Validation Warnings in STP Events

This article lists the validation warnings we have set up that you may see once you have created a pay/update event. We have put these warnings in place to reduce the possibility of a failed or partially successful lodgement. However, please note, some errors can only be identified AFTER the event has been lodged with the ATO.

Warnings are either business related or specific to an employee. You will know whether the warning relates to a specific employee as it will include the employee's name in the front of the warning, for example:

Employee Warnings

The list of employee validations warnings, their meaning and required fix are as follows:

• A valid postcode is required: The postcode must be 4 digits and an actual valid postcode. This will need to be fixed in the employee's details. Ensure both the employee's residential and postal postcodes are corrected.
• Tax File Number is invalid: The Tax File Number (TFN) must be 8 or 9 digits and match valid TFN algorithms. If the employee's TFN is invalid, you can select the "The employee quoted an invalid TFN" option from the employee's Tax File Declaration screen and then follow up with the employee at a later time. 
• Address is too long: The Address Line 1 field in the employee's Details screen must be less than 39 characters. Ensure that Line 1 does not include the suburb and/or postcode and that Line 2 is also used for multi-line addresses. Additionally, ensure the fix has been applied to both the residential and postal address sections.  
• A valid address is required: The "Address Line 1" and/or "Suburb" fields have not been completed. Both fields are compulsory so ensure these are completed in the employee's Details screen for both the residential and postal address sections.
• Invalid date of birth: The employee's date of birth must be less than 110 years. This needs to be rectified in the employee's Details screen.
• Invalid email address: Email addresses go through a standard validation process. If this message appears, it may be that the email address contains an invalid character or the '@' symbol is missing. If the email address does appear to be correct, we suggest you completely delete it and enter it again. We have picked up on instances where the email address does contain invalid characters but they are not visible on the screen so deleting and re-entering is the easiest way to fix this.
• Year to date Allowances must NOT be negative: The ATO will not accept YTD allowance amounts that are negative (ie, less than $0). You will need to unlock the pay run and fix this before the employee can be added to the event.
• Year to date Super must NOT be negative: The ATO will not accept YTD SG contribution amounts that are negative (ie, less than $0). You will need to unlock the pay run and fix this before the employee can be added to the event.
• Year to date Super Deductions must NOT be negative: The ATO will not accept YTD salary sacrifice super contribution or employer contribution amounts that are negative (ie, less than $0). You will need to unlock the pay run and fix this before the employee can be added to the event.
• Year to date Union Fee Deductions must NOT be negative: The ATO will not accept YTD union fee deduction amounts that are negative (ie, less than $0). You will need to unlock the pay run and fix this before the employee can be added to the event.

Business Warnings

• Business is not enabled for lodgement: SBR or Electronic lodgement is not enabled. You cannot proceed without enabling both electronic lodgement and STP. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.
• Tax agent declaration signatory contains invalid characters: The user lodging the event may has an invalid email.
• Employer declaration signatory contains invalid characters: There are 2 possible scenarios here: (a) If an STP Pay Event Approver has been used to approve a lodgement, their email address may not be valid or (b) The user lodging the event may have an invalid email.
• ATO Supplier details must be completed: This means the ATO Supplier Settings have not been completed correctly or certain fields are missing data. Refer here for instructions on completing this section.
• The ABN entered for the Intermediary under ATO Settings is invalid: This warning will only appear if the business's ATO Settings are using "an intermediary for multiple Employing Entities" to lodge reports to the ATO. The issue here is that the ABN entered under the "Intermediary Details" section of the ATO Supplier Settings is invalid. Ensure the ABN entered is active and valid.
• The ABN entered for the Tax/BAS Agent under ATO Settings is invalid: This warning will only appear if the business's ATO Settings are using "a registered Tax/BAS Agent" to lodge reports to the ATO. The issue here is that the ABN entered under the "Tax/BAS Agent Details" section of the ATO Supplier Settings is invalid. Ensure the ABN entered is active and valid.
• Intermediary {Business Name} must have a contact phone number: This warning will only appear if the business's ATO Settings are using "an intermediary for multiple Employing Entities" to lodge reports to the ATO. The Phone Number field contained in the "Intermediary Details" section of the ATO Supplier Settings is empty. Ensure a phone number is entered in this field and only contains numeric characters.
• Intermediary {Business Name} has invalid characters in the contact phone number: This warning will only appear if the business's ATO Settings are using "an intermediary for multiple Employing Entities" to lodge reports to the ATO. The Phone Number field contained in the "Intermediary Details" section of the ATO Supplier Settings is invalid. Ensure the phone number only contains numeric characters.
• When lodging for multiple employing entities, the value of 'I will be lodging reports to the ATO' (under Payroll Settings > ATO Settings) must be set to either 'As a registered Tax/BAS Agent' or 'As an intermediary for multiple Employing Entities': If there are multiple employing entities set up in the business, the ATO Supplier Settings cannot be set as "As the Employer" lodging reports to the ATO. This setting must be one of 'As a registered Tax/BAS Agent' or 'As an intermediary for multiple Employing Entities'. You must fix these settings before you can proceed with the lodgement.
• The ABN entered for the {organisation name} under ATO Settings is invalid: This warning will only appear if the business's ATO Settings are using "As an Employer" to lodge reports to the ATO. The issue here is that the ABN entered in the ATO Supplier Settings screen is invalid. Ensure the ABN entered is active and valid.
• {Organisation Name} must have a phone number: This warning will only appear if the business's ATO Settings are using "As an Employer" to lodge reports to the ATO. You will need to ensure a valid phone number is entered in all of the following areas:
  1. Business Details screen;
  2. ATO Settings screen; and
  3. Employing Entities screen (if you have employing entities set up).
• {Organisation Name} has invalid characters in the phone number: This means the phone number entered is invalid. You will need to ensure a valid phone number - containing only numeric characters or spaces that must be greater than 2 and less than 16 characters - is entered in all of the following areas:
1. Business Details screen;
2. ATO Settings screen; and
3. Employing Entities screen (if you have employing entities set up).
• {Organisation Name} contains invalid characters: This means the Legal Name or Employing Entity name contains invalid or special characters not allowed by the ATO.  
• {Organisation Name} contact name contains invalid characters: This means the Contact Name field contains invalid or special characters not allowed by the ATO.
• Employing entity {Name} is not enabled for lodgement: SBR or Electronic lodgement is not enabled for the specified employing entity. You cannot proceed without enabling both electronic lodgement and STP. 

If you have any questions or feedback please let us know via support@yourpayroll.com.