Bring the unpaid invoices and payment terms; the purchase order or order confirmation; delivery challan, e-way bill, lorry receipt or proof of service; any acceptance (GRN, email, sign-off); all messages and emails about payment; your Udyam certificate if you have one; and, for a bounced cheque, the cheque and the bank return memo. Photos on WhatsApp are fine for the consultation; originals are needed only if a matter is filed.
The checklist
| Document | Why it matters | If you do not have it |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid invoices | Fix the amount, date and credit period | Reconstruct from your accounting software and GST returns |
| Purchase order or order confirmation | Proves the contract and price | Emails or WhatsApp messages placing the order |
| Delivery challan, e-way bill, LR, courier POD | Proves goods reached the buyer | Transporter records, e-way bill portal, buyer's GST credit claim |
| Proof of service or completion | The services equivalent of delivery | Deliverable emails, timesheets, access logs, sign-offs |
| Acceptance: GRN, MRN, sign-off, no complaint in time | Defeats later quality disputes | Silence within the inspection period is itself acceptance under the MSMED Act |
| Messages and emails about payment | Admissions, promises, disputes and dates | Export WhatsApp chats; search mail for the buyer's domain |
| Statement of account or ledger | Shows payments, part payments and balance | Generate from Tally or your software |
| Udyam certificate | MSMED Act rights | Download from the Udyam portal |
| Cheque and bank return memo | Section 138 complaint | Ask your bank for a duplicate memo at once |
| Contract, MSA, agreement, vendor terms | Arbitration, jurisdiction, deductions, retention | Buyer's standard terms on their PO or portal |
The four documents that decide most cases
Invoice, order, delivery proof and acceptance. With these four, an advocate can draft a notice that leaves the buyer little to argue about, and a Facilitation Council or court can see the transaction at a glance. If you are missing one, the consultation tells you how to fill the gap; often the buyer's own GST filings, in which they claimed input credit on your invoice, do the job.
Documents that change the route
- Udyam certificate: opens MSME Samadhaan and statutory interest. See the MSME interest calculator.
- Bounced cheque and memo: opens Section 138, with its 30-day notice deadline. See the cheque bounce timeline.
- Contract with arbitration clause: the route after notice is arbitration, not court.
- Personal guarantee or director's undertaking: adds a second person to pursue.
Format and originals
For the consultation, photographs or PDFs on WhatsApp or email are enough. If a matter is filed, originals or certified copies are needed for some documents; your advocate tells you which and when. Keep originals safe and do not hand them to the buyer. Nothing is charged upfront. If you proceed, FundRaksha Legal charges 30% only on the amount actually recovered; if nothing is recovered there is no success fee. Court fees, where a matter is filed, are borne by you and told to you in advance.
Next: what happens in the consultation, or go straight to booking. Trade-specific proof is covered on the industry pages, for example textiles, logistics and construction.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-08. Information for Indian businesses; not legal advice.