Different types of JSON errors while filing GSTR-9C

Updated on: Dec 17th, 2024

3 min read

GSTR-9C JSON errors are commonly faced by your teams while filing the annual reconciliation statement, GSTR-9C. You team might be facing many more errors while submitting GSTR-9C. This article provides you a handy list of these GSTR 9C error along with resolutions.

Latest Updates
53rd GST Council meeting
As on 22nd June 2024, the Council has recommended to provide relaxation to taxpayers from filing GSTR-9/9A for FY 2023-24 where their aggregate annual turnover for the said financial year is below Rs.2 crore. This was notified via CGST notification 14/2024 dated 10th July 2024.

List of JSON errors in GSTR-9C filing & Solutions

List of JSON errors while generating and uploading JSON file of GSTR-9C and the solutions for such errors:

Sr. No.	Error	Solution
Errors while generating a JSON file
1	Sheet Validation Error	Select the option ‘Validate Sheet’ for every part in GSTR-9C
2	OLE Application	1. Exit from all your excel or word files from your system and emsigner. 2. Go to windows > Search for internet option > Security > Custom level > ‘Automatic prompting for Activex control’, make it to ‘Enable’ and download unsigned ‘Activex Control’. 3. Click on ‘Prompt’ then click on ‘OK’. Download the Notepad++ > Go to the utility folder > Right-click on “wsweb.html”—>. 4. Select ‘Edit with Notepad++’ > Select ‘’ tag, give a space after ‘’ tag and then press the backspace button. 5. Save the file before closing it. 6. Restart the system to give the effect of the new settings. 7. Open emsigner again > Open the utility and try to create the JSON file again.
3	‘File Generation is in progress, please try after sometime’ error while downloading GSTR-9C JSON file from GST portal	This error occurs when you try to download the JSON file without uploading any JSON on the GST portal. 1. Update the data in GSTR-9C offline tool; then generate and save the JSON file. 2. Click the ‘Upload’ tab under GSTR-9C in the GST portal. 3. Upload the saved JSON file on the GST portal. 4. Once the status changed to processed, you can download the JSON file.
4	Unable to generate or sign the JSON file in the GSTR-9C offline utility	Reason: This error occurs when the GSTR-9C utility tool is not recognising the wsweb.html file downloaded along with the utility due to the configuration settings on your system. 1. Open the location where JSON file is downloaded. 2. Right click on wsweb.html file and select ‘Edit with Notepad++’ option. 3. Add a space anywhere in the file and remove the same. Notice that the file icon turns red when you edit. 4. The above action give you a updated file. Notice that the same file icon turns blue when you save. 5. Generate the JSON file again once the changes to the HTML file are saved. Sign the file to proceed.
5	Server connection error while signing the GSTR-9C JSON file as follows- 'Please check the server connection1: [object Event]	Reason: The error occurs when the trusted root certification authorities are uninstalled on the machine. 1. Open the eMSigner folder installed on your system > eMweb folder > open certificate.crt. (notice the cross sign on the certificate icon) 2. Click on ‘Install the certificate’ and select current user to proceed. 3. Select ‘Place all the certificates in the following store’ and ensure to browse and select ‘Trusted Root Certification Authorities’ and finish to install the certificate on your system. 4. Browser will initiate signing process. Click Allow blocked content and then ‘Initiate signing’. Click on ‘Open emSigner’ to launch the same and sign the generated JSON.
Errors while uploading a JSON file
1	Error Occurred	1. It is a system error. Try to reload the file 2-3 times. 2. If the error re-occurs, prepare the offline utility again and then upload it.
2	Received but Pending	1. It is a system error. Try to reload the file 2-3 times. 2. If the error re-occurs, prepare the offline utility again and then upload it.
3	Processed with Error	Please follow the instructions- 1. Generate and download the error report from the GST portal. 2. Open the zipped error file downloaded on your system. 3. Go to the GSTR-9C offline utility and open this file on it. 4. Go through each worksheet and check the ‘Portal validation error’ column for rectification of the errors. 5. Login to the GST portal and go to GSTR-9C dashboard. 6. Download the PDF file consisting GSTR-9C tables derived from GSTR-9. 7. Now, cross verify the figures in GSTR-9C error file with PDF. 8. Resolve the error, validate the sheet and re-generate the JSON file. Make sure to sign the file using eMSigner. 9. Upload the JSON on the GST portal.
4	“Compile error” appears while submitting the GSTR-9C	Use Microsoft excel with a version of higher than 2007 to prepare GSTR-9C
5	'Run time error 13 Type mismatch' while opening JSON file in GSTR-9 offline utility	Reason: This error arises when you have not uploaded any JSON but are tried to download and open such downloaded JSON after just uploading the documemnts like P&L statement and balance sheet. So, ensure you have generated JSON after updating and verifying the GSTR-9C data in the offline tool. 1. Login to the GST portal and navigate to GSTR-9C Prepare offline page. 2. Upload the GSTR-9C JSON file and you will notice it is successfully processed. 3. Next, generate and download the GSTR-9C JSON file to your system. 4. Open the JSON file you just download on the GSTR-9C offline tool and this happens without any error.
6	"File generation is in progress, please try after sometime" is the error that appears for the GSTR-9C offline utility	This is displayed when the users are downloading JSON which is used to import in offline utility to obtain the auto-filled GSTR-9 data. Please follow the instructions below to obtain the extract: 1. On the GSTR-9C tile, click the ‘Initiate-Filling' button. 2. The GSTR-9C page appears on the screen. 3. Select the ‘DOWNLOAD GSTR-9C TABLES DERIVED FROM GSTR-9 PDF' button.The values must be manually entered in GSTR-9C offline. 4. Now, create a JSON file and send it to the taxpayer via an email with his signatures.
7	Users are attempting to download GSTR 9 data from the GST portal as a JSON file in order to auto-populate GSTR 9 data in the GSTR 9C offline tool. When using the GSTR-9C Offline tool, the error message "File generation is in progress" appears.	GSTR 9C offline Tool is not made to be auto-populated.The data can only be filled in manually in the tool.

