How-to guide

Customer bill portal — find old bills with phone OTP

A customer asks for an old bill to claim a warranty, process a return, or get a GST receipt. BillRaja's phone+OTP customer bill portal lets buyers retrieve their own invoices instantly — no app, no login, no staff intervention.

Why customers need access to old bills

The most common reasons a customer asks for a past invoice:

  • Warranty claims — manufacturer or service centre needs proof of purchase
  • Product returns — your shop's return policy requires the original bill
  • GST input tax credit — B2B buyers need a valid tax invoice with GSTIN to claim ITC
  • Expense reimbursement — employees need an invoice to submit to accounts
  • Personal records — electronics, furniture, jewellery are often re-insured; invoice required

Without a portal, every request lands with your staff.

How the BillRaja customer bill portal works

The customer bill portal at billraja.in/customer is a web page — no app download, no account. The customer:

  1. Enters the mobile number they gave at the time of purchase
  2. Taps "Send OTP"
  3. Enters the one-time password received by SMS
  4. Views and downloads all past invoices from your shop as PDFs

The whole process takes under a minute.

How to ensure every customer can use the portal

One action on your side: always enter the customer's mobile number when billing. Best practices:

  • Ask at checkout — frame it as "for your digital invoice"
  • Double-check the number before saving
  • For B2B customers, use the billing contact number so the accounts team can retrieve invoices
  • You can still share a specific invoice directly over WhatsApp or email — the portal is the self-serve option

OTP security model

The portal uses Firebase OTP authentication — the same technology used by Indian banking and e-commerce apps:

  • Phone ownership proof — only the SIM holder receives the OTP; no password to phish
  • Short-lived OTPs — expire in under 5 minutes
  • Session expiry — inactivity ends the session; prevents access from a shared unlocked phone
  • Read-only access — customers can only view their own bills; no invoice can be modified
  • No stored password — nothing to leak in a breach; each session authenticates fresh

Real-world scenarios where the portal saves time

Retail — warranty claim 6 months later

Customer bought a mixer in December; it breaks in June. Instead of calling your shop, they open billraja.in/customer, enter their number, and download the December invoice themselves — no staff involved.

Pharmacy — GST receipts for insurance reimbursement

Patient needs invoices from three separate visits for an insurance claim. They download all three PDFs from the portal in two minutes — zero counter intervention.

Gym / coaching centre — monthly fee receipt for employer

A member's employer reimburses fitness memberships. Instead of visiting the counter monthly, the member logs into the portal and downloads each month's GST receipt. Works seamlessly with BillRaja's membership workspace.

How to promote the portal to customers

  • Add a footer line to every invoice: "View & download your bills anytime at billraja.in/customer"
  • A sticker at the billing counter: "Lost your bill? Find it at billraja.in/customer"
  • Mention it verbally when handing over a receipt — customers who use it once remember it

Frequently asked questions

How does a customer access the bill portal?
Visit billraja.in/customer, enter the mobile number used at purchase, receive an OTP by SMS, enter it, and view or download all past invoices from that shop.
Is the customer bill portal free to use?
Yes. The portal is included at no extra cost for all BillRaja plans, including free. Customers need no account and no app.
What if the customer used a different phone number for a purchase?
The portal retrieves bills linked to the number entered at the time of purchase. If different numbers were used for different visits, each number surfaces its own bills.
How long does an OTP session last?
Sessions are short-lived. After inactivity the session expires and the customer must request a new OTP — protecting purchase history on shared or unlocked phones.
Can customers request a refund or make changes through the portal?
No. The portal is read-only. Customers view and download PDF invoices; all modifications are handled by your staff in the BillRaja app.
Does enabling the bill portal require any technical setup?
No setup needed. The portal is automatically available for every BillRaja merchant. Just ensure the customer's mobile number is entered when creating each invoice.
Run it all in one app

Give customers self-serve bill access.

BillRaja's customer bill portal is included free with every plan. Your customers find their own bills; your staff handle more important work.