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Frequently Asked Questions
Find quick answers about our AI-Powered FBR Digital Invoicing Software.
100 questions answered
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01
FBR Digital Invoicing Basics
10
02
Getting Started, Sandbox & Go-Live
10
03
Uploading Invoices & AI Extraction
8
04
Validation, Errors & FBR Responses
9
05
Compliant Invoices, QR Codes & Documents
9
06
Bulk Upload & Batch Processing
9
07
ERP & Accounting Software Integration
9
08
IRIS Bridge — IRIS 2.0 Reconciliation
9
09
QuickBooks FBR Connector
10
10
Pricing, Support & Data Security
10
11
Income Tax POS Integration
7
01 — FBR Digital Invoicing Basics
What the software is, who it is for and how it fits your business.
What is FBR Digital Invoicing Software?
It is an AI-powered web-based software that lets you upload, validate, and report invoices directly to the FBR Digital Invoicing API, ensuring 100% tax compliance in Pakistan.
Do I need a complex ERP or install a new system to use it?
No. Our software is fully web-based. You only need a browser and internet — no new ERP, no installation, and no data migration. It works alongside your existing Excel, Word, QuickBooks, or any accounting system.
Is the software FBR-approved?
Yes. Our system integrates directly with the official FBR Digital Invoicing API and is fully compliant with all sandbox scenarios and production requirements.
Is the software web-based / cloud based?
Yes, it is fully web-based and cloud hosted, accessible securely from any device with an internet connection.
Who uses this software?
SMEs, wholesalers, manufacturers, importers, distributors, and service businesses across Pakistan — anyone who needs to report sales tax invoices to FBR.
Do I still need my existing accounting software?
Yes, and you should keep it. We do not replace your accounting system — we take the invoices it produces, report them to FBR and give you back a compliant document. Your books stay exactly where they are.
Does this replace my sales tax return filing?
No. This handles invoice-level digital reporting to FBR. Your monthly sales tax return is still filed as usual — but the reported invoice data is already with FBR, which makes the return easier to reconcile.
What is the difference between digital invoicing and e-invoicing?
In practice they describe the same thing in Pakistan: transmitting invoice data to FBR electronically at the point the invoice is issued, and receiving back an official transaction number and QR code.
Do I need technical staff to run it?
No. Day-to-day use is uploading a file and clicking through validation. The technical work — API integration, field mapping and scenario clearance — is done by our team during setup.
Can I try it with my own invoice before buying?
Yes. Send us your current PDF invoice and we will return a personalised demo link, usually within hours, showing your own invoice reported end to end.
02 — Getting Started, Sandbox & Go-Live
Onboarding, FBR sandbox clearance and moving to production.
How long does it take to get the software and FBR integration?
For most businesses, the complete setup — from clearing sandbox scenarios to going live in production — is handled in under one week.
Do you handle the FBR sandbox and production onboarding for me?
Yes. Sandbox configuration, scenario clearance and the migration to production are all part of the setup — you do not need a developer or a freelancer to get live.
What is the FBR sandbox and why does it matter?
The sandbox is FBR's test environment. Before you can report live invoices, your invoice structures have to be validated there against the scenarios that apply to your business activity. Getting this wrong is the single most common reason integrations stall.
What do you need from us to start?
Your business details and NTN, a sample of your current invoice, your FBR portal credentials for issuing API access, and a contact who can answer questions about your tax treatment.
Which sandbox scenarios apply to my business?
It depends on your registered business activity and sale types. We identify the applicable scenarios during onboarding and clear each one for you before production access is requested.
What happens on go-live day?
We switch your connection from the sandbox to the FBR production environment, run a first live invoice with you watching, confirm the response is correct, and then hand over.
Can we go live gradually instead of all at once?
Yes. Many businesses start with one branch, one invoice type or one sales channel, confirm everything is clean for a few days, then extend to the rest.
What if my invoice format changes after go-live?
Send us the new template. Because the AI reads layouts rather than relying on a fixed template, most changes need no work at all — and where mapping needs adjusting, we handle it under your subscription.
Do you provide training for our staff?
Yes. Essential training and guidance are included in every package, delivered in Urdu or English, so your team can operate the system confidently from day one.
What if we already started an integration with someone else?
That is common. We can pick up from wherever it stalled — usually the sandbox — review what has been mapped, and take it through to production.
03 — Uploading Invoices & AI Extraction
How invoices get into the system and how the AI reads them.
What invoice formats can I upload?
PDF and Excel, using your own existing template. Our proprietary LLM has been trained on over 3,000 real invoice layouts, so there is no need to redesign your invoice or match a fixed format.
How accurate is the data extraction?
