ECR version 2.0 Employee Provident Fund Office (EPFO) is doing a high-quality job improvising the strategies. First, they released a UAN layout for all workers with the intention to stay with a worker for a lifetime between group changes, thereby simplifying his/her PF tracking. And as a predominant step in extra simplifying the strategies for employers, they've extended the challan submitting method. As part of this initiative, EPFO has launched the following variant of digital Challan cum Returns (ECR) format on the twentieth December 2016. In order to carry out the migration to the new version of ECR (a.k.a. ECR 2.0), the unified portal made inactive from 17th Dec to 20th Dec 2016.
To minimize the complexity of the prevailing method, the EPFO has revised the existing ECR file layout and the ECR submitting portal.
Few aspects of ECR version 2.0
- The number of fields has reduced from 25 (in ECR) to 11 (in ECR 2.0).
- The ECR 2.0 will be a completely UAN based format so only the contribution of employees with UAN can be uploaded. The employer can file the monthly EPF returns only after generating the UAN numbers, with the updated KYCs, against each UAN numbers.
- Separate ECR for ‘Arrears’ will generate. This ECR will have 8 data fields and will cover only employees with arrear payments.
- Till now PF wages were required by EPFO, but going forward, the employer needs to declare employees’ monthly ‘Gross Salary’ as part of ECR 2.0.
- Before filing the monthly ECR, you can now download the blank ECR file pre-filled with the UAN numbers and names and thus eliminating the need to enter the UAN details again for the preparation of the ECR file. This will also be available for the Arrears file.
- The earlier ECR was available for 12 days for online payment, after which it would lapse. In the new version, it will not lapse and you can make the payment after uploading the same through the online payment link. However, for the delay beyond the due date, the applicable charges will apply.
These exclude the below fields
- Member ID
- Employee contribution due
- Employer contribution due
- Employee Pension Scheme contribution due
- All arrear fields and other employee information fields
What does this mean for you as an HRAPP / Payroll Administrator?
Every Employer is required to update the UAN details for all your employees in HRAPP system for PF filing to work since ECR 2.0 is completely UAN based.
To check existing UAN information for all employee, and to bulk update the same, please follow the following steps:
Go to Reports >> Payroll Reports >> UAN BASED ECR
Have a look at Previous enhancements
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