The Import SL1 data utility allows you to bulk import student loan collection start notices as issued within a downloaded SL1 data file called message.csv from the HMRC-Government Gateway web pages.
The payroll types and companies accessible depend on your security access to the payroll types and companies. If your system is set up to use location security within the employee records module your security access within the employee records module also has a bearing on the import, data will only be imported creating court order records if you have the required access.
The option may not be used whilst the payroll type is confirmed since the import may alter the value of the payroll calculated.
To access the Import SL1 data option:-
The Payroll Password form is displayed.
Enter your payroll password.
The PAYROLL menu is displayed.
Select the Miscellaneous options option.
The PR MISCELLANEOUS OPTIONS menu is displayed.
Select the Utility options option.
The UTILITIES menu is displayed.
Select the Import SL1 data option.
The Import SL1 data form is displayed.
The Import SL1 data form is displayed when the Import SL1 data option is selected from the UTILITIES menu.
What do you want to do or be advised about?
Preparation steps prior to using the Import SL1 data option
You should first register your PAYE office and employer reference on the Government Gateway, activate the registration and elect to receive forms such as SL1 - Student Loan Collection start notices.
You will receive an Email from HMRC directed to the Email address declared on your Government Gateway registration.
The EMail subject will read You have received new messages from HMRC.
The EMail text will read as below or similar:-
Please be advised that one or more tax notices (SL1) has been issued.
If you access your PAYE notices and reminders through the HMRC Website:
- Go on line at www.hmrc.gov.uk or http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk and select 'PAYE for employers' from the 'do it online' menu.
- Enter your User ID and Password
- Select 'View latest tax codes'
Please do not reply to this e-mail.
In fact there are several internet addresses that can be used. Use an internet browser to connect to https://online.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/index.jsp
Enter the User ID and Password and click Login
Click PAYE
View latest tax codes
Click Download to download the file with the name message.csv into your C:\TMP folder on your PC or wherever you have defined your import directory within the payroll System maintenance option called System parameters.
Warning: Do not open and save the message.csv file in Excel since this may save the data file into an incompatible format.
You have now completed the preparatory stages and may now use the Import SL1 data form.
Use of the Import SL1 data form
The form shows the payroll companies, payroll types, tax districts, tax references, your access status, the confirmed status and a Selected column. Provided you have access to the payroll type and is un-confirmed it will default to you selecting the payroll type. You may however untick the Selected column for a payroll type if there is any reason for why it should not be data imported. Click the Select all check box to select all payroll types that you are allowed to import data to if you have earlier changed the selection.
Browse for the message.csv file and click the Open button to open the import file. The browser will go to the default client directory defined within the current payroll company system parameters but may be amended from the default of C:\TMP if required by amending the System parameters.
As each new payroll type/company combination with a valid record for creation of the court order record is found you will be prompted to select the type of court order to use. The system will default to using a court order type called STUDENTM for monthly collection of student loans and STUDENTW for weekly collection of student loans. View the title of the form to see which payroll type is required.
Tip : Click the Ellipsis button
to search for a court order type from the court order type file for those types set up as student loan deductions.
Click OK.
You are next prompted to enter the court order control expense code. The window title will show the payroll company identifier, payroll type and also the employee number.
Tip : Click the Ellipsis button
You may also then select an option to prevent prompting for further court order control expense details. Choose from one of the following options:-
Enter expense code for each court order created
Use this expense code for all future court orders within this payroll type
Use this expense code for all future court orders within this payroll company - the default option
Use this expense code for all future court orders
- Click OK to proceed.
If the BACS module is used by the payroll type you are then next prompted to complete the BACS details. The window title will show the payroll company identifier, payroll type and also the employee number.
BACS payment: Tick the BACS payment field if the court order payment is to be paid by BACS, leave it blank if the payment is being paid by another method such as cheque and then proceed to choose you required BACS selection and click OK. Once the BACS payment field is ticked the other fields on the Enter BACS details form are accessible.
Bank sort code: Six digit sort code.
Note: If the sort code entered begins with zeros the leading zeros are not shown but are used on the BACS transmission.
Bank account number: Eight digit account code.
Bank account type: A single digit between 0 and 9. Normally this is zero but this needs to checked with the financial organisation used by the issuer of the court order.
Bank account name: Eighteen character account name. A check is performed for invalid characters.
BACS reference: Eighteen character reference for the court order payment. A check is performed for invalid characters.
