Billing Software Compliance Checklist for Nepali Shops

You can review your billing set-up in an afternoon with a checklist. This one covers the invoice, the system, the people and the records. It is not legal advice and does not list official requirements, which are defined by the Inland Revenue Department and can change. Use it to find gaps, then take the gaps to your consultant or to ird.gov.np.

Section 1: the invoice

• Business name, address and PAN are printed correctly.
• The document is clearly headed as a tax invoice where VAT applies.
• Buyer name, address and PAN are captured for business customers.
• Date is in Bikram Sambat, with the AD date if you wish.
• Items show description, quantity, unit, rate and amount.
• Discounts are shown before VAT is calculated.
• Taxable value, 13% VAT and grand total are shown separately, with the total in words.

Section 2: numbering and control

• Invoice numbers are assigned by the system and run in sequence.
• Each branch or counter has its own series.
• Issued invoices cannot be edited or deleted.
• Cancellations need a reason and record the user and time.
• Reprints are marked as copies.
• Credit and debit notes refer to the original invoice.

Section 3: records and registers

• A sales book can be produced by Nepali month.
• A purchase book with supplier PAN and VAT paid can be produced by Nepali month.
• Output and input VAT agree with the ledger accounts.
• Cancelled invoices and credit notes appear in a separate list.
• All invoices for a fiscal year can be exported on request.

Section 4: people and permissions

• Each person has their own login. Nobody shares a password.
• Cashiers cannot change prices, discounts or system settings without permission.
• Only a supervisor or owner can cancel an invoice.
• The owner reviews the cancellation and discount report weekly.
• A leaver's access is removed on the day they go.

Section 5: backup and continuity

• Backups run automatically every day to a second location.
• A restore has been tested at least once.
• Power backup keeps the computer and printer running through short cuts.
• There is a plan for billing if the internet or the computer fails.
• Someone other than one employee can find and run the system.

Section 6: things to confirm with IRD or your consultant

Question	Where to ask
Does my business category require billing software?	ird.gov.np or consultant
Is electronic data sharing required for me?	IRD notices or tax office
What fields must appear on my invoice?	IRD directives
How long must I keep records?	Consultant
What happens if I find an error after filing?	Consultant

How often to repeat the review

Run this checklist twice a year: once in Shrawan when the new fiscal year starts and series restart, and once in Magh or Falgun, mid-year, when staff turnover and workload have changed things. Add a short review whenever you add a counter, a branch or a new category of product. Keep each completed checklist in your records with the date. Over time it becomes a useful history showing that you review your own controls, which is a good habit regardless of what any authority requires.

Assign a named owner for each section. Without a name next to a task, the review becomes a conversation that ends with agreement and no action.

Section 7: the first week after a change

• You have told regular customers that your invoice layout is changing, so nobody is surprised.
• A printed copy of the cancellation and credit note procedure is at every counter.
• The owner checks the first week's invoices against the cash received each evening.
• Any mismatch is explained the same day, in writing.
• The consultant has seen a sample invoice and a sample sales book and is comfortable with them.

Scoring yourself

Count the ticks. If you ticked nearly everything in sections one and two, your invoices are in decent shape. If sections three and five are weak, your risk is not in the invoice but in how you store and recover records. If section four is weak, your risk is internal. Fix the weakest section first. Many owners are surprised that cheap changes, such as separate logins and a weekly cancellation review, deliver more protection than any new feature.

Common mistakes the checklist reveals

1. Shared logins, so nobody can say who issued which invoice.
2. Backups made once and never tested.
3. Invoice templates that nobody has reviewed since the business started.
4. Purchase bills filed in a drawer rather than posted.
5. Assuming that a software vendor's statement replaces your own confirmation with IRD.

Next step

Print this list, tick it honestly and bring it to your next conversation with your consultant. If you find several gaps that software could close, see the IRD-ready billing software from WebsNP and the VAT billing software that supplies the registers. Message +977 9846280400 on WhatsApp with your ticks and we will show you a demo that addresses the gaps.

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