendors on the UI as well as in the downloaded Excel report.

Filed G1 Report

• Users were experiencing inaccuracies when fetching the Filed G1 Report after filing their returns.

• The issue has been resolved, and the data will now be freshly fetched from GSTN after filing the returns, providing users with the updated Filed status.

Changes in E-invoice (GSTR-1) vs Sales Recon

Matching results issue fix

• Previously, documents with mismatches in Document type (Invoice, Debit Note, Credit Note) were displayed incorrectly as exact matches in the matching results section.

• This issue has been addressed, and these documents will now be correctly identified as mismatches in the matching results.

• Users can expect improved accuracy in identifying and resolving discrepancies between E-invoice (GSTR-1) and Sales Recon data.

Changes in Ingestion

Enhancing the performance of downloading large files from the Data Overview screen

• Previously, users faced difficulties when attempting to download large Excel files. To address this, we have implemented a file chunking mechanism.

• If the size of the file exceeds more than 6 lac line items for both Sales and Purchase, the system will automatically split the file into multiple CSV files.

• These CSV files will be conveniently combined and presented in a ZIP folder, allowing users to download all the data in one go.

• This improvement ensures a smoother experience and easier access to data, particularly for users handling large volumes of GST information.

Feature: Clear Add-on for Tally (TCP)

1. Sandbox Testing Environment:

   Users can now utilize the sandbox installer to set up a sandbox environment. This allows you to test compatibility and ensure a smooth transition to the production environment.

2. Multiple Deployment Environments:

   Users have the flexibility to install it on various deployment environments, including local systems (desktops, laptops), cloud servers, RDP servers, AWS servers, and more. This ensures adaptability to your preferred infrastructure.

3. User Access Control:

   You now have the ability to control user access to the Clear GST module. This feature enables you to allow or disallow specific users from using the module, providing better control over your compliance processes.

4. Multi-GSTIN Support:

   The enhanced TCP allows you to maintain and manage documents for multiple GSTINs under the same PAN. You can upload documents from Tally to Clear either at the PAN level or GSTIN-wise, simplifying your compliance management for multiple entities.

   
5. GST Registers:

   You can now view a comprehensive list of documents before uploading, based on ledger configuration for GST applicability. This provides better visibility and control over the documents to be uploaded, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

   
6. Voucher Type Configuration:

   By default, Sales, Purchase, Debit Notes, and Credit Note voucher types are included. However, with the enhanced TCP, users can configure additional voucher types for GST upload, tailoring the connector to their specific requirements.

   
7. Document Overview:

   The document overview feature allows you to view detailed line item information such as item description, taxable amount, tax amount, and more before uploading. Once uploaded, the overview also includes upload status and error messages, if any. This helps you verify the data and address any errors or discrepancies efficiently.

   
8. Selective Upload:

   You have the flexibility to select and upload one, multiple, or all documents within a register to Clear. You can also apply filters based on voucher type and date ranges, streamlining your upload process.

9. Error Messages:

   Users can now view voucher-level error messages for data validation errors. This enables you to correct errors directly from Tally before re-uploading, ensuring data accuracy and compliance. Error messages are conveniently available on the Import History page at an upload activity level.

10. Filter by Status and Re-upload by Status:

    User can Filter documents by status (Uploaded, Failed, and Not Uploaded) and selectively re-uploading failed or not uploaded documents is also available in this release.

    

Here is the detailed guide on how to install Tally Connector along with the FAQ.

Release 22- May, 2023

GST

Changes in GSTR-1

1. We understand the importance of having a comprehensive view of your uploaded data on GSTN. With this update, we have introduced the ability for users to download a Pan level or Multi GSTIN summary of the data uploaded to GSTN in GSTR-1 flow in an Excel format. This summary is available at both section and GSTIN levels, providing you with valuable insights and analysis options.

   

   Impact:

   Improved Data Analysis: The availability of Pan level and Multi GSTIN summaries enables you to check your uploaded data in a more structured and detailed manner.

   Streamlined Reporting: By offering the option to download data summaries in Excel, you can generate customized reports for internal analysis, audits, or compliance requirements. This enhances your reporting capabilities and simplifies data sharing within your organization.

Changes in Reports:

1. Updated Dates for ITC-04 in Filing Tracker:

   Keeping up with the latest changes on GSTN is crucial for accurate filing. In this release, we have updated the dates for ITC-04 in the filing tracker based on the latest GSTN modifications. As a result, you will now be able to view dates categorized by half-yearly and annual returns, providing you with a clearer understanding of your filing schedule.

2. Updated Due Dates for the Past Year:

   We recognize the importance of being informed about due dates and ensuring compliance. To assist you in meeting your filing obligations, we have updated the due dates for the past year in the filing tracker. We have also incorporated any changes made by GSTN during this period, ensuring that you have the most up-to-date information at your fingertips.

   Impact:

   Increased Compliance Accuracy: With updated dates, you can plan your filing activities more effectively, ensuring that you submit your returns on time and stay compliant with GSTN regulations.

   Reduced Compliance Risks: By incorporating any changes made by GSTN, we help mitigate the risk of missing important deadlines due to outdated information. This ensures that you are always up-to-date with the latest filing requirements.

3. Resolved Issue with Filling Details in GSTIN Verification Reports

   We understand the importance of accurate verification reports in maintaining data integrity. In this release, we have resolved an issue where filling details were not getting populated in the GSTIN verification reports for cases where the month of the last return filing is after the month of cancellation. This issue has been fixed, ensuring that your verification reports are now comprehensive and include all relevant filling details.

   Impact:

   Comprehensive Reporting: The resolution of this issue ensures that your GSTIN verification reports provide a complete overview of your filing details, even in scenarios where the last return filing is after the cancellation month. This helps you maintain accurate records and ensures compliance with GSTN requirements.

Release 13- May, 2023

GST

Changes in Ingestion

Performance optimizations in Data Overview for Purchase

Improved Performance

We have addressed the performance issue that caused the page to load slowly. With this update, you will experience a faster loading time and improved overall performance of the Data Overview page.

Enhanced Filtering

Data reflection after applying filters has been improved. You can now easily filter the data based on your preferences, and the page will reflect the changes quickly.

