Flipkart initiates new invoice number format to overcome limitations

An invoice is a vital form of documentation that an online seller shares with his customers. It is a form of proof and contains many essential details. One of the many components on an invoice is the number it bears. This number is vital for:

• Sale computation
• Tax filing

And online marketplace Flipkart has decided to change theirs. At the end of last week that is 4th September, Flipkart introduced a change in its fulfilment process. According to an email from the etailer, the customer invoice number will be used to generate logistic forms to accommodate multi-seller shipments.

What will the new customer invoice number format be?

Old customer invoice number: FOFP5HYDERABAD_MEDCHAL_0116-42275

New customer invoice number: FOFP503116-42275

The new format has replaced the fulfilment centre name with a numeric code. A different code is assigned to each fulfilment centre. The purpose is to introduce a much shorter number that can pass through most State Government tax websites which have a limit of 25 characters.

The following are the code representations for each Flipkart fulfilment warehouse:

(Image obtained from Flipkart email to online sellers)

What should Online sellers do?

Flipkart has asked its sellers to ensure their accounting software is updated. This way the new invoice number format is supported. Also, tax authorities must be informed about changes in the invoice number series.