Venura is the operating infrastructure built specifically for modern event businesses — including banquet halls, wedding venues, caterers, and event managers. It connects bookings, multi-hall calendars, payment tracking, and automated WhatsApp receipts into one unified platform.

How fast can I start using Venura?

Setup is instant. Venura is a modern cloud SaaS application — you can sign up in under 60 seconds, add your business details and venue halls, and start creating confirmed bookings immediately without any onboarding delays.

Which platforms does Venura support?

Venura is available across all major platforms: Android (Google Play Store), iOS (Apple App Store), native desktop apps for macOS and Windows, and accessible directly via any web browser at venue.venura.org.

How do products in the Venura ecosystem work together?

Everything syncs seamlessly under one account. Your venue booking calendar, catering menu orders, client contact CRM, advance payments, and WhatsApp customer receipts stay synchronized in real time across desktop and mobile devices.

How does Venura prevent double bookings?

Venura uses automatic conflict detection that blocks overlapping bookings in real time. When a hall is already reserved, the system immediately alerts your team and prevents the double booking before it happens.

What is the best banquet management software in India?

Venura is India's leading banquet management software, trusted by 100+ venues. It offers smart booking management, conflict detection, payment tracking, instant WhatsApp receipts, and multi-hall support — all in one connected platform.

Can I track venue payments and security deposits digitally?

Absolutely. Venura provides real-time payment tracking, security deposit management, automated WhatsApp payment reminders, and GST-compliant invoicing — eliminating the need for manual ledgers or Excel sheets.

How to manage banquet bookings without Excel?

Switch to Venura — a purpose-built banquet hall management software that replaces Excel with a visual calendar, automatic conflict detection, payment tracking, and mobile access. Setup takes under 2 minutes.

SAC Code for Catering Services: 996331 vs 996334 Rules, Rates & ITC Eligibility (2026)

The Master SAC Code Framework for Catering Services

Under Chapter 99 (Services), Heading 9963, Indian GST law categorizes food hospitality supplies into distinct statutory classifications:

1SAC 996334 — Standalone Outdoor Catering Services (5% GST Without ITC):

When an independent caterer prepares, delivers, and serves food at a client's private residence, farmhouse, open lawn, or rented hall without owning the venue, it is classified under SAC 996334. Under Notification No. 20/2019-CT(Rate), it attracts 5% GST (2.5% CGST + 2.5% SGST or 5% IGST) with no Input Tax Credit allowed on business inputs.

2SAC 996331 — Bundled Catering at Non-Specified Premises (5% GST No ITC):

When a banquet hall, party plot, or marriage lawn provides hall space bundled with food at non-specified venues, it is a composite supply taxed at 5% GST without ITC under Notification No. 20/2019-CT(Rate).

3SAC 996331 / 996334 — Catering at Specified Premises (18% GST with Full ITC):

When catering is provided at or by hotels/resorts where declared room tariffs exceed ₹7,500 per unit per day, the supply attracts 18% GST (9% CGST + 9% SGST) with full Input Tax Credit.

4SAC 997212 — Pure Hall Rental Without Food (18% GST with Full ITC):

Leasing bare venue premises without any food or beverages is classified as commercial leasing under SAC 997212, taxed at 18% GST with full ITC.

5SAC 996337 — Industrial & Corporate Canteen Supplies:

Food supplied in corporate canteens attracts 5% GST without ITC.

SAC Code, Tax Rate & ITC Eligibility Comparison Table

The table below provides a statutory summary across all catering service categories under Notification No. 20/2019-CT(Rate):

Catering Service Category	SAC Code	CGST Rate	SGST Rate	Total GST Rate	Input Tax Credit (ITC) Status
Outdoor Event Catering (Farmhouse / Lawn / Residence)	996334	2.5%	2.5%	5.0%	Blocked (No ITC Allowed under Sec 17(5))
Banquet Hall + Bundled Catering (Non-Specified)	996331	2.5%	2.5%	5.0%	Blocked (No ITC Allowed under Notification 20/2019)
Catering at Specified Premises (Room Tariff > ₹7,500)	996334 / 996331	9.0%	9.0%	18.0%	Full ITC Allowed on Commercial Inputs
Pure Banquet Hall Space Lease (No Food)	997212	9.0%	9.0%	18.0%	Full Commercial ITC Allowed on Facility
Corporate Office Canteen Supply	996337	2.5%	2.5%	5.0%	Blocked (No ITC Allowed to Caterer)
Standalone Restaurant Dining	996331	2.5%	2.5%	5.0%	Blocked (No ITC Allowed under Notif. 46/2017)