Optimization Results: In production for the last 19 months (102021 - 042023) for a GSTIN, below is the size of the documents:-

P90 - 9110

P95 -19694

P99 - 69317

Scenario: 1- GSTIN - 19 Lakh data - 1 lakh data for each return period for 19 months

Before optimization: It used to fail to load the data for the first time for 19 month return period. (When selecting 19month RP for the first time)

On selecting 19-month RP for the second time, it used to take 25 seconds on average.

After optimization: On average it takes 7-8 seconds

Scenario: 1-PAN, 3 - GSTIN - 57 Lakh data - 1 lakh data for each return period for 19 months for each GSTIN

Before optimization: it used to fail to load the data.

After optimization: On average it takes 12-18 seconds

Release 05-May, 2023

GST

Changes in GSTR-1

1. Performance Optimizations:

   1. The GSTR-1 form has been optimized to improve its performance.

   2. This optimization ensures faster page loading times, faster auto computes, and optimized pre-upload validations.

   3. This enhancement makes it easier and quicker for users to access information and prepare their GSTR-1

2. Improved Error Messaging:

   1. Error messages received from GSTN have been improved.

   2. The messages have been edited to be more user-understandable and easier to comprehend.

   3. This enhancement will help users resolve any issues that may arise during the form preparation process quickly and easily.

3. Edit/Delete Signatory:

   1. Users can now edit or delete already added signatories in the filing flow.

   2. Previously, users could only add new signatories and not delete or edit the already existing ones.

   3. This feature upgrade provides users with more flexibility in managing their signatories.

      
4. Filing Status on Upload Page

   1. Users can now see the filed status on the "Upload to Govt Portal" page.

   2. Previously, they could only see it on the Filing Page.

   3. This enhancement provides better visibility into filing status and helps users track their returns more efficiently.

Changes in GSTR-3B

1. Challan Dashboard Summary:

   1. Users can now see an aggregated summary in the challan dashboard of GSTR-3B.

   2. Summaries will be updated based on the application of filters.

   3. Users can see # Challans, Total Taxable Values, Total Tax, Late Fees, Others, etc. for the challans listed.

2. Error Warning on Prepare GSTR-3B:

   1. Users will now get a warning on the Prepare GSTR-3B page if any of their GSTINs under the PAN has an error.

   2. Users will have to fix the errors first before moving to the next step (i.e Review Tax Calculation).

3. Download PDF - Generated Challan:

   1. Users can now download the generated challans in a PDF format from the GSTR-3B challan dashboard flow.

   2. Earlier, users were only able to download the challans in a CSV file.

      
4. Cash Utilization Banner:

   1. Users will now see a banner in the Tax calculation page in GSTR-3B form whenever there is cash available under different heads of IGST, CGST and SGST but tax due is under different heads for which cash is not available.

   2. The banner will have the following text “To maximize available cash utilization, use PMT-09 on GSTN to move cash under different headings”.

5. Download System Generated GSTR-3B PDF:

   1. Users can now download the system-generated 3B PDF available on GSTN from the GSTR-3B form.

   2. Users will have to provide user ID, password, and captcha to download the PDFs from GSTN.

      
6. Optimization on Editing the Offset Page:

   1. We have optimized the performance of the user edit feature to ensure faster page loading times.

   2. It will make it easier and quicker for users to access the information.

7. Soft Warning for OTP Activation for Ledger Pull:

   1. Users will now get a soft warning to activate the auth token (OTP) in case it's not active before landing on to the Review Tax Calculation page.

   2. Users can decide to activate the OTPs or can skip and move to the next page.

8. Row level source for Table 4:

   1. Users can now change sources for each row in Table 4 on the data source page

   2. Previously, users could only choose a source for Table 4 as a whole

   3. This enhancement provides more granular control over data management

9. Data source for 3.2

   1. Users can now decide the source for Table 3.2 in the GSTR - 3B form

   2. Previously, the source for Table 3.2 was always the same as Table 3.1

   3. This enhancement provides more flexibility in managing data

10. Filing Status on Upload Page:

    1. Users can now see the filed status on the Upload to GSTN page

    2. Previously, users could only see the upload status on the Upload to GSTN page

    3. This enhancement provides more visibility into the filing process

11. Notification for no fetched challans:

    1. Users will now get a notification in case no challan is fetched from GSTN with a proper reasoning

    2. Previously, users were not getting any information on why there were no challans fetched from GSTN

    3. This enhancement provides more clarity and helps users to understand the reasons behind the missing data.

Changes in GSTR-6

1. Improvements in Delete from Clear:

   1. Fixed an issue where users could not delete data from Table 5,8 while using the prepare page feature to delete data from clear.

   2. Users can now clear all data available in the form, providing better data management capabilities.

   3. Resolved an error notification issue that users were getting on clicking for the invoice level drill down of table 5,8, making the process smoother and faster.

2. Filing Status on Upload Page:

   1. Users can now see the filed status on the Upload to GSTN page in case the registration has been filed from clear or outside of clear.

   2. This enhancement provides better visibility into filing status and helps users track their returns more efficiently.

Changes in ITC - 04

1. NIL Filing flow

   1. NIL filing is now available in ITC - 04 form as well.

   2. Users will be able to file NIL returns for the GSTINs in ITC - 04.

   3. The flow will be similar to other forms, making it easy and convenient for users to file NIL returns.

2. Filters on Error Correction

   1. Applying filters on the errors correction UI post ingestion in the ITC - 04 form is now available.

   2. Earlier, users would not get any filters option in the error correction UI for ITC - 04 and users would have to work on docs one after the other.

   3. Now, users can apply different filters which are available in the UI, making the process more efficient and organized.

3. Copy and Paste Values while Edit/Creating Challan

   1. Users were not able to copy/paste values while editing or creating a new challan in the flow.

   2. The issue has now been fixed, and users would be able to seamlessly copy/paste values, saving time and effort.

   3. Ingested Data not Visible on UI for Table 5

4. Users were not able to view the data on UI for table 5 even after ingestion was successful.The issue has now been fixed, and data would be visible on UI after ingestion, ensuring transparency and accuracy.

5. Government Template

   1. Users can now use the Government template to ingest data in ITC-04 along with the clear flat template, making the process more convenient and standardized.

Changes in GSTR-8

1. Validation during Ingestion

   1. Previously, users were able to import TCS Amendment data without providing the Original Supplier GSTIN and Original Return period Month (MM/YYYY).

