Refrens Trust Score helps you check a client or vendor’s GST filing health directly inside Refrens.

You can view their GST compliance score, filing history, missed filings, late filings, taxpayer profile, and filing pattern in one place.

This helps you understand how regularly a client or vendor files GST returns before onboarding, billing, purchasing, or continuing transactions.

How to view Refrens Trust Score?

1. From the Client or Vendor Dashboard

Go to Client/Vendor Dashboard > Open any client or vendor that has a GSTIN added > Click on Verify Trust Score:

A drawer will open with the GST details and filing information:

2. While Creating an Invoice

You can also view a client’s Trust Score directly while creating an invoice.

After selecting a client, go to the Billed To section and click View Trust Score next to the client’s GSTIN:

Once fetched, the score appears beside the GSTIN. You can click it again to open the complete Trust Score report.

This allows you to review the client’s GST filing health before raising an invoice or deciding whether to offer credit terms.

What details can you view?

The Trust Score Report shows important GST and filing details in one place:

You can view:

• Refrens Trust Score (Calculated Automatically Based on GST Filing History)
• Filing history
• On-time, late, and missed filing summary
• Filing preference, such as Monthly, Quarterly, Mixed, or Composition
• GSTIN status
• Legal name
• Trade name
• Taxpayer type
• Registration type
• Registered date
• E-invoice status
• Nature of business
• Principal address
• Additional addresses, if available.

Understanding Refrens Trust Score

The Refrens Trust Score gives you a quick view of the client/vendor’s GST filing health.

It is calculated automatically based on their return filing behaviour, including:

• How many returns were expected
• How many returns were filed
• How many were filed on time
• How many were filed late
• How many were missed

This helps you quickly assess whether the business has a regular and reliable GST filing record.

Viewing Filing History

In the Filing History section, you can view GST returns grouped by financial year:

each filing, you can see:

• Return type, such as GSTR1, GSTR3B, or GSTR1A
• Filing period
• Filing date
• Due date
• Filing status
• Delay days, if filed late

This helps you identify filing patterns, repeated delays, or missed returns.

Auto-fill Client Details from GSTN Data

You can also use GSTN data to update client/vendor details in Refrens.

Click on Auto-fill client data from GSTN:

Refrens will show a review screen where you can compare existing client details with the details fetched from GSTN:

You can review fields such as:

• Trade name
• Legal name
• PIN code
• State
• Street address
• Tax type

After reviewing the changes, click Confirm to update the client/vendor record.

When should you use this report?

You can use the Trust Score Report when you want to:

• Check a client’s GST filing health before onboarding
• Review vendor compliance before purchasing
• Identify late or missed GST filings
• Verify taxpayer details from GSTN
• Keep client/vendor records updated with GSTN data
• Reduce manual GST verification work

10 Reasons You Should Use Refrens Trust Score for All Your Clients & Vendors

GST compliance history tells you whether the other business is disciplined with GST.

That matters because GST is not just “tax on invoice.” It affects your purchases, payments, Input Tax Credit, vendor risk, invoice correctness, and future audits.
Before the 10 reasons, understand this basic flow.

Suppose you buy goods from a vendor for ₹1,00,000 + ₹18,000 GST.
You pay the vendor ₹1,18,000.
That ₹18,000 GST is not supposed to become your cost if you are eligible to claim Input Tax Credit, commonly called ITC.

ITC simply means:
“I paid GST on my purchase, so I should be allowed to reduce that amount from the GST I need to pay on my sales.”

But this works smoothly only when the vendor has properly reported the invoice in GST returns.

Now let’s go through all 10 practical reasons in detail.

1. Before onboarding a new vendor

Imagine you are choosing between two vendors.

Both sell the same product.
Both quote almost the same price.
Both look okay from the outside.

But Vendor A files GST returns regularly. Vendor B has missed returns, late filings, or an inactive/cancelled GSTIN.

As a beginner, you may think:
“Why should I care? I just need the product.”
But your accounts team will care because a vendor’s GST behaviour can affect your compliance later.

If Vendor B gives you a GST invoice but does not report it properly, your ITC may not appear correctly in your GST records. Then your finance team has to follow up, reconcile, delay booking credit, or avoid claiming ITC until the issue is resolved.

So the Trust Score helps you ask:
“Is this vendor reliable from a tax compliance point of view?”

This is useful before adding the vendor to your approved vendor list.

For example, you are buying packaging material every month. Vendor A is ₹2,000 more expensive but files GST returns regularly. Vendor B is cheaper but has multiple missed filings.