Input Tax Credit (ITC) Rules for Outdoor Caterers

Because independent outdoor caterers operate in the mandatory 5% GST bracket under SAC 996334, strict Input Tax Credit conditions apply:

Blocked ITC under Section 17(5): Independent caterers paying 5% tax cannot claim any ITC on commercial kitchen equipment (tandoors, dough kneaders, deep freezers), chafing warmers, tableware, commercial LPG, or vehicle maintenance.
ITC is an Operational Cost: Since input GST cannot be set off, caterers must incorporate the GST paid on ingredients and equipment into their gross food costing and package pricing.
When is ITC Allowed?: Full ITC is allowed exclusively for catering services provided at 'specified premises' (>₹7,500 room tariff) where 18% GST is charged, or for pure commercial hall rentals under SAC 997212.

Worked Example: Compliant SAC 996334 Outdoor Catering Invoice (5% GST)

Here is a compliant tax invoice calculation for a 500-PAX wedding catering order at a private farmhouse in Pune, Maharashtra, under the statutory 5% rate:

Confirmed Headcount: 500 PAX @ ₹750/plate = ₹3,75,000.00
Live Counter Surcharge (Tawa Chaat & Dessert Counter): ₹45,000.00
Crockery, Cutlery & Service Stewards: ₹30,000.00
Total Taxable Value (SAC 996334): ₹4,50,000.00
CGST (2.5% under SAC 996334): ₹11,250.00
SGST (2.5% under SAC 996334): ₹11,250.00
Gross Invoice Amount (5% GST): ₹4,72,500.00
Less Advance Booking Token Adjusted (Receipt Voucher #RV-089): -₹1,50,000.00
Net Balance Due on Event Day: ₹3,22,500.00

Automating SAC Classification with Venura Catering OS

Venura eliminates tax classification errors:

Automatic SAC Selection: Detects whether the event is standard outdoor catering (SAC 996334 @ 5%), bundled venue package (SAC 996331 @ 5%), or specified premises hotel catering (18%), applying exact tax rules automatically.
B2B GSTIN Checksum Verification: Validates client GST numbers in real time, preventing GSTR-1 filing rejections.
One-Click Tally Prime Sync: Exports complete sales journals and tax ledgers directly into Tally Prime in under 60 seconds.

Handling Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) on Ancillary Catering Inputs

Catering businesses procuring supplies from unregistered vendors must comply with statutory Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) rules:

1
Goods Transport Agency (GTA) Freight: When caterers hire unregistered commercial trucks to transport food containers and crockery to an outdoor lawn, GST on freight is payable under RCM at 5% (without ITC) or 12% under forward charge.

2
Security & Valet Parking Services: Security personnel hired from non-corporate agencies for outdoor event venues attract 18% GST under RCM under Notification No. 29/2018-Central Tax (Rate).

3
Maintaining RCM Self-Invoices: Under Section 31(3)(f) of the CGST Act, caterers must generate internal self-invoices for all RCM transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Operational Questions

What is the difference between SAC 996331 and SAC 996334?

SAC 996331 applies when catering is provided in-house at a banquet hall, hotel, or restaurant as part of a bundled facility package. SAC 996334 applies to independent outdoor catering delivered at client residences, open lawns, or external venues. Both are taxed at 5% GST without ITC at non-specified venues.

Can an outdoor wedding caterer charge 18% GST to claim ITC?

No. Under Notification No. 20/2019-Central Tax (Rate), outdoor catering at non-specified venues is mandatorily taxed at 5% GST without ITC. Caterers cannot voluntarily opt to charge 18% to claim ITC.

Can caterers claim Input Tax Credit on commercial cooking gas (LPG)?

No. Because outdoor catering is subject to the mandatory 5% tax bracket without ITC, Input Tax Credit on commercial LPG, kitchen equipment, and supplies is blocked under Section 17(5).

How does venue and catering software ensure GST compliance?

Venura OS auto-applies the correct SAC code, computes 2.5% CGST + 2.5% SGST splits, manages advance receipt voucher deductions under Section 31(3)(d), and exports Tally-compatible XML ledgers.

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