   2. This caused the upload to GSTN to fail, resulting in frustration for our users.

   3. We have now added validation during ingestion, requiring users to provide this information at the time of ingestion itself.

2. This will ensure that the TCS Amendment data is accurately uploaded to GSTN, eliminating the need for multiple attempts.

Changes in Reports

1. Multi PAN GSTR-3B Filed Reports

   1. Users will now be able to generate GSTR-3B filed reports at a Group level from app.clear (i.e selection of multiple PANs).

   2. Users will be able to download the generated report in an excel (Filed Reports, ITC offset, Insights)

   3. Users will be able to access the information of download status on the UI

2. UIN Number is supported in bulk flow of GSTN verification

   1. Users will be able to get information for UIN GSTINs in the bulk flow of GSTN verification report

   2. UIN numbers were only supported in the single GSTN verification flow

Ingestion

1. Support for editing tax amounts for Summary Sections in GSTR-1

   1. Users can now edit the tax amounts for all summary sections (B2C, AT, ATA, ATAJ, ATAJA, EXEMP, HSN) in GSTR-1.

   2. This feature has been added in alignment with the government's requirements.

   3. This will provide users with greater flexibility and accuracy in their tax reporting.

Changes in Recon

1. GSTR-1 download improvement in GSTR-1 vs Sales recon

   1. Due to an issue in the GSTR-1 vs Recon flow, even when the GSTR-1 data download is complete, the status keeps showing as the download is in progress until the page is refreshed. This gave the impression that the data download is taking time.

   2. This issue is fixed. Immediately after the GSTR-1 data download is complete, the status will show as a success.

Release 02-May, 2023

TDS

Annexure to Form 16

Annexure to Form 16 can be generated based on excel based template.

It will help the user to generate Table 2f, 10k, Form 12BA and Annexure to Form 16 to make employees' ITR filing experience easier. Annexure shall support below tables

1. Section 17_1

2. Section 17_3

3. Section 10_13A

4. Income (or admissible loss) from house property

5. Income under the head Other Sources

6. Deductions claimed under Section 80C

7. Details of ESOPs

8. Details of Foreign Tax Credit claimed

Implementing the PAN counter

As per the correction return filing flow, a valid PAN can't be updated more than once. Hence implemented the PAN counter based on the "PAN Counter" fag in the conso file and the update will be blocked at ingestion. Here alternative is to nullify the deduction with a relevant lower deduction reason.

Optimisation

Optimisation of deduction data export and IT Portal automation.

FVU generation error screen to show FVU error file & Txt file together, Deduction file and Salary details file separately to resolve memory outage issue.

New Carousel to support User guides in CFC-TDS

Fix

Implementation of ingestion validation error when all challans values are having Rs.0 values. Wrong value under 'Interest rate' issue in UI for interest report. The issue in triggering short deduction with LDC having sections 194Ja and 194Jb - not computing the right results . In the case of non-individual PANs, the PAN-Aadhaar link status is used to show 'No', fixed to show 'Not applicable’. 'Last Employee/Party PAN Ref. No.’ was picking the value tagged to deductee details instead of the conso value.

Release 24-April, 2023

e-Invoicing India

Auto download of EWBs from NIC

Users can now set up auto download of EWBs from NIC in the eInvoicing

• Until now, users could only download EWB from NIC for previous dates manually from Clear eInvoicing. But now they can set up auto download that will download EWBs from NIC daily for the configured GSTINs

• This will be enabled for the users using a retool. A ticket needs to be raised with the support team who will enable it for the account

• After the enablement, user can go to EWB settings and configure the auto download

• User needs to provide few inputs basis which autodownload will be configured

  • Business - PAN/GSTIN for which it is to be enabled

  • Type - EWB by me, EWB for my GSTIN, EWB assigned as transporter

• User will be able to view download history if the download was successful or not. In case of failure it can be triggered manually as well( we have configured retries on our end in case of a failure)

Release R7b,12-April,2023

Max ITC

Linking documents with different GST types in recon

Did you record your transaction as part of IGST but your vendor used CGST and SGST while filing (or vice versa)? Your MaxITC recon engine can now link such documents automatically

Timeout on Delegator API

Did ingestion ever take infinitely long and you weren’t able to re-trigger the reconciliation on Max ITC? Your Max ITC tool now has a global time-out that lets you or your ERP to re-trigger in case of unforeseen delays and errors

Multivoucher enablement for all clients

Did you ever need voucher-level details in your ERPs, and needed every additional voucher number to be stored along with recon results? Your MaxITC tool can now store the voucher numbers of all vouchers that were ever part of an invoice and link, and gives it back along with reconciliation and payment block results

Import many-many links into ERP while downloading the recon result

• You can now extract many-many links created manually into your ERP, and store the comprehensive list of PRs that got matched.

• You can now manually link more than 1 document on both PR and government side, and extract the resulting payment actions into your ERPs

• This is available for all existing ERP clients who use SAP. For non-SAP users, this will be available on request.

Send "Gstin Token inactive" error in trigger api if expiry duration < 1 hr

Did you ever run a recon from your ERP but the GSTIN token became inactive while the recon was running, and you got to know about it only after the recon ran? Your Max ITC tool can now notice GSTINs that are about to expire in the next 1 hour, and notify you within your ERP

Table 4 Improvements

Last generated report

Did you ever try to download your Table 4 report but found Max ITC re-generating the numbers freshly? Were you made to wait even though you had already looked at the numbers few hours ago? You can now see the last generated Table 4 report and download it instantly.

Failure or incomplete Table 4 generation

Did you ever download Table 4 report, but analyzed the numbers only to find that a missing value made it inconsistent? You can now pro-actively see that Max ITC could not find some original values. You will also get a message to download older GSTR 2B, so that the correct values can be computed

Long generation times for Table 4

Did you ever find the Table 4 report to take a long time to generate and you don’t know how much longer to wait? You can now see the progress of the table 4 generation on the screen

New Table 4 format

View source columns for each row

Did you ever download table 4 from Max ITC but wondered how to validate the numbers? You can now get the source details for each row in the generated report. And easily validate the numbers.

Additional of all source documents in the download

Did you ever wonder how to get all the source documents used to prepare your table 4? Your Max ITC tool now shows all the source documents within the downloaded file. You can find details related to:

• Import of goods

• Import of services

• Inward supplies liable to reverse charge from registered and unregistered suppliers.

