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Fixing errors with your PAPDIS upload

Learn how to fix errors on your Papdis file

Managing Errors When Uploading a PAPDIS File

When uploading a PAPDIS file, if there are issues with the data, you will receive an “Errors detected” status. This means that some of the data has been uploaded successfully, but errors were found and need to be corrected. Each specific error will be displayed on the screen for you to review.

You can correct the issues within this error file and then re-upload it.

It’s crucial to also update your payroll software to reflect any corrections made to avoid repeating the same error in future uploads.

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

Here are some of the most common error messages you'll encounter when your file shows an "Errors detected" status, along with instructions on how to resolve them:

1. Error: The Pay Period Start Date Must Be One Day After the End of the Previous Pay Period

  • Details: The pay period specified doesn’t follow the last uploaded pay period for this employee. This could mean a pay period is missing or has already been uploaded.

  • How to Fix:

    • If a contribution already exists for this pay period, no action is needed.

    • For missing pay periods, create contributions for those periods first and then re-upload the current pay period.

2. Error: Contribution Rates Are Below the Legal Minimum

  • Details: The contribution rates for the company or employee are below the legal minimum for auto enrolment.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure the company contribution is at least 3% and the total contribution (including employee) is at least 8%. For certified schemes, the required contributions may differ. Check your pensionable earnings basis for the correct rates.

    • Correct the contribution percentages and upload the file again.

3. Error: This National Insurance Number Is Already Linked to an Employee

  • Details: The NI number is already in use on another employee’s record.

  • How to Fix:

    • Double-check the employee ID to ensure it’s correct.

    • If the employee is a rehire, remove the NI number (and email address) from the previous record and upload the file again.

4. Error: National Insurance Number Format is Wrong

  • Details: The National Insurance number in column R is invalid.

  • How to Fix:

    • Correct the NI number format to a valid one and upload the file again.

    • If you do not have the correct NI number or only have a temporary one, remove it from the file and upload the file again.

5. Error: The ‘Ends On’ Date Cannot Be Before Active Membership Starts

  • Details: The 'ends on' date is before the employee's opt-in date or employment start date.

  • How to Fix:

    • Change the 'ends on' date to be on or after the employee's opt-in or employment start date and upload the file again.

6. Error: Employment Start Date Format is Wrong / Exit Date Format is Wrong

  • Details: The employment start date or exit date is in an incorrect format.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure the dates are in the correct format: DD-MM-YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD.

    • After correcting the format, upload the file again.


7. Error: You Cannot Change an Assessment Code

  • Details: The assessment code for the same period has been changed in the PAPDIS file.

  • How to Fix:

    • Delete the contribution record from the Contributions page.

    • Update the assessment code to match the previous submission and upload the file again.

8. Error: You Cannot Change an Event Code

  • Details: The event code for the same period has changed in the PAPDIS file.

  • How to Fix:

    • Delete the contribution record from the Contributions page.

    • Update the event code to match the previous submission and upload the file again.

9. Error: You Can Only Amend Contributions in a Created/Payment Failed/Payment Cancelled State

  • Details: The PAPDIS file has been uploaded for a period, but the contribution is not in a "created," "payment failed," or "payment cancelled" state (e.g., payment pending).

  • How to Fix:

    • Contact us if the contributions are incorrect.

10. Error: Employee Not Found

  • Details: The employee record doesn’t exist in the system.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure the employee exists in the system. If they are a new joiner, make sure you have uploaded their details before attempting the PAPDIS file upload.

    • If the employee is missing, manually add their details into the Thrive Employer Portal and upload the file again.

11. Error: Contribution Date Mismatch

  • Details: The contribution date provided in the file doesn’t match the date range for the pay period.

  • How to Fix:

    • Check that the contribution date aligns with the employee’s pay period.

    • Correct the contribution date and upload the file again.

12. Error: Invalid Job Title

  • Details: The job title entered in the PAPDIS file does not meet the required format or contains invalid characters.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure that job titles are entered without any special characters (e.g., commas, apostrophes, etc.).

    • Re-enter job titles correctly and re-upload the file.

13. Error: Invalid Salary Format

  • Details: The salary amount entered for an employee is in the wrong format (e.g., missing decimals or contains letters).

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure salary values are numeric and properly formatted (e.g., no currency symbols and correct decimal placement).

    • Correct the salary format and upload the file again.

14. Error: No Employer Contribution Found

  • Details: There is no employer contribution specified in the file, but one is required for the employee.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure that the employer contribution is filled out for each employee.

    • If applicable, verify the correct employer contribution percentage and re-upload the file.

15. Error: Missing Employee Email Address

  • Details: The employee’s email address is missing or invalid in the file.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure the email address for each employee is correct and provided in the file. If it’s missing, add the email address for each employee and upload the file again.

16. Error: Invalid Contribution Period

  • Details: The contribution period does not align with the employee’s contract.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure that the contribution period is correctly set for each employee based on their pay cycle.

    • Correct the contribution period and re-upload the file.

17. Error: Missing or Invalid Date of Birth

  • Details: The employee’s date of birth is either missing or entered incorrectly.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure the employee’s date of birth is included and entered in the correct format (DD-MM-YYYY or YYYY-MM-DD).

    • Correct any missing or incorrect birth dates and re-upload the file.

18. Error: Pensionable Earnings Not Specified

  • Details: The pensionable earnings figure for an employee is missing or incorrect.

  • How to Fix:

    • Verify that pensionable earnings are entered for each employee and that the figures are correct.

    • Correct or add pensionable earnings and re-upload the file.

19. Error: Invalid Postcode

  • Details: The postcode provided for the employee is incorrect or does not match the expected format.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure that the employee’s postcode follows the correct format (e.g., UK postcodes).

    • Correct any invalid or missing postcodes and re-upload the file.

20. Error: Employment Type is Missing or Incorrect

  • Details: The employment type (full-time, part-time, temporary, etc.) is either missing or incorrect in the file.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure the employment type for each employee is specified and matches the options available in the system.

    • Add or correct the employment type and re-upload the file.

21. Error: Duplicate Employee Record

  • Details: The same employee is listed more than once in the PAPDIS file.

  • How to Fix:

    • Review the file for duplicate entries for the same employee.

    • Remove the duplicates and re-upload the file.

22. Error: Invalid Contribution Amount

  • Details: The contribution amount for the employee is outside the allowed range or format.

  • How to Fix:

    • Ensure the contribution amounts are within the legal limits and correctly formatted.

    • Correct any invalid contribution figures and re-upload the file.

Conclusion

It’s important to carefully review and resolve the errors flagged during your PAPDIS file upload. By following the guidelines provided for each error message, you can ensure that the file is corrected and successfully re-uploaded. If you're unsure about any specific errors or need additional help, feel free to reach out to our support team.