Testing e-Invoicing on the Sandbox System

The e-Invoice Sandbox System is an API testing portal that lets you test and get familiar with the e-invoicing system before you start using the Invoice Registration Portal (IRP) for generating e-invoices.

Starting 28 July 2022, tax payers with turnover above 5 crores can use the e-invoice sandbox system to test e-invoicing before you generate e-invoices.

How the e-Invoice Sandbox System works in Zoho Books

The e-Invoice System has provided an option for taxpayers to register themselves using their GSTINs on the sandbox system. So, taxpayers can register themselves in one of the following categories:

• Through GSP (In this case, Zoho Books)
• Through ERP
• Direct API Access (only for taxpayers with turnover more than 100 crores)
• Through ‘Direct API Access Users’
• Users having ‘E-Way Bill API Access’ already

Since Zoho is a registered GST Suvidha Provider (GSP), you can register yourself on the sandbox system in the ‘Through GSP’ category.

Before you register on the sandbox system, you will have to create a new organisation in Zoho Books to use it for testing and contact us to enable the sandbox option.

Create a new temporary organisation

You can easily create a new organisation in Zoho Books. To create:

• Log in to your existing Zoho Books organisation.
• Click the Organisation Name in the top right corner and select Manage.

• Click + New Organisation.

• Select Clone Settings if you want to use the same settings as in the existing organisation. Else, click Add New Organisation and configure the settings afresh.

• Enter the details and set up your organisation profile.

Now, a new organisation will be created and you can use it for free for the next 14 days, that is, the organisation’s trial period. If you want to use this organisation beyond 14 days for testing, you will have to extend the trial period by writing to support.india@zohobooks.com. After you complete your testing, you can delete this temporary organisation.

Next, you can write to the Zoho Books’ support team to enable sandbox for this organisation.

Email support to enable sandbox

You can email the support team directly from within Zoho Books. Here’s how:

• Click the Help icon in the top right corner of the window.
• Click the Send Email option below the Need Assistance? section.

• Mention that you want to use this organisation to register on the sandbox system.
• Enter the other details and click Send.

The Zoho Books support team will enable sandbox for this organisation and write back to you, after which you can register on the e-invoice sandbox system.

Register on the e-invoice sandbox system

• Go to the e-invoice sandbox login page.
• Click Register here.

• Enter the following details in the Registration Form:
  • User Type: Select Tax Payer.
  • GSTIN: Enter your GSTIN.
  • Trade Name: The portal will automatically fill in your organisation’s name based on your GSTIN.
  • GST Registered Mobile No.: Enter the mobile number that you’ve registered with the GSTIN entered above.
  • GST Registered e-Mail Id: Enter the email address that you’ve registered with the GSTIN entered above.
• Enter the Captcha.

• Click Validate. This will check if the details that’ve you entered are correct
• If your details were verified successfully, click OK in the pop-up.
• Click Send OTP and click OK in the pop-up that follows.
• Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number.
• Click Submit.

Once the OTP has been validated, the form for creating a new account will be displayed.

• Enter the following details in the Create Account form:
  • Your GSTIN will be filled automatically.
  • Select GSP in Registration through.
  • Select Zoho Corporation as the Company.
  • Now, enter AHLPP29GSPQ2VQR as the Client ID.
  • Enter the Username and Password that you want to use for logging in to the sandbox system.
  • Enter your password again to confirm it.
• Click Create.

Your e-invoice sandbox account will be created, and you can use these credentials to log in.

Next, you will have to configure GST and enable e-Invoicing in this organisation before you can create invoices, push them to the sandbox system, and generate Invoice Registration Numbers (IRN) for the invoices.