• Inward supplies from ISD

Sample Table 4 Download

Addition of ISD values in Table 4A(4)

Did you ever wonder why the Table 4A(4) values weren’t displayed in the report? You can now see this value populated from you GSTR 2B summary

PAN-level GSTR 3B

Did you ever wonder why the table 4 values are shown only in GSTIN-level when you land there through the GSTR 3B filing flow? You can now see the PAN-level summary.

Release R7b,12-April,2023

GST

We are excited to announce the latest updates and improvements to G3B's Table 4, aimed at enhancing user experience, reducing waiting time, and increasing transparency.

The following changes have been made:

Enhance the user experience and reduction in waiting time for Table 4 generation: We have addressed the issue of long waiting times during Table 4 computation even when there are no changes made by the user in PR or Recon actions. The following changes have been made: On the first time landing of the user on Table 4 for the particular return period, we will compute Table 4 for all the selected GSTINs. If the user lands again on Table 4 for the return period for which Table 4 has already been generated, we will only show the latest generated report with the timestamp. The computation will not start automatically. The Regenerate button is available for users who want to compute Table 4 again.

Progress Visibility : We added a new feature that shows the progress of Table 4 generation at both GSTIN and PAN level. This will provide users with visibility of which GSTIN Table 4 is generated.

Expand/Collapse sub-sections of Table 4 of G3B : You can now expand and collapse sub-sections in Table 4 to see the drill-down of different sections. This makes it easier for users to see the drill-down of different sections without being overwhelmed by too much information.

PAN Level Computation: We've added the functionality to show Pan level Table 4 computation in addition to the GSTIN level in the G3B flow. This will enable the user to download Table 4 of G3B at a PAN level consisting of PAN level summary as well as GSTIN level summary along with all the documents, improving their overall experience and making it easier to manage their ITC and reversal.

Auto Population of Table 4A(4)- ITC from ISD: Table 4A(4) for ISD documents will now be auto-populated basis of GSTR-2B, saving you time and effort.

Drill-down of Sub-sections in G3B form : We've improved the visibility of subsections in different sections of Table 4 by showing the drill-down at a row level in G3B form along with giving user an option to the sub row only so that there overall calculation doesn't gets changed.

Ingestion of Table 4 G3B Excel back into the system by updating at the subsection level : You can now update particular subsections at both PAN and GSTIN levels in the Pan Level/GSTIN level Table 4 G3B and ingest the back into the G3B. This makes it easier for you to keep track of changes at the sub-section level as well as update the same for all the GSTINs in one go. For eg: User can now add ITC reversal as per Rule43 for all the GSTIN in the Tabe 4 Excel report for all GSTIN and ingest the file back into the system, without changing any auto-prepared table4

Showing source at row level : We have improved the transparency of Table 4 by using the source at a row level. Different rows/sections of Table 4 are auto-filled based on different sources, for example, the import of goods is auto-filled using the books, 4A(5) all other ITCs using the 2B vs PR. With this new feature, users will be able to view the source for each row, increasing transparency and understanding.

Document Level Tracking for Subsections : In the "Document-level Table 4 Excel" report, we have added a new column that allows you to track sub-sections at the document level. For example, you can now easily identify the amount coming in Table 4A(5) for Deferred ITC by looking at the "Deferred ITC" column.

Inclusion of All Documents in Table 4 Excel report : Irrespective of the source, all documents that form part of Table 4 will now be included in the Excel report. This includes documents coming directly from the Purchase register, such as Import of Services, RCM invoices, etc., as well as documents coming from 2B, such as ISD, and documents that form part of reconciliation.

To understand Table 4 automation in detail. Please refer to the attached Video.

Release R7, 05-April, 2023

e-Invoicing India

E-way bill LITE report in archives section

E-way bill report at invoice level can now be downloaded from the archives section.

• This is accessible from the archives page on the UI in eInvoicing product

• User needs to select the date range, business, and "EWB Lite" as report type and click on download report

Product nudges to push user to add ClearIRP API creds

To facilitate the migration of eInvoicing customers to ClearIRP from NIC, product nudges have been added to the UI tool to push users to add ClearIRP API creds

• Migration of users to ClearIRP will be done in phased manner. We will start with users using UI tool and have only eInvoicing usage and not e-way bill. These users will be whitelisted for migration

• Users will be shown pop up modal listing the benefits of migrating to ClearIRP. There is a redirection to the page where they can add ClearIRP API creds.

• These pop up modal will be shown at regular frequency until ClearIRP API creds are added for all eInvoicing GSTIN

ClearIRP

Redirecting unregistered user in login flow to registration page

Unregistered users if they attempt to login will get an error - "GSTIN is not registered on ClearIRP. Please register the GSTIN first." and will be redirected to registeration page. User will need to register their GSTIN first on the ClearIRP

GST

GSTR-1

Simplified Nil Filing and Improved Compliance Accuracy.

1. GSTINs with Nil filings are now easily identifiable on the Filling page by having the “Nil” tag in front of the GSTINs

2. To ensure improved compliance accuracy, we have added a prompt message if there is no data in G1 and you haven't selected the Nil filling option. The message will prompt you to check if it's a Nil filling from the upload to GSTN page itself in G1.

Document series summary source will change to Manually edited if the user delete the summary

Earlier, if the user has selected the Auto-Compute Basis Documents option and then deleted the document series summary, the system would automatically prepare the document series summary again based on the documents present. With this update, we have fixed this issue and the system will no longer prepare the document series summary. Instead, the source will be changed to "Manually edited," and the data will be blank

Performance Improvements

We understand the importance of speed when it comes to preparing the GSTR-1 form. Therefore, we have optimized the performance of the form to ensure faster page loading times, making it easier and quicker for you to access the information and prepare your G1.

GSTR-3B

User Interface Improvements and Error Handling Enhancements.

1. Error messages will now be displayed at the correct cell rather than being shown table-wise, ensuring easier identification and resolution of errors.

2. Showing values till 2 digit decimal places in total rows to improve accuracy and granularity in reporting.

3. Improved scroll bar handling in Table 3.2, resulting in a smoother and more user-friendly experience.

4. Showing the correct messaging in case the download data of GSTN doesn't happen like G1 not filed etc, ensuring greater transparency and better user experience.

5. Removed OTC mode in challan creation which was failing due to limit issues, to ensure smooth operation of the product.