Over 99% across the invoice formats we have trained on, including complex tax scenarios. Every extracted invoice is shown to you before submission, so anything unusual can be corrected first.
What if my invoice layout is unusual?
Send it to us. If the model has not seen a layout like it, we tune the extraction for your template during onboarding — this is part of setup, not an extra charge.
Which fields does the software read from my invoice?
Buyer and seller details, invoice number and date, line items, quantities, rates, and every tax component — Sales Tax, Further Tax, Extra Tax and Withholding Tax — along with HS codes where present.
Can I edit the extracted data before submitting?
Yes. Extracted values are shown for review and can be corrected before anything is sent to FBR. Nothing is submitted without your action.
Can I type an invoice in manually instead of uploading?
Yes. Invoices can be entered directly in the web panel if you do not have a file to upload, which suits low-volume or one-off invoices.
Does it work with scanned or photographed invoices?
It works best with digitally generated PDFs and Excel files, which is what accounting software produces. Scans can work but accuracy depends heavily on the scan quality, so we test yours before committing.
What happens to my original invoice file?
It is retained alongside the extracted data and the FBR response, so you always have the source document and the reported record together for audit.
04 — Validation, Errors & FBR Responses
What happens when data is checked, rejected or the API is unavailable.
What happens if the FBR API is down or rejects an invoice?
The system retries automatically for temporary failures and holds the invoice in a clear pending state. Validation errors are shown in plain language against the exact field that failed, so you can correct and resubmit without guesswork.
What does validation actually check?
That every field FBR requires is present and in the right format, that tax calculations are internally consistent, and that the sale type, HS code and SRO references map to something FBR will accept.
Will I know why an invoice failed?
Yes. Errors are reported against the specific field, in plain language rather than raw API codes, so the person fixing it does not need to understand the API.
Can I resubmit a corrected invoice?
Yes. Correct the flagged field and resubmit. The system tracks each attempt so you have a full history of what was sent and when.
What is a transaction number and where does it come from?
It is the unique reference FBR returns when an invoice is accepted. It is stored against your record and printed on the compliant invoice, and it is what auditors use to trace the submission.
Are FBR requests and responses logged?
Yes. Every request payload and every response is logged in full, giving you a complete, timestamped audit trail for each invoice.
What if an invoice is submitted twice by mistake?
Duplicate submissions are prevented by tracking which invoices have already been reported, so an accidental re-upload does not create a second FBR record.
Can I see which invoices have not yet been reported?
Yes. The dashboard separates invoices by state — pending, validated, reported and failed — so nothing sits unreported without being visible.
How quickly does FBR respond?
Normally within seconds. When FBR is slow or unavailable the invoice queues and retries automatically rather than failing outright.
05 — Compliant Invoices, QR Codes & Documents
The document you get back and what appears on it.
Does the reported invoice include the QR code and FBR logo?
Yes. Once FBR responds successfully, the transaction number, transaction code, QR code and official FBR logo are embedded into a regenerated PDF based on your original template, ready to download, print or email.
Will my invoice still look like my invoice?
Yes. The compliant PDF is generated from your own template — your layout, your branding — with the FBR elements added. Customers see your invoice, not a generic one.
Can I email the compliant invoice to my customer directly?
Yes. The generated invoice can be downloaded, printed or emailed to your customer straight from the system.
How do I edit or cancel an FBR invoice?
Invoice corrections and cancellations are handled through credit/debit notes in line with FBR rules. Our system supports the full invoice lifecycle including returns and adjustments.
Do you support credit and debit notes?
Yes. Credit and debit notes are supported as part of the invoice lifecycle, which is how corrections and returns are handled under FBR rules.
Can I reprint a compliant invoice later?
Yes. Every reported invoice remains available with its FBR elements intact, so reprints and duplicates are always identical to what was reported.
Which taxes and invoice fields are supported?
All FBR tax headers are supported, including Sales Tax, Further Tax, Extra Tax and Withholding Tax, along with HS codes, sale type, SRO schedule and SRO item numbers.
Does it handle HS codes and SRO references?
Yes. HS codes map to tax rates, UOM, SRO schedule and sale type, and that mapping is set up for your product catalogue during onboarding.
What if a customer disputes an invoice after it was reported?
Handle it commercially as you do today, and issue a credit or debit note for the adjustment — that note is reported too, keeping FBR's record aligned with yours.
06 — Bulk Upload & Batch Processing
Reporting large volumes of invoices in a single run.
Can I report thousands of invoices at once?
Yes. The bulk upload module accepts a single Excel or CSV sheet containing many invoices, groups the rows by invoice number, calculates exclusive value, GST and Further Tax from HS codes, then validates and submits the whole batch in one click.
