PensionSync Flexible File Upload simplifies your pension upload process by replacing a series of manual CSV file uploads with a single "drag and drop" action to upload all the files to PensionSync in one go.
For a payroll bureau, this can reduce days' worth of manual pension administration to a few seconds' work, freeing payroll teams from laborious pension administration and giving them back time which they can re-invest in their client relationships.
To get started, follow these 5 simple steps:
1. Sign up as a PensionSync customer
Simply visit our website to sign up.
2. Sign in to the PensionSync Dashboard
When you sign up, you will be prompted to create login details so you can sign into the PensionSync Dashboard securely.
3. Link Schemes
You can authorise an individual employer's pension scheme or (with most pension providers) you can authorise them in bulk. This means that it takes just a couple of minutes to set up PensionSync connections for all your clients' pension schemes. This is usually a one time process. If you ever need to re-authorise any of the connections (e.g. because of a password change with the pension provider), we'll let you know and you can re-authorise in seconds. There is guidance on this step here.
4. Upload your pension data files
Each pay period, once you have run all your payrolls, you can drag and drop all your pension files into PensionSync. Watch as your entire pension upload work is completed quickly and easily: this example shows 25 Smart Pension files being uploaded in real time. The process is exactly the same for Nest, Aviva, People's Pension, NOW:Pensions and Legal & General (or any combination of these providers), and there is no limit on how many files you can bulk upload in one go.
5. Check the results
The PensionSync Dashboard provides you a helicopter view of all your clients' pension submissions, so you can see easily which ones are up to date and which ones have any outstanding actions required on them. Any pension errors are explained clearly so that you can identify and resolve the issue quickly.
You can choose to have a pre-delivery checking step if you wish - find out more about our Submission Approval tool.
FAQs
What types of CSV file does PensionSync accept?
PensionSync Flexible File Upload is based on PAPDIS data. This is a standard data file designed by the payroll and pension industries to provide a single data format to cover all pension scheme requirements.
Most payroll software products can export PAPDIS files. PensionSync accepts PAPDIS 1.0 and PAPDIS 1.1 versions, and also PASS 1.1 data (which is an extension of the PAPDIS data standard). Examples of these file types are attached to this article.
From early 2022, the system also accepts Nest enrolment and contribution CSV data formats and The People's Pension's full file CSV data format.
What if my software doesn't produce the right type of CSV file?
Don't worry. As long as the file has all the information your pension provider needs, with recognisable column headers, PensionSync can accept your file. There is an example of a very minimal file which could be uploaded to send contributions to Nest attached to this article.
If you unsure how to create a suitable file for uploading, please contact support.
Do I still need to complete some processes on the pension providers' websites?
No. PAPDIS data covers enrolments, contributions and leavers so as long as your file includes all the relevant information, there is need to enter anything directly into the pension providers' websites.
PensionSync approves payment for Nest schemes, and most other pension providers have an automatic collection option, so you don't need to log in to approve payments either.
How many files can I send at the same time?
You can send as many files as you need to. If you're sending larger numbers of files the system may take a little bit of time to process all the uploads.
How quickly will my files be accepted for processing?
Small batches of files (1-50) will generally be accepted for processing almost instantly. Even larger batches should be accepted for processing within a few minutes.
The exact upload times will vary slightly depending on the volume of files being uploaded at any one time and the load-balancing requirements of the system.
Can I send pension data for more than one pay period at the same time?
Best practice is to send the pension data each pay run - so you wouldn't typically need to send more than one pay period at the same time.
Most pension providers need the files to be sent in sequential order (so, for example, June's file needs to be processed before you can send July's file) and some of them need time to process each file before you can send the next one. This may cause errors if, for example, you try to send all your weekly payroll files in one go at the end of the month.
What happens after my files are accepted for processing?
Once a file has been accepted for processing, PensionSync fully validates the data and delivers it to the pension provider to be processed. The PensionSync Dashboard will display the latest status of the file throughout the process. If there are any errors, the PensionSync Dashboard will display a clear error report to help you identify and resolve the issue.
How do I keep an audit trail of files I have sent through PensionSync?
This couldn't be easier, as PensionSync keeps the audit trail for you. Once the file has been fully processed by the pension provider it will show as successful in the PensionSync Dashboard and an entry will be added to the PensionSync Submission History. You can view the Submission History on screen for each pension scheme you manage, or you can download a report showing all your clients' Submission Histories as and when you need it.
How can I get additional help?
Read about how to use our help centre for detailed guidance including common error messages for each of the pension providers PensionSync delivers data to. If you can't find what you're looking for feel free to reach out to the pension processing experts in our support team and we'll be happy to help.
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