For a recurring purchase, Vendor A may be safer because your monthly GST credit flow is less likely to get stuck.

2. Before releasing payment to a vendor

This is one of the most practical uses.
Suppose a vendor sends you an invoice:
Product value: ₹5,00,000
GST: ₹90,000
Total: ₹5,90,000
You pay the full ₹5,90,000.

Now from your point of view, you have paid GST. But in the GST system, the vendor also needs to correctly report the invoice and discharge their GST liability.
If the vendor has a history of late filing, your finance team may not want to release full payment blindly.

They may say:
“Let us hold part of the payment until the invoice reflects properly.”
Or:
“Please confirm that the invoice has been reported.”

This does not mean you should treat every late filer as fraud. It simply means you add a payment control.

For example, a contractor completes work and sends a ₹10 lakh invoice plus GST. Their filing history shows repeated delays.

Instead of paying everything immediately, your company may release the base amount first and hold the GST portion until the invoice appears correctly in your GST records.
This protects your cash flow.

3. Before claiming Input Tax Credit

This is the biggest GST reason.

Let’s make it very simple.
You bought goods and paid GST to the vendor. You now want to claim that GST amount as ITC.
But if the vendor does not properly report the invoice, your ITC may not show correctly in your GST records.

So your accounts team may face this situation:
Vendor invoice says GST paid: ₹18,000
Your books say ITC should be available: ₹18,000
GST records do not show it properly

Now there is a mismatch.
That mismatch creates extra work.
Your accountant must contact the vendor.
The vendor may need to correct or file returns.
Your ITC claim may get delayed.
Your GST payable may increase temporarily.
Your month-end GST reconciliation becomes messy.

For example, you expected ₹2,00,000 ITC this month from vendor purchases. But ₹60,000 worth of ITC does not appear properly because a few vendors have not filed correctly.

Your company may now have to pay more GST in cash for that month.

So Trust Score helps you identify risky vendors before they create ITC problems.

4. Before giving credit terms to a client

Now let’s look at clients, not vendors.
A client asks you:
“Can you give us 60 days credit?”

That means you will deliver goods or services now, raise an invoice now, but receive payment after 60 days.
Before giving credit, businesses usually check payment history, company size, relationship, purchase volume, and sometimes market reputation.
GST compliance history adds one more useful signal.

If the client’s GSTIN is active, details match, and they file regularly, it gives some confidence that the business is at least maintaining basic compliance discipline.
If their GST profile looks irregular, it may not directly mean they will not pay you. But it can indicate operational weakness.

A company that ignores GST deadlines may also delay vendor payments, documentation, approvals, or accounting processes.

For example:
Client A asks for 60 days credit and has a clean GST filing pattern.
Client B asks for 60 days credit but has missed filings and mismatched business details.

You may still work with Client B, but with safer terms:
50% advance
15-day credit instead of 60 days
Lower credit limit
Payment before dispatch
Stricter approval before high-value orders

So this feature helps your sales and finance teams make better credit decisions.

5. Before doing a high-value purchase

For small purchases, businesses often do not check too much.

If you buy office stationery worth ₹2,000, you probably will not run a deep vendor check.
But for a high-value purchase, the risk is bigger.

Suppose you are buying machinery worth:
Base value: ₹25,00,000
GST: ₹4,50,000
Total: ₹29,50,000
That ₹4,50,000 GST amount is significant.

If the vendor has poor GST compliance, the risk is not just “paperwork.” It can affect a large ITC claim, vendor reliability, documentation quality, and audit comfort.
For high-value purchases, your purchase team should not only ask:
“Who is cheaper?”
They should also ask:
“Who is safer to buy from?”

For example, you are buying laptops for your entire team. One supplier gives a slightly cheaper quotation but has a weak GST filing record. Another supplier is slightly more expensive but has regular filing history.

Your accounts team may recommend the second supplier because the ITC amount is large and clean compliance matters more.

Trust Score gives you a quick risk signal before issuing the purchase order.

6. To avoid wrong billing details

This is very common.

Clients and vendors often share incorrect or outdated GST details.

Examples include:
Wrong GSTIN
Old registered address
Wrong state
Different legal name
Different trade name
Cancelled GSTIN
GSTIN of another branch

Why does this matter?
Because GST invoices need correct details. If you invoice the wrong GSTIN or wrong state, it can create problems for both sides.
For example, GST treatment can change depending on state.
If buyer and seller are in the same state, CGST + SGST may apply.
If they are in different states, IGST may apply.