How are multiple line items grouped into one invoice?
Rows are grouped automatically by invoice number, so a spreadsheet where one invoice spans ten rows is rebuilt into a single ten-line invoice before submission.
Can I validate a batch before submitting it?
Yes. You can validate invoices individually or the entire batch at once, review a readable summary of the results, and only then submit.
What happens if some invoices in a batch fail?
The valid ones proceed and the failures are listed separately with the reason against each. A single bad row does not block the rest of the batch.
Is there a limit on batch size?
The module is built for high-volume operations and routinely handles very large sheets. If your volumes are unusually high we will size the setup with you.
Who is batch processing suited to?
Businesses issuing more than around 500 invoices a month — typically distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers and high-turnover retailers.
Do I need a special spreadsheet format?
We map your existing export format during setup rather than forcing you onto a template, so you keep using the report your system already produces.
Are batch submissions audit-ready?
Yes. Every step is logged, and successful submissions are stored in your database with their FBR responses.
Is batch processing included in my package?
Batch processing is aimed at high-volume users and is quoted based on your volumes. Get in touch and we will tell you exactly what applies to you.
07 — ERP & Accounting Software Integration
Working with the systems you already run.
Can I integrate my existing ERP or accounting software?
Yes. We integrate with Excel, Word, QuickBooks, SAP, Peachtree, Oracle, NetSuite, TallyPrime, Dynamics 365, Odoo and custom PHP, .NET or SQL systems without changing your existing workflow.
Do I have to change or replace my ERP?
No. That is the point of the product — we sit alongside what you run today. No migration, no new licences, no retraining your finance team on a different system.
What if my ERP is custom-built in-house?
Custom systems built on PHP, SQL, ASP, VB or .NET are supported. We work with your developer or your database directly to pull the invoice data we need.
Do you provide an API we can call from our own system?
Yes. If you would rather push invoices to us programmatically than upload files, we will provide the integration details during onboarding.
Will integration disturb our current workflow?
No. Your team keeps raising invoices exactly as they do now. The reporting step happens around that workflow rather than replacing it.
Can multiple users from my company access the system?
Yes. Your team can work in the same account, and every submission is logged with a full request and response trail for audit purposes.
Do you support multiple companies or NTNs under one login?
Yes. Tax consultants and groups with several registered entities manage all of them from a single unified web panel, with separate FBR credentials per entity.
Can we report from more than one branch or location?
Yes. Multiple branches can report into the same account, with their invoices distinguished so you can see activity per location.
Do you charge extra for integration work?
Complete integration setup is included in the one-time setup fee — clearing the sandbox, validating scenarios and going live in production.
08 — IRIS Bridge — IRIS 2.0 Reconciliation
Reconciling the sales data FBR already holds against your own records.
What is IRIS Bridge?
IRIS Bridge is a reconciliation addon that compares FBR IRIS 2.0 data — Annex C and the Sales Ledger — against your own sales records, so mismatches surface automatically instead of through manual spreadsheet checks.
Why does one invoice appear as many rows in IRIS?
Because Annex C and the Sales Ledger break invoices down to line-item level. An invoice with ten items can appear as ten separate rows, which is what makes manual reconciliation so slow.
How does IRIS Bridge solve that?
It regroups the fragmented rows back into their original invoice structure, then matches those rebuilt invoices against your internal records — so you compare like with like.
What differences does it highlight?
Missing invoices, duplicates, and value or tax mismatches between what FBR holds and what your system shows.
Which periods can I reconcile?
Any period you choose — monthly, quarterly or annual — which suits both routine compliance checks and audit preparation.
Who needs IRIS Bridge most?
Distributors, manufacturers, wholesalers and any business processing thousands of transactions a day, where reviewing IRIS data by hand is no longer practical.
Do I need the main invoicing platform to use IRIS Bridge?
They are designed to work together, but IRIS Bridge addresses a separate problem — reconciling what is already reported. Talk to us about your situation and we will advise honestly.
Does it change anything inside my IRIS account?
No. It reads and reconciles. It does not alter your FBR records — the output is a clear comparison for your team to act on.
Will it reduce our filing errors?
That is its purpose: catching missing, duplicated or mismatched invoices before a return is finalised, rather than discovering them during an audit.
09 — QuickBooks FBR Connector
Reporting to FBR directly from QuickBooks Desktop.
What does the QuickBooks connector do?
It is a Windows desktop application that detects new or edited invoices in QuickBooks Desktop, submits them to FBR, writes the transaction number back into QuickBooks, and stamps the QR code onto the printed PDF.
Which QuickBooks versions are supported?