6. Proper placeholder for entering the OTP while filling G1 for different screen resolutions.

Improvements to G3B Page Performance and Stability

1. Faster Performance: The G3B page now loads more quickly and computes values based on different sources more efficiently, reducing wait times and improving the user experience.

2. Improved Stability: Editing and saving data in G3B has been optimized to reduce the time it takes to run validation, resulting in a smoother workflow and a more reliable experience.

3. Enhanced Challan Fetching: To improve accuracy and consistency in reporting, only relevant challans specific to the selected return period will now be displayed, based on the chain created in the RP post 3B return period selection.

Enhancements for Improved Compliance and Accuracy

1. Optimized G3B Logic for Offset We have optimized the G3B logic for offset to resolve errors encountered while offsetting with ClearTax logic in some cases. With the new optimized logic, users can offset with ease and without encountering any errors.

2. Consideration of Amendment Impact on Taxable Value in Table 3.1(d): In Table 3.1(d), we now consider the amendment impact on the taxable value instead of showing it without any consideration. This will ensure that the computation is accurate and in line with the latest amendments.

3. Disable Upload to GSTN After Offset using Cleargst After offsetting the G3B using ClearTax, users are not allowed to upload the data again to GSTN, this will avoid the unnecessary errors in upload to GSTN

4. Prepare G3B considering the impact of manually edited values in G1 In G3B, we have added the functionality to autofill based on the SR. However, earlier, we did not consider manually edited summaries by the user in the G1 flow. Now, the same is considered, and the values are shown as per the prepared G1 in G3B, ensuring more accuracy in reporting.

Simplified Nil Filing and Improved Compliance Accuracy.

1. GSTINs with Nil filings are now easily identifiable on the Filling page by having the “Nil” tag in front of the GSTINs

2. To ensure improved compliance accuracy, we have added a validation check to ensure that the data entered by the user for a particular GSTIN matches with the nil filing status marked by the user. This will help in avoiding any discrepancies between the data filed and the nil filing status marked by the user, ensuring more accuracy in compliance.

Comparison of Auto-Computed G3B by GSTN with G3B Prepared by Users

1. We have added the functionality to compare the auto-computed G3B generated by GSTN with the G3B prepared by users in G3B flow.

2. This will help users identify any major differences between the two and avoid incorrect filling. This feature will increase the accuracy of G3B filing and help users ensure compliance with GST regulations.

ITC-04

Alignment and Validation Improvements

1. Alignment Issue for Showing Number - We have addressed the alignment issue that was causing numbers to display improperly. Now, all numbers will be aligned correctly, making it easier to read and understand the data.

2. Validations Error Overlapping - We have resolved the validation errors that were overlapping, causing confusion for users. With this update, all validation errors will display clearly and separately, making it easier to identify and address any issues.

GSTR-6

Simplified Nil Filing and Improved Compliance Accuracy.

1. GSTINs with Nil filings are now easily identifiable on the Filling page by having the “Nil” tag in front of the GSTINs

2. To ensure improved compliance accuracy, we have added a validation check to ensure that the data entered by the user for a particular GSTIN matches with the nil filing status marked by the user. This will help in avoiding any discrepancies between the data filed and the nil filing status marked by the user, ensuring more accuracy in compliance.

User Interface Improvements and Error Handling Enhancements.

1. GSTIN level access: We have resolved an issue where G6 was failing when GSTIN level access was enabled, ensuring a smoother experience for our users.

2. Turnover validation: To improve data accuracy, we have added a new validation feature that requires users to input a valid number for Turnover details. If the user does not provide this information, an error message will be displayed prompting them to enter a valid number.

3. Challan creation: To make the process of creating challans more efficient, we have greyed out irrelevant fields, improving visibility and making it easier for users to focus on the necessary information.

4. Data synchronization: To ensure data consistency, we have added a new feature that highlights any differences between the data uploaded to GSTN and the data on our application. This feature will help users quickly identify and correct any inconsistencies in their data.

Reconciliation

Improvements in E-invoice (GSTR-1 draft) vs Sales recon

1. Canceled Invoices & Invoices that are skipped for filing (as part of GSTR-1 filing flow) will be excluded for recon

2. For Export invoices, if there are differences in shipping details (Shipping bill number, Shipping bill date, Shipping bill port code) , those will be highlighted under mismatch in recon results.

   • Example: Export invoices in the sales register have shipping bill details whereas those are not available in the E-invoices (GSTR-1 draft). In such cases, the export documents will be highlighted as mismatches in the recon results.

Issue Fixes & Improvements in Sales and Purchase recon

1. When taking recon actions (such as ‘Claim ITC’ on 2B vs PR, ‘Mark as Uploaded’ on GSTR-1 vs SR) on multiple documents (usually when applying comma separated invoice numbers in the filter), the status of action results weren’t getting updated until the page was refreshed. This issue is fixed.

2. At times, even when Sales register or Purchase register data is available for the duration selected for recon - in the run recon flow steps it used to show “PR data was not available” & the count of docs will be shown as zero. This issue is fixed.

3. When user has access to only a few GSTINs under a PAN, she will be allowed to only select the applicable GSTINs & not the complete PAN for recon run

Ingestion

Improvement and Fixes in Custom headers, Purchase template

1. Custom fields at GSTIN level during custom template creation: In response to user feedback, we have made a correction to the custom template creation process. Custom fields will now be created at the PAN level instead of the GSTIN level, which ensures smooth downloading of the excel file from the Data Overview page without any "Download file gives forbidden" error

2. Fixed Duplicate Column Headers We have resolved the issue of duplicate column headers appearing in the purchase section of the Data Overview page and in the downloaded purchase file. Users will now experience a seamless and error-free data overview download process.

3. Support for GST Rate Column in Purchase Template To provide more flexibility and customization in purchase transactions, we have added support for the GST Rate column in the Purchase template. This allows users to specify the tax rate instead of only giving the tax rates for different Tax Type separately

4. Handling of Null Headers in Custom Template Creation In response to user feedback, we have improved our custom template creation process. Previously, null headers would result in errors. Now, our system gracefully handles null headers, ensuring a seamless experience.

