How to fix a “BAD request” employee sync error

Use this guide when an employee in Roubler shows a “BAD request” sync error.

A BAD request message is a general sync error. It does not always show which field is causing the problem. Work through the checks below in order.

We are currently working on improving the BAD request error message so it explains the specific issue and the action needed more clearly. Until this improvement is available, this guide provides the common checks that can help identify and fix the problem.

Before you start

You will need:

• Access to the employee profile and permission to edit it.

• The affected employee’s details.

An administrator is not always required. A manager can complete these checks if their permission group allows them to view and update employee profiles and access the Finance and Payroll sections. Not every manager role has this access. If a field is hidden or read-only, ask an administrator or a manager with payroll access to complete the update.

Do not create a second employee profile while troubleshooting. This can create duplicate records and make the sync problem harder to fix.

1. Find the affected employee

1. Go to Employees.

2. Use Show/Hide Columns and add the Sync Error column.

3. Sort the Sync Error column so employees with errors appear together.

4. Open the affected employee’s profile.

5. Record the employee’s Roubler ID. It is usually shown in the employee profile URL.

6. Take a screenshot of the exact error message.

2. Check the employee’s personal details

Open each section and check that the information is complete and correct:

• Personal Information: name, date of birth, email address, start date and employment status.

• Address Information: street address, suburb, state and postcode. Enter the suburb in the Suburb field only, using the correct spelling recognised by the payroll system. Do not add the state, postcode or extra address information to the suburb field.

• Right to Work: visa or citizenship details, where applicable.

• Bank Accounts: BSB, account number and account name.

• Superannuation: fund name, USI and member number.

Compare the information with the employee’s approved records or bank and superannuation documents. Do not guess missing values.

Common examples include an incorrect Super USI, a super fund entered as free text instead of selected from the list, invalid bank details or a suburb that is misspelled or contains extra information.

Common fixes from previous BAD request cases

These are the most common fixes identified in previous Roubler support cases:

Important: select the super fund from the list

When entering a regulated super fund:

1. Start typing the fund name in the Fund Name field.

2. Wait for the matching options to appear.

3. Select the fund from the dropdown list.

4. Check that the USI is automatically populated and correct.

5. Save the employee profile and sync again.

Do not type or paste the fund name manually. A manually entered fund name may not be linked to the correct USI and can cause a BAD request or invalid super fund error. If the correct fund does not appear, do not choose a similar fund. Contact your payroll administrator or Support. For a self-managed super fund, select the self-managed option and enter the required SMSF details instead.

3. Check Finance and Payroll settings

Open the employee’s Finance and Payroll section and compare the settings with the payroll system.

Check:

• Employment type.

• Employment agreement or award.

• Pay level.

• Pay rate or pay rate template.

• Pay type or primary pay category.

• Pay group or pay schedule.

• Remuneration type.

• External ID or payroll employee ID.

• Leave template, if one is assigned.

Make sure the selected agreement, pay level, pay category and pay schedule are current. A missing or retired pay level or pay category can prevent the employee from syncing.

4. Check whether the employee was previously terminated

If the employee worked for the business before:

1. Search the employee list for an older or terminated profile.

2. Check for matching email address, date of birth, TFN or external ID.

3. Check whether the employee has more than one profile.

4. If the employee was rehired, use the correct rehire process rather than creating another profile.

Do not delete or change an old profile unless you are certain which record is linked. Contact Support if duplicate or terminated profiles are found.

5. Save and sync one section at a time

To help identify the problem:

1. Make one known correction.

2. Save the employee profile.

3. Sync the employee.

4. Check whether the error has changed or cleared.

5. Record which change was made.

6. Continue with the next section only if the error remains.

Avoid changing many unrelated fields at the same time. This makes it difficult to identify which field fixed the error.

6. Check the result after syncing

When the sync succeeds, open the employee’s:

• Pay Run Defaults.

• Pay Rates.

• Pay Run Inclusions.

• Finance and Payroll details.

Confirm that the information is present and matches the intended payroll setup.

A successful profile sync does not replace a payroll check. Review the employee’s pay details before processing payroll.

Common causes and next steps

When to contact Support

Contact Support if the error remains after completing the checks, or if you find duplicate, terminated or incorrectly linked profiles.

Include:

• Company name.

• Employee name and Roubler ID.

• Exact error message.

• Screenshot of the error.

• Whether the employee is new, existing or rehired.

• Payroll employee ID and external ID, if available.

• The sections you checked.

• Any changes you made and the result after syncing.

• Whether Pay Run Defaults or Pay Rates are blank.

This information helps Support identify whether the issue is caused by employee data, payroll configuration, a duplicate profile or a backend sync problem.

For further help, visit the Roubler Support knowledge base.