What to do if a user gets an error ‘sign is invalid’?

Carry out the following actions under settings to resolve the error:

Open the location where JSON file is downloaded.
Right click on wsweb.html file and select ‘Edit with Notepad++’ option.
Add a space anywhere in the file and remove the same.
The above action give you a updated version of the file.
Generate the JSON file again once the changes to the HTML file are saved.
Now, browser will display the window to initiate the signing process.

How to avoid the JSON errors in GSTR-9C filing?

To avoid these issues including JSON errors, there are certain prerequisites before filing the return:

Use JAVA version 8 and above
Use Excel 2007 and above
Use Excel-Macro enabled
Use Internet Explorer 11 or Edge

Also, while downloading/unzipping GSTR-9C, the user should keep all the folder files including the WS Web file in one folder. The following information reported in GSTR-9C should be the same as in GSTR-9, otherwise, it may cause an error:

Turnover
Taxable turnover
Total amount paid
ITC claimed

While filing GSTR-9C, taxpayers face issues in uploading their balance sheet and profit and loss account. This is because the files contain keywords such as balance sheet, profit and loss account, etc., which are usually categorised as sensitive information and thus the office firewall denies uploading such files.

The taxpayers should use an open network such as the internet to upload the files successfully. Sometimes, the Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) does not get displayed even after attaching it to the system. To make the DSC available, the DSC owner has to type ‘https://127.0.0.1:1585′ in the address bar of the browser and click on ‘Proceed to safety’.

Further, when taxpayers might not be able to sign the GSTR-9C using emsigner. To avoid this issue, the taxpayers should close all other emsigners and download them from the GST portal and then click on the option of ‘Run as administrator’.

Now that you've learnt to troubleshoot any GSTR-9C errors, file GSTR-9C with ease. Choose Clear for avoiding errors with access to in-built validations and user-friendly error correction dashboards for your GST returns such as GSTR-1, 3B and 9/9C.

About the Author

Annapoorna

Assistant Manager - Content

I preach the words, “Learning never exhausts the mind.” An aspiring CA and a passionate content writer having 4+ years of hands-on experience in deciphering jargon in Indian GST, Income Tax, off late also into the much larger Indian finance ecosystem, I love curating content in various forms to the interest of tax professionals, and enterprises, both big and small. While not writing, you can catch me singing Shāstriya Sangeetha and tuning my violin ;). Read more

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