Several enhancements related to compliance with GST regulations

1. Handling of Transactions where MY GSTIN is SEZ and Transaction Type is B2C Previously, when MY GSTIN is SEZ and it is a B2C (Business-to-Consumer) unregistered transaction with the same place of supply as my GSTIN and the amount is more than Rs. 2,50,000, it was going to B2CS (Business-to-Consumer Small) instead of B2CL (Business-to-Consumer Large). With this update, the handling of such transactions has been corrected, and they will now be categorized as B2CL, ensuring compliance with GST regulations.

2. Handling of Transactions where MY GSTIN is SEZ and Data is at Summary Level For all Summaries (B2CS, B2CSA, AT, ATA, ATADJ, ATADJA), we have added SEZ validation in the rule template. This means that when MY GSTIN is SEZ, the transactions will be marked as inter-state supply transactions, ensuring accurate compliance with GST regulations.

3. Future Date Restriction for Bill of Entry Documents in Purchase: To comply with GST regulations, we have implemented a restriction on accepting future dates in the Bill of Entry date for purchases. This ensures that only valid dates can be entered, preventing any compliance issues related to incorrect dates.

Reports

Fixes and Improvement in Reports

1. Fix for Verification Report Messaging: Previously, if there was any failure in the Verification Report, the messaging in the Reports tab was not clear, and users had to move to the History tab to see what went wrong and then "Try Again" from there. This issue has been fixed, and now users can "Try Again" directly from the Reports tab itself and will also be able to see the number of failed GSTINs, providing improved visibility and ease of retrying failed verifications.

2. Fix for Ledger Report Processing State: In cases where a Ledger Report was partially generated and the user attempted to retry, the screen would be stuck in a processing state. This issue has been fixed, and now when the user retries for a partially generated report, the report will reach the end state and the user will be able to access the final report seamlessly.

3. Fix for LP2 Reports Search Bar On LP2 Reports, the search bar for Latest downloads was not showing any business when clicked. This issue has been fixed, and now users can select the business from the search bar to filter already generated reports, improving ease of use and report filtering capabilities.

4. State Code Differentiation Government has recently started differentiating State Codes "96" for Foreign Country and "97" for Other Territory. Earlier, these codes were considered synonyms, causing issues when downloading G1 Draft data or G1 data in G1 VS Sales Register for E-invoice data with POS as 96 Foreign Country, which was getting downloaded as 97 Other Territory on the government portal, leading to upload issues to GSTN. This issue has been fixed, and now users will see these two state codes individually, aligning with GSTN requirements.

5. One-Click OTP Activation Improvements Several improvements have been made to the One-Click OTP Activation flow, including the addition of a checkbox for selective bulk flow, error message handling on the UI in case of failures, sorting of all businesses by connection status, addition of a communication banner for user guidance, availability of the feature only for GST Ultimate users, prompting users to add missing user credentials for GSTINs before triggering OTPs, and displaying the correct OTP active date, which was previously showing the current date instead of the last date for which it will be active.

6. Fix for Amendment Docs Treatment in Comparison Report Currently, in the G1 vs 3B report, the case where the amended document has a different GSTIN than the original document GSTIN is not handled, resulting in users seeing incorrect values. This issue has been fixed, and now users will see the correct and expected values in this report, ensuring accurate comparison and reconciliation of amended documents.

ClearInvoicing

Vendor Settings Error Fix We have fixed the error occurring in the Vendor Settings Page in the Clear Invoicing flow. Users will no longer encounter the "Something went wrong while getting the signature, please try again" error when selecting settings in the Vendor flow.

TDS

1. Warning for LDC present not tagged to deductions: Warnings (non-FVU generation blocker), to highlight LDC(s) present in repository, but not tagged to deductions have been added.

2. Access control at Salary and Non-Salary Forms: We have introduced new user access controls to restrict / provide the access to Salary (Form24Q) forms and Non-salary (Form26Q, 27Q & 27EQ) Forms.

3. Form 24Q4, correction return filing flow: Form 24Q Q4 correction return filing for FY 2018-19 and onwards has been added.

4. Minor fixes and improvements

   1. Fixes - Showing the correct error message in case of failure to place the TRACES requests.

   2. Improvements - Filing status dashboard to capture all TRACES filing status, Handling wrong OTP use case in FVU upload via IT portal, Handling ‘Request number disabled in TRACES’ scenario and other minor bug fixes & improvements.

User Management & Licensing [FEATURE]

Provide workspace suggestions at time of onboarding

• Suggest existing workspaces for users to join at time of account setup on app.clear

• When an user is creating an account, workspace suggestions based on user email domain will be shown to nudge them to join existing workspaces

• When an user is invited, workspace will be shown at time of invite acceptance flow for the user to join

Note: Workspace suggestions based on user email domain will not work for domains such as gmail.com, yahoo.com etc..,

API Token Management console [ FEATURE ]

API client management console is being delivered as a self service tool for enterprises to manage their API clients.

• Capabilities being delivered as part of this release include the ability to generate, manage, and delete API clients

• Console is accessible to workspace admins only and is available via Global settings

• Console can be used to set expiry for generated keys, set reminders on expiring keys etc..,

Commonly used services [ENHANCEMENT]

As part of this release, below mentioned changes are being released to improve the performance of core services that help us run Clear Financial Cloud ( CFC ):

• New plan tiers have been created for Clear Identity and GST

• Metering has been put in place for GST and Clear Identity for the newly created plan tiers

• Pay load changes to support new TDS report in PDF generator

Release R6, 23-Mar, 2023

E-Invoice India

Updating the analytics event flowing to Metabase to identify calls to ClearIRP and NIC

The events sent to Metabase had to be correctly updated for calls sent to ClearIRP. Few of the authentication and IRN generation calls were getting marked as NIC when the calls were sent to ClearIRP. The changes have been made to correctly update the source of these calls

GST

GSTR-2B vs 3B vs Books, GSTR-2A Vs 3B vs Books is now Fully Compliant with Latest GSTN Changes!

In addition, we have also updated the comparison in respect of the ITC reclaimed related to previous month which form part of 4D(2) as well as 4A(5) by excluding the same while comparing with G2B GSTN recently made changes to the reporting of ITC in GSTR-3B, and we have responded to these changes by updating our reports. Specifically, GSTN started reporting credit notes under 4A(5) as a net figure, which previously used to come under 4B(2). To reflect this change, we have made corresponding updates to our reports so that you can accurately compare GSTR-3B, 2B, and Books.

.