So wrong state or GSTIN details can lead to the wrong tax breakup.
For example, a client gives you a Maharashtra GSTIN, but the actual billing should happen to their Gujarat branch.
If you invoice the Maharashtra GSTIN incorrectly, their accounts team may reject the invoice later. Then you need to cancel, revise, or issue a credit note and new invoice.
That delays payment.

So checking GST details helps you create correct invoices from the start.

7. To identify suspicious or inactive GSTINs

A GSTIN may look valid at first glance because it has the correct format.
But that does not always mean the business is safe.

Possible issues include:
GSTIN may be cancelled.
GSTIN may be inactive.
GSTIN may not belong to the business name shared with you.
The legal name may not match the vendor’s invoice.
The address may not match the vendor’s claimed location.

This matters because fake or incorrect vendor records can create serious accounting and tax headaches.

For example, someone says they are “ABC Traders” and shares a GSTIN. When you verify, the GSTIN belongs to a different legal name or has a cancelled status.
That is a red flag.

You may decide to:
Not onboard the vendor
Ask for correct GST documents
Ask for PAN, bank proof, or additional verification
Escalate to finance or procurement

Trust Score is helpful because it brings these warning signs into the vendor/client review process.

8. To negotiate better payment terms

This is not just about rejecting people.

Sometimes you still want to work with a vendor even if their GST history is weak.

Maybe they are the only supplier in your area.
Maybe they offer a unique product.
Maybe they have good pricing.
Maybe they are a small business and need some time to improve compliance.

In that case, GST compliance history helps you negotiate safer terms.
Instead of saying:
“We do not trust you.”
You can say:
“As part of our finance process, payments are released after GST invoice verification.”

This makes it process-based, not personal.

For example, a vendor has late filings but gives you good rates. You can continue working with them, but set rules:
Payment after invoice appears in GST records
GST portion released after filing confirmation
Lower advance payment
Monthly compliance review
No large outstanding balance

This protects your business while still allowing the relationship to continue.

9. To support vendor review decisions

Many businesses review vendors every quarter or year.

Usually, they check:
Pricing
Delivery quality
Response time
Product quality
Credit terms
Complaint history
GST compliance can become one more review point.

Why?
Because a vendor may be good operationally but weak financially or compliance-wise.
For example:
They deliver on time, but file GST late.
They offer discounts, but invoice details are often wrong.
They are responsive in sales, but slow in accounting corrections.
They create repeated ITC mismatches.
From a finance team’s point of view, this vendor creates hidden cost.
That hidden cost includes:
Extra accountant time
Repeated follow-ups
ITC delays
Payment holds
Month-end reconciliation issues
Audit explanations
For example, you have 20 regular vendors. Five vendors regularly create GST mismatches.

Your finance team can show this data during vendor review and say:
“These vendors need improvement. Either ask them to fix compliance or move purchases to better vendors.”
So the Trust Score helps convert “finance frustration” into a measurable vendor review point.

10. To reduce manual GST verification work

Without this kind of feature, your team may need to manually check many things.

For each client or vendor, someone may have to:
Go to the GST portal
Search GSTIN
Check legal name
Check trade name
Check GST status
Check filing history
Compare address
Check whether returns were filed
Update records manually

This becomes painful when you have hundreds or thousands of clients/vendors.

It is also easy to miss things.
One accountant may check.
Another may forget.
Someone may use outdated details.
Someone may copy the wrong GSTIN.
Someone may not know where to check.

A Trust Score-style report makes this faster because the important GST information appears in one place.

For example, your company has 300 vendors.
Even if checking one vendor manually takes 5 minutes, that is 1,500 minutes, or 25 hours of work. And this is only one round of checking.
If the same check needs to happen regularly, the time cost becomes much higher.

So the feature saves time, reduces manual errors, and gives non-finance teams a simple view of compliance risk.

The simplest way to understand it

GST compliance history helps you answer this question:
“Can I safely do business with this client or vendor from a tax and documentation point of view?”
A good Trust Score does not guarantee that the party will always be perfect.
A poor Trust Score does not always mean they are fraudulent.
But it gives you a warning signal before money, invoices, ITC, payments, and tax filings get involved.
In practical business terms, it helps you decide:
Who to onboard
Who to buy from
Who to give credit to
Who to follow up with
Who to put under stricter review
Whose payment should be checked before release
Whose GST details need correction
Whose invoices may need extra reconciliation
That is the real business value.

That’s it!

If you need help, reach out to us on live chat support or drop an email at care@refrens.com.

Updated on: 23/07/2026