Solar and inverters
Solar and inverter dealers: rooftop projects, milestones and service
Solar and inverter businesses combine product sales with small construction projects. A rooftop system means a survey, a design, paperwork with the electricity distribution company, installation, and years of service, with payments spread across all of it.
- Milestone bills, clear dues
- Every service visit billed
- Quotes with full system specs
- Works on your own Tally
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Built for solar and inverter dealers
Who it’s for
- Rooftop solar installersHomes and shops: survey, quote, net metering, handover
- Commercial and industrial solar EPCLarger plants with milestone billing and long payment cycles
- Inverter and battery dealersHome UPS, tubular and lithium batteries, with service
- Solar pump suppliersFarm pumps, scheme paperwork and seasonal rural demand
- Solar water heater dealersInstallation plus yearly descaling and service
- Panel and inverter distributorsDealers and installers on short credit and brand schemes
- Solar O&M and AMC providersCleaning, checks and repairs on a contract
Pain → fix
The problems we fix
The everyday headaches of solar and inverter dealers, and what changes when the books are on every phone.
- The problemPayments split across milestones and subsidy
Advance, installation and commissioning payments arrive at different times, and the balance waits on the subsidy.
With Cashflow OSA proforma for each milestone, dues tracked per billRequest each stage payment with a proforma carrying your bank and UPI details, and see what is outstanding on every bill.
See how it works - The problemQuotes compared line by line with three others
Customers hold your quote next to others and ask what make, wattage and warranty they are getting.
With Cashflow OSDetailed quotation listing every componentPanels, inverter, structure, cabling, earthing, installation and warranty terms on your letterhead, converted into an order when approved.
See how it works - The problemService calls and cleaning visits not billed
Technicians go out, fix something small, and the visit never reaches an invoice.
With Cashflow OSEvery visit a service job, closed and invoicedRecord the visit, add parts and service charges, then close it and invoice it into Tally.
See how it works - The problemMaterial sent to site without a document
Panels and structure leave the godown on a phone call, and later nobody agrees what was sent.
With Cashflow OSA branded delivery challan for each site dispatchList what went to the site on a challan, then convert it into the Tally invoice at the billing stage.
See how it works - The problemPanels and inverters bought on short credit
Suppliers want payment before the customer has paid you the balance.
With Cashflow OSSupplier payables next to customer receivablesBill-wise payables and receivables from Tally, with a cashflow forecast, show what you can order this week.
See how it works - The problemSite survey details lost on WhatsApp
Roof photos, shading notes and load details sit in one person's phone gallery.
With Cashflow OSSurvey visits with notes, photos and GPS check-inThe field team checks in at the site and saves visit notes and photos against the customer.
See how it works
Features
How Cashflow OS works for solar and inverter dealers
A quotation that answers the comparison
How it works. List panel make and wattage, panel count, inverter, structure, cabling, protection, installation and warranty per component, with the price before any subsidy shown clearly. Share as a PDF and convert into a sales order or Tally invoice once the customer agrees.
- Every component and warranty in writing
- Your logo, letterhead, bank and UPI details
- No retyping when the order is confirmed
In practiceA 3.24 kWp rooftop system for Anil Verma in Nagpur: 6 panels of 540 Wp, a 3 kW on-grid inverter, structure, cabling and earthing, quoted at ₹1,85,000 before any subsidy, which he claims himself.
Milestone payments you can see
How it works. Raise a proforma for each stage, then follow bill-wise outstanding and ageing from your Tally books, so a stuck commissioning payment shows up early.
- Each stage's amount and age on one screen
- Statement on WhatsApp when a stage is due
- Spot projects stuck at inspection or meter fitting
In practice40% advance of ₹74,000 on order, 50% (₹92,500) on installation, 10% (₹18,500) after commissioning. The last ₹18,500 has been pending 45 days, waiting for the meter.
Service, cleaning and AMC visits
How it works. Each installation, cleaning or repair visit is a service job: assign a technician, add parts or service charges, close it and invoice it into Tally.
- Out-of-warranty work gets billed
- AMC visits recorded one by one
- Parts used are added before closing
In practiceAn AMC for a school's 25 kW plant includes four cleanings a year. At the third visit a damaged connector is replaced, added to the job as a part, and billed.
Site surveys with check-in, notes and photos
How it works. The survey team checks in at the customer's site with GPS, records roof and shading notes, and adds photos to the visit.
- Survey details stay with the customer record
- Owner sees which surveys were actually done
- Photos help size the structure correctly
In practiceSurvey for a dairy in Anand: roof photos, shading from the water tank, and the last year's bill amounts noted on the visit, ready for sizing.
Cash position before you order material
How it works. Reports include a cashflow forecast alongside bill-wise receivables and payables from your Tally books.
- See what is due in before paying suppliers
- Plan orders around commissioning dates
- Export to Excel for your banker or CA
In practiceBefore ordering ₹6,40,000 of panels for four projects, you check how much is due from sites commissioned this month.
Know your trade
A guide for solar and inverter dealers
How the business works, where money gets stuck, and the GST points to watch.
Two kinds of business
The first is the inverter and battery trade: home inverters, UPS systems, tubular and lithium batteries, sold to households, shops and small offices through dealers who also install and service them. Demand rises with summer and in areas with frequent power cuts. The second is solar: rooftop systems for homes, shops, schools and factories, off-grid and hybrid systems, solar water heaters and solar pumps for farms. Many businesses do both, because a household that buys an inverter is a likely customer for solar later.
