In conducting a business, mistakes are bound to happen. Changes may be made to an invoice. Revising these invoices with the necessary additions is called the ratification of invoices. With BUSY accounting software you can integrate and rectify invoices without any hassle. It can take several forms and result in either a revised or supplementary invoice. For example, the price of goods or services may be adjusted upward or downward, or the GST rate may change. A supplementary invoice or debit note can be used to make a positive adjustment, while a credit note can create a negative adjustment. When a registered person must issue an invoice for supplies to obtain registration, a “revised invoice” is generated. 

When to issue a revised invoice?

Under GST, all taxable dealers must apply for provisional registration and complete all necessary procedures to obtain a permanent registration certificate. Following receipt of the GST registration certificate, the taxpayer must issue revised invoices for all invoices issued between the period of:

• Date of GST implementation 
• Date of issue of the registration certificate 

The revised invoice must be sent out within a month of the registration certificate’s issuance date.

How to revise GST invoices?

The registered person must issue a revised invoice for all invoices between the earlier dates. The taxpayer must issue a revised invoice in the format shown below, including the information from the original invoice. 

Format of the invoice 

The following information should be included in an invoice per GST law.

• The nature of the invoice, such as “Revised Invoice” or “Supplemental Invoice,” is prominently displayed.
• Supplier’s name, address, and GSTIN
• A unique alpha-numeric serial number for the invoice based on the fiscal year.
• The invoice date.
• The recipient’s name, address, and GSTIN (if registered).
• Name, address, state, and zip code of the delivery location (if the recipient is an unregistered person).
• The unique serial number and date of the original invoice for which the amended or supplemental invoice is issued.
• The supplier’s signature or a representative’s digital signature with their permission.

Supplementary invoices and their uses

A supplementary invoice refers to a tax invoice issued by a taxable person on discovering a deficiency in an already raised tax invoice. A debit note is another name for it. The function of a supplementary invoice is to correct a mistake on the original tax invoice issued under GST. 

In some instances, the original tax invoice’s taxable value of the goods or services may have been understated, leading to a lower tax rate or other errors. In these circumstances, a supplemental invoice or debit note must be generated.

What is the distinction between a revised and supplementary invoice?

The following are the distinctions between a revised invoice and a supplementary invoice:

• A taxable individual may issue a revised invoice for an invoice he has already issued before obtaining GST registration. In contrast, an individual must provide a supplementary tax invoice if a taxable person discovers a flaw in an existing tax invoice.
• A revised invoice covers the time elapsed between the effective date of registration and issuing a Certificate of Registration. On the other hand, a supplementary invoice is not period-based but invoice-specific
• A revised invoice can be issued to both registered and unregistered individuals, and a supplementary invoice can be given to both a taxable and a non-registered person.