BACS category: A one character payment category if payments are to be generated into their own BACS batch otherwise left blank if the payment is to be combined with other BACS transactions for the payroll period.
Tip : Click the Ellipsis button
You may also then select an option to prevent prompting for further BACS details. Choose from one of the following options:-
Enter BACS details for each court order created
Do not complete BACS details for future court orders within this payroll type
Do not complete BACS details for future court orders within this payroll company
Do not complete BACS details for future court orders created
- Click OK to proceed.
The result of the import is shown in a message such as #### SL1 data lines processed out of a total of ####, see print out for details. Click OK to this message to return to the UTILITIES MENU and check the import report for errors. For information on the audit report click Import SL1 data process and audit report.
Import SL1 data process and audit report
Once the message.csv file has been copied to the server each record is read in turn and checked for validity. A valid record has to match the following criteria:-
- Field C is a date format ##/##/#### for the issue date
- Field D reads SL1
- Field F is in the XX######X or XX###### format for the NI number
- Field H is a date format ##/##/#### for the start date
Once a valid record has been found further more detailed checks are performed with errors reported in a printed report. If the payroll record referred to on the message.csv sheet has been found with all criteria met a new court order record is created.
The messages are shown in this help file in alphabetical order in order to make finding the message simpler. Find your message within this help file and then carry out the actions recommended below. Ensure for each record not updated that an appropriate action has been carried out.
Message Notes
Check the sequence of the court orders The court order has successfully been created but the sequence is more than one suggesting another court order exists for the employee. Check the sequence for all court orders for the employee is correct. The sequence controls the order that deductions are taken.
Employee record not found An employee record within a payroll company of the matching tax district and employer reference and with the NI number in column F of the import sheet cannot be found. Note that if there are two or more employees satisfying the PAYE district, employer reference and NI number criteria each payroll record has a court order record created.
Employer reference not found The tax district and employer reference in column B of the import sheet cannot be found in your employer records. See Employer records.
Error creating court order record Saving the court order record has failed. Refer this message to the accounts software support team.
Error creating payroll record Saving the payroll record has failed. Refer this message to the accounts software support team.
Not updated, CSL record already present The employee has already been found to have a court order student loan deduction record and therefore another record is not being added. Check the record is correct and amend the court order record if not correct.
Not updated due to employee security restrictions If the employee record module has the location security field in the system parameters and the parameter is non blank a security check is performed. The employee record security record is loaded and the location security checked against the employee record LOCATION and GRADE fields. If you do not have the correct security access the message is reported. You should ask another user with the correct security to create the court order by using the Import SL1 data option.
Not updated due to payroll security restrictions The employee record belongs to a payroll type that you do not have access to and therefore the access is blocked. You should ask another user with the correct security to create the court order by using the Import SL1 data option.
Not updated - effective date later than period end If the effective date in field H is after the current payroll period end date defined by the payroll type parameters the import will not occur since it represents a future dated deduction. You should update the payroll record later.
Not updated - employee has left The payroll record has successfully been accessed but the employee is set as left and therefore the update will not take place.
Not updated, payroll has not been selected The employee record belongs to a payroll type that you have chosen not to update despite having the correct security access to update the record. You should create the court order by using the Import SL1 data option later.
Not updated - payroll is confirmed The pay type for the correct payroll record has been loaded and found to be confirmed - updates are not allowed on confirmed payrolls. You should update the payroll record later.
Not updated - unable to read payroll record It has not been possible to read and lock the payroll record, check no other users are accessing the record. Contact the accounts software support team if this message persists.
Update of own record blocked for security restrictions This is reported if the current payroll type blocks amendments to your own record as defined by the payroll type parameter called Block edit of own record being ticked and if the user id on the employee record matches the current login user id. You should ask another user with the correct security to create the court order by using the Import SL1 data option.
The message.csv file lay out
The message.csv file you have downloaded from HMRC - Government Gateway for use with the Import SL1 data option is as follows for each column:-
Column Field Notes
A Employer name Not used.
B Employer reference ###/XXXXXXXXXXXX format. Used to match the employer record tax district and tax reference fields.
C Issue date Not used. Validated to ensure it is in the ##/##/#### format.
D Form type SL1 - validated.
E Employee name Not used.
F NI number XX###### or XX###### format. Used to load the employee.
G Work no. Not used.
H Start date ##/##/#### format - used with the period end date.
