Construction
Billing software for civil contractors
The client's engineer certifies the work done this month. You turn that figure into a GST invoice against the contract, with the right SAC line and the site's state on it.
In short
SimpleERP is billing software for civil contractors in India. The accepted quotation becomes a sales order, each running bill is a GST invoice against it with SAC 9954 lines, and the site address sets the place of supply.
Illustration of the keyboard-first invoice editor with a focused line, live tax totals and shortcut hints.
A billing day at Sri Durga Constructions
Sri Durga Constructions in Kukatpally has two jobs running: a five-storey office block in Gachibowli for a private developer, worth ₹2,40,00,000 on the signed BOQ, and a school building in Kompally for an educational trust. On the 25th of each month the site engineer walks the Gachibowli structure with the client's consultant to agree the work done.
The measurement sheet comes back to the office in an Excel file. The accountant used to type the certified amount into a Word invoice, work out GST on a calculator and keep a separate sheet of how much of the contract had been billed so far. Running bill four once went out with the total of bill three still on it.
In SimpleERP the contract value sits on a sales order. Each running bill draws on that order, the invoice shows its own amount and tax, and the order tells you what is left to bill on the whole job.
Which SAC lines and rates go on a contractor's invoice?
Construction services fall under heading 9954, and the rate depends on what you build and for whom. Save each type of work as a service with its code and rate so the person billing never has to decide.
- Service and goods lines on one invoice, each with its own code and rate.
- HSN and SAC summary printed under the lines.
| Work | SAC | Usual GST |
|---|---|---|
| Works contract for a commercial or private building | 9954 | 18% |
| Works contract for certain government or trust buildings | 9954 | Concessional rate in some cases; check |
| Pure labour contract for a single residential house | 9954 | May be exempt; check |
| Hire of a JCB or mixer without operator | 9973 | 18% |
| Material supplied separately, such as tiles or doors | HSN of the goods | Rate of those goods |
How does a running bill work against the contract value?
Enter the accepted quotation as a sales order of ₹2,40,00,000. When ₹32,00,000 of work is certified for the month, invoice that amount against the order with GST of ₹5,76,000 at 18%, for a bill of ₹37,76,000. The order now shows what has been billed to date and what remains.
- Partial invoicing against the order, as many times as the job needs.
- Measurement sheet stays outside: attach the certified figure, not the sheet.
- Credit note when the client's consultant cuts a quantity after billing.
Illustration of GST tax invoice INV-2026-27-0213 to Ravi Stores with CGST 9% and SGST 9%, round off, a UPI QR code and the amount in words.
Which state's GST applies to a site outside Telangana?
For construction work the place of supply is generally where the property stands, not where the client sits. SimpleERP takes the place of supply from the shipping address first, so enter the site address there. A building in Bidar for a Hyderabad client then carries IGST rather than CGST and SGST.
- Shipping address per site on the client's record.
- State from GSTIN for the billing address, filled as you type.
- Registration in the other state is a question for your CA before the first bill.
One system
What it connects to
Construction and contractors
Quotations and SAC-coded invoices, material per site, payroll with advances and site expense claims.
See howInventory for contractors
Cement, TMT steel and finishing material counted per site warehouse, consumption recorded at the month-end count, and shuttering kept as an asset.
See howAccounting for contractors
Running bills, mobilisation advances, retention held by clients and TDS on receipts kept straight in one contractor's ledger.
See howPayroll for contractors
Monthly payroll for engineers, supervisors and store keepers, advances recovered from salary, site claims on a phone, and labour gangs paid through the mestri's bill.
See howGST billing
Tax invoices with CGST, SGST or IGST by place of supply, HSN on every line and a UPI QR on the print.
See how
Honest limits
What SimpleERP does not do yet
- E-invoice IRN and QR code, and e-way bills, are not generated through the government APIs
- Cess is not calculated; GST return filing stays with you or your accountant
- No price lists: every line is priced as you bill it
- No RA-bill measurement sheets: quantities are measured outside and the certified amount is billed
- No retention money deduction on the invoice; retention is recorded in the books
Getting started
Start with GST billing
Sign up with your phone
Name, phone number and a password. No card for the seven-day trial, and email is optional.
Tell us about the business
Type your GSTIN and the state fills itself. Accounts, GST rates, units, roles and numbering are seeded for you.
Add what you sell
Add each type of work, such as building works contract or machinery hire, as a service with its SAC code and rate, and the client with one shipping address per site.
Post your first GST invoice
Pick the customer, add lines and save. The place of supply picks CGST and SGST or IGST for you.
FAQ
Questions, answered
Can I bill a running bill without retyping the whole BOQ?
Yes. Keep the BOQ's total, or its main heads as lines, on the sales order. Each month you invoice only the certified amount against the right line, and the order keeps count of what is billed and what is still open on the job.
The client deducts retention and TDS from every bill. Does the invoice show that?
No. The invoice carries the full value of work and GST, as the law expects. The deductions come when the client pays: record the money received and post retention and TDS by journal, so the client's ledger still balances to zero.
We give quotations before the BOQ is final. Can one become the contract?
Yes. Revise the quotation as the scope moves; each sent version stays on record. When the client signs, convert the accepted one into the sales order your running bills will draw on.
Can the site supervisor raise invoices from the site?
They can if you give them a role that allows it, on a phone browser. Most contractors keep billing in the office and let supervisors handle purchase requests and expense claims at the site instead.
Related
Keep reading
Construction and contractors
Quotations and SAC-coded invoices, material per site, payroll with advances and site expense claims.
Read moreInventory for contractors
Cement, TMT steel and finishing material counted per site warehouse, consumption recorded at the month-end count, and shuttering kept as an asset.
Read moreAccounting for contractors
Running bills, mobilisation advances, retention held by clients and TDS on receipts kept straight in one contractor's ledger.
Read more
See how GST billing works in SimpleERP for construction and contractors
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