Panels, inverters, batteries and mounting structures come from brand distributors and manufacturers, often on advance or short credit. Cables, earthing material, breakers and structure hardware come from local suppliers.
How a rooftop project runs
A typical residential or commercial rooftop job follows a sequence: enquiry, site survey (roof area, shading, load, electricity bills), system sizing and quotation, order and advance, application to the electricity distribution company for connection and net metering where applicable, material delivery, installation, inspection, meter installation and commissioning, then handover. Government subsidy schemes for residential rooftop solar exist, with their own portals, eligibility conditions and vendor requirements; check the current scheme rules before promising a subsidy amount to a customer.
| Stage | Typical payment | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Order | Advance | Quotation and proforma invoice |
| Material at site | Part payment | Delivery challan |
| Installation complete | Part payment | Installation report |
| Commissioning | Balance | Tax invoice, handover note |
Milestones are examples; agree your own in the quotation.
Quoting a system
Solar quotations are compared closely. List the panel make and wattage, number of panels and total capacity, inverter make and capacity, structure type, cabling, earthing and protection, installation, net-metering liaison, warranty terms for each component, and what maintenance is included. Show the price before and after any subsidy separately, and make clear who receives the subsidy and when. See quotation best practices.
Avoiding margin leaks
- Cost the structure and cabling from the actual survey, not a rule of thumb.
- Include transport and lifting for panels on tall buildings.
- Price net-metering liaison and paperwork as part of the job.
- Fix the quote validity, because panel prices change.
Cash flow in a project business
The dealer usually pays suppliers before installation and gets the balance from the customer only after commissioning, which can be delayed by the distribution company's inspection and meter installation. Subsidy payments, where they go to the customer, do not reduce your receivable, but customers sometimes wait for the subsidy before paying the balance. A few delayed projects can lock up a small installer's working capital. Plan using a cash flow view, and take a meaningful advance before ordering material.
Service, cleaning and warranties
Solar systems need periodic panel cleaning and checks; inverters and batteries need servicing and occasional replacement. Panels, inverters and batteries carry separate manufacturer warranties, and claims go through the dealer. Log every service visit, bill out-of-warranty work, and offer an annual maintenance contract with a fixed number of visits. For inverter batteries, the old battery is usually taken back on replacement; record its value properly. See annual maintenance contracts.
GST points
Solar systems can be billed as goods with installation, or as a works contract, and the GST treatment of solar equipment and of composite supplies has been revised over time; take advice from your accountant on how to bill your projects. Inverters, batteries and services carry their own HSN or SAC codes and rates. Check current rates on the GST portal. This is general information, not tax advice.
Cashflow OS and Tally for solar businesses
Cashflow OS works with your TallyPrime books. Quotations and proforma invoices with your logo, bank and UPI details go to customers on WhatsApp, and a quotation converts into a sales order or Tally invoice. Delivery challans cover material sent to site. Service jobs record installation, cleaning or repair visits with items and charges, then close and invoice. Customer outstanding by milestone bill and supplier payables are on the phone, with a cashflow forecast. See service jobs.
This page is general information for Indian businesses, not tax, legal or financial advice. Rules and rates change — check the official portals or your CA before acting.
Set-up
Up and running in 4 steps
No new software to learn for your accountant — Tally stays as it is.
- 1
Install the Tally Connector on the PC where TallyPrime is open
- 2
Sign in to the app with your mobile number and scan the connector's QR
- 3
Add your logo, bank and UPI details to quotations and proformas
- 4
Invite surveyors, technicians and the office team with a link
Buyer’s checklist
What to look for in software for solar and inverter dealers
Whatever you choose, check these before you commit.
- Quotations that list make, wattage, capacity and warranty for each component
- Milestone billing with each bill's outstanding and age visible
- Delivery challans for material sent to each site
- Service visits and AMC work recorded and billed, not just done
- Site survey notes and photos kept with the customer
- Supplier payables shown next to customer receivables, with a cash forecast
- Serial numbers of panels, inverters and batteries kept against the sale
- Accounts stay in Tally, so your CA keeps working as before
Plans
Simple yearly plans
- 14-day free trial on your own books
- 3-year term saves up to 25%
- Premium modules (catalogue, field force, price lists, store…) priced extra
Start free trialGet the price for your business
Compare all plans- Growth₹3,000/year + GSTBooks, reports, outstanding and sharing
- Pro₹5,000/year + GSTEverything in Growth, plus entries into Tally
- Pro+₹7,000/year + GSTEverything in Pro, plus e-invoice and e-way bill
Why Cashflow OS
Why solar and inverter dealers choose Cashflow OS
- Sales and service in one placeQuotations, challans and service jobs sit on top of the same Tally books.
- Milestone money in viewBill-wise dues and ageing show which projects are holding your cash.
- Field team you can seeSurvey and service visits with GPS check-in, notes and photos.
- Entries go into TallyOrders and invoices from the phone go into TallyPrime, which checks each one.
- Payables and forecastKnow what suppliers are due before committing to the next order.
- 14-day free trialRun it on your own Tally data for 14 days before you pay.
