How to Generate Reports in Tally Prime: Step-by-Step Guide for Accurate Accounting and Business Insights

Generating reports in Tally Prime is one of the most essential tasks for accountants, business owners, finance professionals, and GST practitioners. Tally Prime provides more than 100+ predefined reports covering financial statements, inventory summaries, GST returns, MIS dashboards, cost center reports, payroll summaries, and audit-related information. These reports help users make informed business decisions, track performance, analyze trends, and maintain statutory compliance.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explain how to generate reports in Tally Prime, the types of reports available, shortcuts, customization options, filters, export settings, and best practices. The content is structured in a clean, SEO-friendly manner with tables and examples for clarity.


What Makes Tally Prime a Reporting Powerhouse?

Tally Prime is designed with a powerful reporting engine that generates real-time information without requiring manual updates. The moment a voucher is entered or modified, all related reports update instantly—this ensures complete accuracy and reliability.

Here are the key reasons Tally Prime reports are widely used:

  • Real-time dynamic reporting
  • More than 100+ reports across finance, inventory, GST, banking, and MIS
  • Single-screen navigation
  • Powerful filtering and comparison
  • Auto drill-down feature
  • Export options in PDF, Excel, and XML formats
  • Print-ready reports
  • In-depth analysis through cost centers and departmental reports

Types of Reports Available in Tally Prime

Tally Prime’s report structure is divided into major categories. Below is an overview table:

Report TypeDescription
Financial ReportsBalance Sheet, P&L Account, Cash Flow, Ratio Analysis
Inventory ReportsStock Summary, Movement Analysis, Godown Summary
GST ReportsGSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-2A Reconciliation
Accounting ReportsLedger, Group Summary, Day Book, Sales Register
Banking ReportsBank Reconciliation, Deposit Slips, Payment Advices
Payroll ReportsEmployee Pay Sheet, Attendance Summary
Audit & Analysis ReportsVerification Reports, Exception Reports

How to Generate Reports in Tally Prime – Step-by-Step Guide

Below is the complete workflow on how to generate any report inside Tally Prime.


Step 1: Open Tally Prime and Load the Company

  • Launch Tally Prime
  • Select the company from the Company List
  • Reports are only accessible after a company is loaded

Step 2: Go to the Gateway of Tally

The Gateway of Tally is the home screen from where all reports can be accessed.

From here, you can enter:

  • Balance Sheet
  • Profit & Loss
  • Inventory Summary
  • Display More Reports
  • GST Reports
  • Banking Reports

Step 3: Select the Report You Want to Generate

Below is where each major report module is located:

Report CategoryWhere to Access
Balance Sheet & P&LGateway > Reports > Financial Statements
Inventory ReportsGateway > Inventory Reports
GST ReportsGateway > Display More Reports > Statutory Reports
Day Book, LedgerGateway > Display More Reports > Accounts Books
Cost Center ReportsGateway > Display More Reports > Cost Centre Reports
BankingGateway > Banking
Payroll ReportsGateway > Payroll Reports
Audit ReportsGateway > Display More Reports > Analysis & Verification

Step 4: Change the Period of Reporting

Tally allows you to change the reporting period instantly.

Shortcut: Alt + F2

You can generate reports for:

  • Daily
  • Weekly
  • Monthly
  • Quarterly
  • Yearly
  • Custom range

Example:
To view sales for 1 April to 30 September, select the date range accordingly.


Step 5: Drill Down for Detailed Information

One of the most powerful features in Tally Prime is the drill-down capability.

For example:

  • From Balance Sheet → Drill into Current Assets
  • From Stock Summary → Drill into Godown
  • From Sales Register → Drill into Voucher

With every click, Tally shows deeper levels of detail, making analysis easy and accurate.


Step 6: Use Filters and Configure Options

Press F12 (Configure) to customize any report.
Some useful settings include:

  • Show Opening Balance
  • Show Closing Balance
  • Show Narrations
  • Show GST Breakup
  • Show Cost Center Allocation
  • Show Item-wise Details
  • Show Party-wise Summary

Filters allow targeted reporting such as:

  • Sales above ₹50,000
  • Pending GST entries
  • Negative stock items
  • Ledgers with zero opening

Step 7: Export the Report (Excel/PDF)

Tally Prime allows export in:

  • Excel
  • PDF
  • JPEG (for print view)
  • XML

Shortcut: Alt + E

Exported reports are commonly required for:

  • Audits
  • Management review
  • Compliance filings
  • MIS reporting
  • Tax calculations

Popular Reports in Tally Prime and What They Mean

Below is a detailed explanation of the most commonly used reports:


1. Balance Sheet

Shows financial position of the company.

Key highlights:

  • Total assets
  • Total liabilities
  • Working capital
  • Net worth

2. Profit & Loss Account

Shows net profit or loss for a given period.

Includes:

  • Revenue
  • Cost of goods sold
  • Gross profit
  • Indirect expenses

3. Stock Summary

Shows item quantity, stock value, movement, and reorder levels.

Useful for:

  • Inventory planning
  • Purchase decision
  • Stock control

4. Sales Register & Purchase Register

A detailed record of all invoices.

Useful for:

  • GST return filing
  • Monthly sales analysis
  • Vendor payment report

5. GST Reports (GSTR-1, 3B, 2A Reconciliation)

Displays all GST-related data auto-computed based on vouchers.

Includes:

  • Outward supplies
  • Input tax credit
  • Tax liability summary

6. Cash & Bank Reports

Includes:

  • Cash book
  • Bank book
  • Reconciliation statements

7. Cost Center & Profit Center Reports

Analyze performance by:

  • Department
  • Branch
  • Project
  • Employee

8. Ratio Analysis

Provides 30+ financial ratios such as:

  • Current ratio
  • Debt ratio
  • Gross profit ratio
  • Return on investment

Tips to Improve Report Accuracy in Tally Prime

  1. Maintain proper voucher entries
  2. Avoid negative stock
  3. Verify GST classifications
  4. Reconcile bank statements regularly
  5. Use cost centers for department-wise reporting
  6. Close books with complete review monthly

Sample Table: Tally Prime Report Categories

CategoryExamples of Reports
FinancialBalance Sheet, P&L, Ratio Analysis
InventoryStock Summary, Godown Summary
AccountsDay Book, Ledger, Group Summary
GSTGSTR-1, GSTR-3B
PayrollPay Sheet, Attendance Summary

Final Thoughts

Generating reports in Tally Prime is straightforward yet extremely powerful for decision-making, analysis, and statutory compliance. The ability to drill down instantly, customize with filters, export reports in multiple formats, and track business performance in real time makes Tally one of the most reliable accounting software solutions in India.

Whether you want a Balance Sheet, GST report, stock summary, purchase register, or detailed management report, Tally Prime provides everything from basic statements to advanced MIS insights. With proper data entry and timely reconciliation, Tally becomes a complete financial reporting system for any size of business.


Disclaimer

The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. Features, formats, and reports may vary based on Tally Prime software updates, user configurations, and business requirements. Always verify reports before using them for official submissions or compliance.