Filed G3B is now fully compliant with the latest changes by GSTN

The Government vide Notification No. 14/2022 – Central Tax dated 05th July, 2022 has notified few changes in Table 4 of Form GSTR-3B for enabling taxpayers to report correct information regarding ITC availed, ITC reversal and ineligible ITC in Table 4 of GSTR-3B.

Corresponding changes are done in the Filed G3B report to get the same values under respective sections with what is filed.

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Experience Enhanced Visibility by getting the original details for every amendments in Table 4 detailed report

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our Table 4 automation, we have started showing the Original details for any amendments in G2B, enabling you to easily check for the differential impact at a document level.

The Original details will include the Taxable value, Total tax, IGST, CGST, SGST, CESS, Original document number, Original document date, and Original GSTIN. These details will be automatically captured by the system, ensuring that you have access to accurate and up-to-date information.

Comparison of Prepared G3B with GSTN Autocomputed G3B

As part of our ongoing commitment to helping you streamline your tax filing process, we have introduced a comparison feature that allows you to compare the G3B return prepared by our system with the GSTN autocomputed G3B return. This will help you quickly identify any major discrepancies and ensure that your returns are accurate and compliant.

Our comparison feature will enable you to view and analyze differences in key fields such as Taxable value, Total tax, IGST, CGST, SGST, and CESS. You can then take action to address any discrepancies and ensure that your returns are filed correctly and on time.

We believe that this new feature will greatly enhance your tax compliance efforts and provide you with peace of mind knowing that your returns are accurate and compliant

TDS

Treasury challan filing

Enable TDS returns with Treasury challan for Government deductors, cental and state government.

FVU upload via Income Tax Portal

Now users are able to upload their original and correction FVU files via Income Tax Portal using Adhaar OTP. This is in addition to the existing FVU submission via TIN FC.

Direct import of LDCs

Users are able to seamlessly import of LDCs directly from TRACES from the Repository section.

Misc features

Verification of all challans details available in IT portal (paid via ITD and NSDL portal)

Adding tolerance in Short deduction to avoid immaterial potential default flagging.

Bugs and improvements

Fix - ITD portal intermittent login failure, conso file parsing related to section 194J for period FY 17-18 to FY 19-20, refresh status not fetching the 206AB status, issue in contact master while showing ‘missing PANs’ in certificate emailing and other fixes in ingestion, UI, govt portal automation.

Improvements - Updated the Justification report utility link, fine-tuned process of fetching large files from the TRACES portal.

Max ITC

[Improvement] Addition of the original value columns in recon

Today to derive the values in Table 4 we need to consider the differential impact in the case of the amendments but when it comes to reconciliation, in the case of the amendments we only show the amended value so the user doesn't understand how the values are getting populated in Table 4, for this it becomes important to show the corresponding Original value (IGST, CGST, SGST, Cess, Taxable Value, Total Tax) in case of the amendments.

[Improvement] Import many-many links into ERP

• You can now extract many-many links created manually into your ERP, and store the comprehensive list of PRs that got matched.

• You can now manually link more than 1 document on both PR and government side, and extract the resulting payment actions into your ERPs

[ENHANCEMENT] Maintain up-to-date Licensing information across systems ( Onboarding to product usage )

As part of this release, we are implementing the standard framework for licensing the following products:

• TDS - CA/SME

• Top-up flow for GSTIN verification

  • Credits can be added from SalesForce based on customer request

• Licensing & metering support for Clear Identity

[ENHANCEMENT] Commonly used services

As part of this release, below mentioned changes are being released to improve the performance of core services that help us run Clear Financial Cloud ( CFC ):

• Address field overlap and GST payload issues in print template for E-Invoicing & E-Way Bill

• Reduce significant drop-off faced while sending emails using Campaign management tool ( Dakiya ) at scale ( ~600K emails )

[Enhancement] Document Ingestion

As part of this release, we are fixing the following issues faced by our enterprise clients while using our ingestion engine:

• Default time to show returns period data has been set for 3 months and in case there is no data, 6 month filter will be auto populated

• Couple of changes added in custom template definition including null headers, update of rule template ID

Few technical changes have been introduced to improve the performance of the overall ingestion process.

Release R5, 06-Mar, 2023

Release R6, 21-Mar, 2023

[ENHANCEMENT] Maintain up-to-date Licensing information across systems ( Onboarding to product usage )

As part of this release, we are implementing the standard framework for licensing the following products:

• TDS - CA/SME

• Top-up flow for GSTIN verification

  • Credits can be added from SalesForce based on customer request

• Licensing & metering support for Clear Identity

[ENHANCEMENT] Commonly used services

As part of this release, below mentioned changes are being released to improve the performance of core services that help us run Clear Financial Cloud ( CFC ):

• Address field overlap and GST payload issues in print template for E-Invoicing & E-Way Bill

• Reduce significant drop-off faced while sending emails using Campaign management tool ( Dakiya ) at scale ( ~600K emails )

[Enhancement] Document Ingestion

As part of this release, we are fixing the following issues faced by our enterprise clients while using our ingestion engine:

• Default time to show returns period data has been set for 3 months and in case there is no data, 6 month filter will be auto populated

• Couple of changes added in custom template definition including null headers, update of rule template ID

Few technical changes have been introduced to improve the performance of the overall ingestion process.

Release R5, 06-Mar, 2023

Invoice Discounting

[Feature] Flat Discounting Rate

Anchor Companies can opt for Flat Discounting Rate Option for their vendors along with Fixed interest rate and Variable Interest Rate. This third option is not dependant on Number of days and fixed in nature. Suppliers will simply request for early payment on such rate, and everything else remains the same.

• Flat Rate Pricing Option at Supplier Maintenance Page for Anchors to opt for.

• Suppliers will not be able to modify the interest rate

• The discounting %age will be same as Flat Rate %age

[Feature] Minimum Discount Threshold

Anchors can set a minimum threshold value on Discount Amount per invoice at vendor level. During vendor submission, if discount amount is less than the threshold amount, system increases the discount amount to the threshold amount passing the benefit to the anchor and giving an option of submission at increase rate to the suppliers.

E-invoicing

EWB Lite Report

• EWB Lite report is a report at an invoice level having necessary information at the invoice level. Line item details are omitted. This will impact VLC with large Eway bill volumes

• The same will be available for download under More Actions -> Download -> Lite Report (CSV)

DSC Configuration

• Users are not able to add digital signature certificates in the sandbox environment. Customer demo/testing is blocked due to this. The fix has been made for the issue.

