Bharat GST Invoice for WooCommerce: Complete Setup Guide (2026)

What is Bharat GST Invoice for WooCommerce?

Bharat GST Invoice is a free WordPress plugin that brings complete Indian GST compliance to WooCommerce stores without any external service. Tax calculation, invoice numbering, PDF generation and report exports all run inside your own WordPress install — no third-party API key is required for everyday invoicing, and your customer data never leaves your server.

The plugin covers the full compliance chain: GSTIN validation with the official checksum, Rule 46-consecutive invoice numbering per financial year, a CGST / SGST / UTGST / IGST engine that automatically splits tax by place of supply, GST 2.0 slabs (0% / 5% / 18% / 40%), HSN codes on products, a GST tax invoice PDF, e-invoicing with IRN and QR code, credit notes on refunds, and GSTR-1 / GSTR-3B report exports.

Feature overview at a glance

Step 1 — Install and activate

Upload the plugin zip through Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin (or copy the bharat-gst-invoice folder into wp-content/plugins/) and activate it. On activation the plugin creates its own database tables for invoices, sequences and the audit log — no manual SQL is needed. The tables upgrade in place when a new version ships, so your invoice history is safe across updates.

The plugin needs WooCommerce 5.0 or later and works with both classic posts-based orders and HPOS (high-performance order storage) — it uses WooCommerce CRUD everywhere, so it adapts to your store setup automatically.

Step 2 — Fill in your business details

Open WooCommerce > Bharat GST and complete the Business section: legal name, trading name if different, full registered address, city, state, PIN code, PAN and your 15-character GSTIN. The GSTIN is validated live against the official structure and mod-36 checksum, so a typing mistake is caught before it ever reaches an invoice.

The seller state you choose here drives the whole tax engine — same state orders become intra-state (CGST + SGST/UTGST), other states become inter-state (IGST). Double-check this field first if your tax split ever looks wrong.

Step 3 — Configure numbering and invoicing behaviour

Under the Invoicing section you choose the series prefix and number format. The default format {number}/{fy} produces numbers like 1/2026-27, allocated per financial year (April 1 – March 31) with a database row lock so two simultaneous orders can never receive the same number. Numbers are consecutive, never reused — exactly what Rule 46 of the CGST Rules expects.

Pick the order status that triggers invoice generation: processing, completed, or a manual mode where you press the button on each order. You can also set the default GST slab for products you have not tagged, choose whether shipping is taxable, and add footer notes, terms and bank details (including UPI) that print on every invoice.

Step 4 — Place a test order

Create a test product, place an order as a customer would, and let the order reach your trigger status. The invoice is generated automatically, the PDF is stored under wp-content/uploads/bgi-invoices/ with directory listing disabled, and the GST metabox appears on the order screen with the invoice number, totals and PDF link. Open the PDF and confirm your GSTIN, address, HSN summary and tax split all look correct before switching the store live.

Where to go next

This setup guide is part of a series: configure HSN codes and slabs per product, manage invoices and downloads, handle refunds with credit notes, switch on e-invoicing with IRN, and file returns from the GSTR reports. Each step has its own guide on this site.