A hardware shop needs billing software that finds items fast across thousands of SKUs, bills in pcs, kg, box or dozen, applies GST (most hardware, paint, pipes, sanitaryware and electricals are 18%), and keeps a credit ledger for contractors. FundRaksha Book does this with barcode and name search, decimal quantities and party ledgers.
GST on common hardware items
| Item | HSN | GST |
|---|---|---|
| Cement | 2523 | 18% |
| TMT bars, steel pipes | 7214, 7306 | 18% |
| Paint, wall putty | 3209, 3214 | 18% |
| PVC pipes, sanitaryware | 3917, 6910 | 18% |
| Tiles, plywood | 6907, 4412 | 18% |
| Bricks | 6904 | 12% |
| Wires and cables, switches | 8544, 8536 | 18% |
Cement moved from 28% to 18% on 22 September 2025, so an older item master may still carry the old rate. Check yours.
What a hardware counter needs
- Search over scanning. Many screws, washers and fittings have no barcode. Typing "elbow 1 inch" should find the item.
- Loose units. Nails by the kg, screws by the box or packet, wire by the coil.
- Contractor credit. Plumbers, electricians and builders take goods through the month and pay later, often in parts.
- IGST for project sites. A registered builder from a neighbouring state is an inter-state sale.
- Reorder view. With thousands of items, a stock summary is the only way to see what is running low.
How FundRaksha Book handles it
Book builds your item list from purchase bills, so the thousands of SKUs come in as you buy rather than in a separate data-entry project. At the counter, type part of a name and pick from the suggestions, or scan a barcode label you printed for the batch. Quantities take three decimals, so 2.5 kg of nails bills correctly. You can change the selling price on the bill line for a contractor rate.
When you choose a customer whose GSTIN is from another state, Book charges IGST instead of CGST and SGST and prints the HSN-wise summary. Credit bills go to the contractor's ledger; the "money to collect" report shows who owes what. Book does not create e-invoices (IRN) or e-way bills, and it does not prepare GSTR return files: export your sales and give them to your CA.
Book's units are fixed to pcs, kg, gram, litre, ml, box, dozen and packet. If you sell by the metre or foot, bill per piece of a set length or keep a separate item per length.
FundRaksha Book is free for the first 300 invoices, with every feature switched on and no card needed. Sales and purchase invoices both count. After that, Pro is ₹999 a year for unlimited invoices, paid by UPI, card or net banking; the site says prices include applicable taxes as charged at checkout. See book.fundraksha.com.
Worked example: an inter-state contractor bill
A hardware shop in Hosur (Tamil Nadu, state code 33) sells to a registered contractor in Bengaluru (GSTIN starting 29):
| Item | Qty | Taxable value |
|---|---|---|
| PVC pipe 1 inch, 3 m | 20 pcs @ ₹180 | ₹3,600 |
| Elbow 1 inch | 2 box @ ₹450 | ₹900 |
| Wall putty 40 kg | 5 pcs @ ₹900 | ₹4,500 |
Taxable value ₹9,000, all at 18%. Because the buyer's state differs, the tax is IGST ₹1,620, total ₹10,620. The contractor pays ₹5,000; ₹5,620 stays on the ledger. Below ₹50,000, this consignment needs no e-way bill.
Sources
- book.fundraksha.com (features, pricing and FAQ, checked 21 October 2026)
- taxinformation.cbic.gov.in/view-pdf/1010436/ENG/Notifications (Notification 9/2025-Central
- taxinformation.cbic.gov.in/view-pdf/1010441/ENG/Notifications (Notification 14/2025-Centra
- cbic-gst.gov.in (CGST Rules, 2017, Rule 138: e-way bill for consignments above ₹50,000)
Last reviewed: 2026-10-21. Information for Indian businesses; not legal advice.