Other Changes

Disabling sales sync for B2C invoices:

Only B2B documents will flow from e-Invoicing to GST for filing and B2C documents will be omitted from the data flow. The performance of the sales sync service will be better with only B2B invoices flowing into the GST database. Users can calculate the summary of B2C invoices and add that GSTR-1 summary with better accuracy

Cancel IRN and Get IRN call to NIC/ClearIRP

In the case of IRN with EWB generation, the generation call is sent to NIC. But in case of cancellation, the EWB cancel request was sent to NIC, however, IRN cancels request was sent to IRP and was getting failed. This is fixed and now for IRN with EWB cancellation calls is also sent to NIC

Adding Branch in business settings [Bug]

The addition of branches from business settings was not working and getting failed. Also, an error message was not displayed. The issue has been resolved

Document Ingestion [Enhancement]

As part of this release, we are fixing the following issues faced by our enterprise clients while using our ingestion engine:

• Custom fields will be available after downloading documents ( For filtering a field in Excel as an example )

• Custom fields will be available on the Data overview page without repetition

• Errors will be shown at the document level and line item level separately This will help enterprise users to identify the source of issues easily

• Ingested sales data will flow seamlessly to other Clear Financial Cloud products. For example, data ingested for e-invoicing can now be used for filing/reconciliation whilst using Clear GST

Few technical changes have been introduced to improve the performance of the overall ingestion process.

Commonly used services [ENHANCEMENT]

As part of this release, below mentioned changes are being released to improve the performance of core services that help us run Clear Financial Cloud ( CFC ):

• Store configurations for Print template service per enterprise security guidelines ( Encrypted at rest )

• Build a scalable deployment pipeline following enterprise standard practices for User service

• Optimise the performance of the Digital signature certificate & add logs to track usage

GST

A. Prepare and File GSTR-6 Form [Feature - available in sandbox]

• User will be able to Import PR and ISD documents at a PAN level using one single flat file. It will reduce efforts of maintaining multiple sheets and increase efficiency

• User will be to Prepare GSTR-6 Form at a PAN level and Generate ISD documents (Invoice and CNs) in a few simple clicks using turnover information

• User will be able to Upload data on GSTN or Reset data on GSTN at a PAN level

• User will be to calculate the available ITC for distribution and Eligible/In-eligible ITC distributed for Table 4

• There is an option to auto-calculate the Cross ITC details for the reconciliation table and save them to GSTN

• User will be able to File GSTR-6 via EVC/DSC in two simple clicks

B. One-click OTP Activation

• Do you spend a lot of time every month activating your GSTINs one-by-one and entering OTPs? If you are a GST ultimate user, then you can now use a single-click to activate all you GSTINs

• Set up an auto-forwarding rule in your registered email box, and then activate OTPs with one-click. In 10 mins, you can open the account to find all your OTPs activated (please contact your CSM for a one-time setup)

C. 2B vs PR reconciliation banner in GSTR-3B [Enhancement]

• Users will be nudged to run a 2B vs PR reconciliation in the GSTR-3B filing flow basis the source selected at the start of the GSTR-3B filing

Max ITC

One-click OTP Activation

• Do you spend a lot of time every month activating your GSTINs one-by-one and entering OTPs? You can now use a single-click to activate all your GSTINs

• Set up an auto-forwarding rule in your registered email box, and then activate OTPs with one-click. In 10 mins, you can open Max ITC to find all your OTPs activated

Enhanced Data Overview

• Do you need to check the ingested data and the associated summaries? You can now take a “quick glance” without excessive load time

• Do you need to take a quick look at the summary of your ingested data, but are hassled due to the huge load time? You can now look at the summary with our revamped “Data Overview” page

Release R4, 22-Feb, 2023

GST

A. Credit notes in GSTR-3B will now be accounted in table 4(A) instead of table 4(B)

The Government vide Notification No. 14/2022 – Central Tax dated 05th July 2022 has notified few changes in Table 4 of Form GSTR-3B for enabling taxpayers to report correct information regarding ITC availed, ITC reversal, and ineligible ITC in Table 4 of GSTR-3B.

According to the changes, the net ITC is to be reported in Table 4(A), and ITC reversal, if any, is to be reported in Table 4(B) of GSTR-3B.

Accordingly, the logic for auto-population of Table 4 of GSTR-3B basis 2B v/s PR reconciliation is updated.

B. Negative value credit notes are now allowed in table 4 of GSTR-3B

The impact of credit notes & their amendments will now be auto-populated in Table 4(A) instead of Table 4(B) of GSTR-3B. In case the value of credit notes becomes higher than the sum of invoices and debit notes put together, then the net ITC would become negative and the taxpayers will be allowed to report negative values in Table-4A.

Also, taxpayers can now enter negative values in Table 4D(2) of GSTR-3B.

User Management & Licensing

[FEATURE] Add guest user in user invite flow - Provide time-bound temporary access to users

• Workspace admins at clients can add guest users to their subscribed CFC products

• Access will remain live for a user-defined time period and then be revoked automatically -

• This will reduce the need to monitor access provided for short-term use cases e.g, Clear’s support/integration agents

[FEATURE] Search for users on the user access tab of Global settings

• Any authorized user ( for example Workspace Admins ) will be able to search for all users from the user access page

• Search will return all matching users at organization level once the workspace admin enters text and clicks on the search button

• Reduces need to search each page on the user access tab by clicking on the Next button ( useful especially when there are more than 20+ users at organization level )

[ENHANCEMENT] Maintain up-to-date Licensing information across systems ( Onboarding to product usage )

As part of this release, we are implementing the standard framework for licensing the following products:

• Notice management

• Clear Identity

Notice Management

[FEATURE] UAM for v1 of Notice management

• The addition of users with multiple roles will be possible

• Roles across Admins (Workspace, PAN, GSTIN), user, and view only user will be available and accessible across the product will be restricted based on user roles

• This will enhance the product usage security to ensure relevant users only have access to relevant sections of the product

[FEATURE] Plan licenses for v1 of Notice management

• Different plans for Notice management has been launched - Advantage, Premium, and Ultimate

• Feature access available across the product basis plan selected has been activated.