For a CA firm with dozens of GST clients, the month runs to two deadlines: GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B. The work itself is familiar. What decides whether the month is calm or chaotic is how well the firm runs the routine across every client.
Due dates below are for monthly filers. Quarterly (QRMP) filers have different dates. Always check the current notifications, as dates are sometimes extended.
The rhythm of the month
Days 1–5: collect. Ask every client for the month's sales invoices, purchase invoices and expense bills. The earlier the request goes out, the earlier the documents come in.
By the 11th: GSTR-1. Outward supplies, B2B invoices with the right GSTINs, credit and debit notes, and exports.
Days 11–15: reconcile input tax credit. Match the client's purchase register with GSTR-2B. Follow up with suppliers who haven't reported invoices, and decide what to claim now and what to defer.
Days 15–18: compute and approve. Work out the liability, share the computation and the challan with the client, and get approval in writing.
By the 20th: GSTR-3B. File once the tax is paid.
The checklist for each client
- Documents requested on the first working day.
- Sales register received and checked against invoices issued.
- GSTR-1 filed, acknowledgement saved.
- GSTR-2B downloaded; ITC reconciled; mismatches listed.
- Supplier follow-ups sent for missing invoices.
- Liability computed; challan shared; client approval received.
- Tax paid; GSTR-3B filed; acknowledgement saved.
- Notes for next month: recurring mismatches, late suppliers, changes in the business.
Where firms lose time
- Chasing documents client by client, by phone and WhatsApp.
- Not knowing which clients are behind until the 18th.
- Approvals lost in email threads.
- Doing the same work for free. GST compliance for a growing client takes more time each year, but the fee often stays the same.
Running it as a repeatable project
Treat each client's month as a small project with the same tasks and due dates. Then you can see, on one board, which clients are on track and which are stuck, and who in the team is handling what.
Track the time spent on each client too. At renewal, you'll know which fees need revisiting.
How MSMEPulse helps
MSMEPulse includes a "GST monthly compliance" project template for CA firms, with each step above as a task and a document checklist clients complete through their portal. Start it for every client each month, see who's behind on one board, log time against each client, and invoice the monthly fee with the right GST.
