My bank used a software purpose code for my consulting payment. What now?
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Short answer
Ask your bank to amend the code to the one that matches your service, such as P1006 "Business and management consultancy and public relations services".1 DGFT's FAQs say an e-BRC for non-IT services cannot be generated against SOFTEX: the exporter must first have the purpose code of the inward remittance message amended to the relevant services code.2 The bank, not you, makes that amendment.2
Management consultants, HR advisers and PR specialists sometimes find their foreign receipts tagged as software exports. The payment still reaches them, but the record says they exported software, and that causes trouble when they try to generate an e-BRC.12
What do the codes involved mean?
RBI's receipt purpose code list, as reproduced by HDFC Bank, includes:1
| Code | RBI description |
|---|---|
| P0802 | Software consultancy/implementation (other than those covered in SOFTEX form) |
| P0807 | Off-site Software Exports |
| P1006 | Business and management consultancy and public relations services |
A strategy consultant, a PR agency or an HR adviser normally fits P1006, not either software code.1 A tax adviser has P1015 and an accountant P1005 in the same list.1
Why does the software code cause a problem?
DGFT answers this directly. Its FAQ asks whether an e-BRC can be generated for non-IT services exports with SOFTEX, and says no: the exporter must amend the purpose code of the inward remittance message (IRM) to align with the relevant services export category, and can then self-generate the e-BRC for non-IT services.2 DGFT's rules also let exporters attach only invoices whose SAC codes match the description of the service, so a consulting invoice will not sit under a software code.3
The e-BRC is often the evidence a GST refund or export benefit claim relies on, so the fix is worth doing promptly.
How do you get the code changed?
Ask the bank that credited the payment. DGFT's FAQs say banks have the authority to amend the IRM and communicate the updated details.2 A typical request:
- The remittance reference, date, amount and the code currently shown.
- The invoice and contract describing the consulting work.
- The code you want, for example P1006, with its description.1
- A request that the bank send an amended IRM to DGFT.
If you were paid through a platform, ask the platform which bank reported the receipt and route the request there. See correcting a purpose code after payment.
How do you prevent it?
Give your bank the right code in writing for each client, and change any default code on platforms you use. The purpose code for consulting services guide covers which code suits which kind of advice. Ask your bank about its own time limit for amendments.
How did we verify this?
We checked this page against the sources below on 28 October 2026. Read our methodology or report an error.
- [1]HDFC Bank: Inward Remittance Purpose Codes (bank reproduction of the RBI purpose code list under A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 of 29 February 2012, checked 28 October 2026)
- [2]DGFT: FAQs (Self-Generation of eBRC), Version 1.0, March 2024, questions 28, 80, 81 and 84
- [3]DGFT: eBRC generation rules, General Guidelines for Generating eBRC (checked 28 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Why would a bank use a software code for consulting?+
Often because a default code was set at account opening, or because a payment platform passed one on. Ask the bank where the code came from so the same mistake does not repeat.
Does the wrong code mean the payment is not an export?+
No. The code describes the receipt; whether it is an export depends on the service and the client. The fix is an amended inward remittance message from the bank.2
I already generated an e-BRC with the software code. Can I undo it?+
DGFT's FAQs say you can cancel a self-generated e-BRC within 120 days; after that, the bank flags and cancels it at your request.2
This page is general information for Indian service exporters, not tax or legal advice. Rules change and outcomes depend on your facts, so confirm with a chartered accountant before acting.
Keep reading
What is purpose code P1006?
P1006 is the RBI receipt purpose code for business and management consultancy and PR. Who uses it, how it differs from P1007 and P0802, and SAC mapping.
Purpose codesWhich purpose code should a consultant use for payments from foreign clients?
Which RBI purpose code fits consulting fees from foreign clients: P1006 for management and PR, and the IT, legal, tax, engineering and research alternatives.
Purpose codesHow do you correct a wrong purpose code after a foreign payment has been credited?
Steps to change a wrong purpose code on a foreign payment already credited: ask the bank to amend the IRM, fix any e-BRC, and handle platform payouts like Upwork.
Purpose codesWhat happens if a foreign payment is received under the wrong purpose code?
What RBI, DGFT and banks say happens when a foreign receipt carries the wrong purpose code: e-BRC blocks, mismatched GST evidence, and amendment deadlines.