QuickBooks Desktop Pro, Premier and Enterprise, covering the 2014 to 2024 releases, on both 32-bit and 64-bit installations.
Does it work with QuickBooks Online?
The connector is built for QuickBooks Desktop using QBXML. If you are on QuickBooks Online, talk to us — we will confirm the right approach for your setup rather than guess.
Do I have to change how I raise invoices in QuickBooks?
No. You carry on invoicing exactly as you do now. The connector runs in the background and picks up new invoices automatically.
How does it know which invoices are new?
It polls QuickBooks on a configurable schedule, detects new and edited invoices, and uses tracking logic to prevent the same invoice being reported twice.
Does the FBR transaction number go back into QuickBooks?
Yes. The response is written back into QuickBooks fields, so every reported invoice remains traceable inside your own accounts.
Can it stamp QR codes on batch printing?
Yes. QR stamping works for a single invoice or for batch-printed PDFs, applying the code per page without breaking the batch.
How are QuickBooks items mapped to HS codes?
Through a two-level mapping: QuickBooks item to HS code, then HS code to tax rate, UOM, SRO and sale type. It is editable from the QuickBooks interface without technical setup.
What happens if an invoice fails validation?
Temporary API issues are retried automatically, token or configuration errors stop and alert you, and an invoice with a missing field mapping is skipped so the rest continue.
Does the connector need a server or cloud account?
No. It runs locally on Windows with no cloud dependency, and keeps a single-file database that is easy to back up.
10 — Pricing, Support & Data Security
What it costs, what is included and how your data is protected.
How is the pricing calculated?
Pricing is based on your average monthly invoice volume, with a one-time setup fee. Higher volumes carry a lower cost per invoice, and enterprise customers receive custom pricing.
Are there any hidden charges?
No. Everything is included in your monthly subscription — apart from the one-time setup fee and applicable government sales tax. There are no surprise charges for updates or support.
What is the one-time setup fee for?
Complete integration setup: clearing the FBR sandbox, validating the scenarios that apply to your business, and taking you live in production.
Is sales tax charged on your invoice?
Yes. All prices are exclusive of applicable sales tax, and a 15% Services Sales Tax is applied to the final invoice as per FBR regulations.
Do you provide free updates and support?
Yes. Free updates and 24/7 support in Urdu are included for the life of your subscription. Whenever FBR releases a new SRO or API change, we update your system at no extra cost.
What support response times can I expect?
High-priority issues carry a 12–24 hour resolution SLA, and day-to-day support is available 24/7 in Urdu and English by phone and WhatsApp.
Will the software keep working when FBR changes the rules?
Yes. Our technical team monitors FBR notifications and SRO releases, and pushes compliance updates to your system automatically at no extra cost.
How secure is my data?
Your data is protected with top-tier encryption and security standards. A copy of every reported invoice is also saved securely in your own database for backup and audit purposes.
Do you keep a copy of my invoices for audit?
Yes. Every reported invoice, together with the FBR request and response payload, is stored securely in your own database so your records stay audit-ready.
Do you offer discounts for tax consultants?
Yes. Consultants and accounting professionals who manage invoicing for multiple clients receive exclusive discounts, plus a unified panel covering all client accounts.
11 — Income Tax POS Integration
FBR Income Tax POS integration and fee-collection reporting.
What is Income Tax POS Integration under S.R.O. 428 (I)/2024?
S.R.O. 428 (I)/2024 requires certain organizations to integrate their point-of-sale and fee-collection systems with FBR for real-time income tax reporting. Our solution automates that integration.
Which sectors can use the platform for Income Tax reporting?
Educational institutions, hospitals, hospitality, retail chains, and other notified sectors can use our platform to comply with FBR Income Tax POS reporting requirements.
How does the platform help organizations comply with FBR requirements?
We map your existing data to the required FBR structure, handle batch challan processing, and submit records in real time with full audit logs.
Is batch challan processing available for schools and colleges?
Yes. You can upload fee collection sheets and process thousands of challans in a single batch, then report them to FBR with one click.
Can the solution integrate with existing ERP or management software?
Yes. Our connectors and APIs integrate with most ERP, school management, and accounting systems without changing your existing workflow.
Do we need separate software for POS and digital invoicing?
Not necessarily. Both are handled by our platform — speak to us about which obligations apply to your organisation and we will scope it properly.
How do we know whether S.R.O. 428 (I)/2024 applies to us?
It applies to notified sectors and organisation types. We will review your situation with you, but for a definitive position you should also confirm with your tax advisor.
Still have questions?
We're happy to help — talk to the team that handles FBR integrations every day.
Ready to automate your FBR Digital Invoicing?
Get a personalized demo with your own invoices — go live in under a week.