What's covered in this guide?
Overview
PAPDIS (Payroll and Pensions Data Interface Standard) is a UK industry standard that allows employers to securely transfer payroll and pension contribution information to pension providers.
Using the PAPDIS export, you can generate a standardised CSV file directly from a completed pay run, helping reduce manual data entry and streamline pension administration.
Generate a PAPDIS export
To generate a PAPDIS export:
Navigate to Payroll.
Open the completed Pay Run you want to export.
Select Actions
Click Generate PAPDIS.
Wait while the system prepares the file.
The system will begin generating the file in the background and display a progress indicator while the export is being prepared.
Review validation errors and warnings
Before generating the file, Workforce validates the information required by the PAPDIS standard.
If any mandatory information is missing, you'll be presented with validation errors and direct links to the employee records that require updates.
Validation errors
Errors must be resolved before a valid PAPDIS file can be generated.
Common examples include:
Missing employee name
Missing date of birth
Missing gender
Missing National Insurance Number (NINO)
Missing address details
Missing employment start date
Missing pension information
Selecting an error will take you directly to the relevant section of the employee profile to make corrections.
Validation warnings
Warnings highlight information that may affect the export but do not necessarily prevent file generation.
Examples include:
Unsupported pay frequencies
Missing pension provider references
Pension configuration issues
💡 Tip: Review all warnings before submitting your PAPDIS file to your pension provider to help avoid processing issues.
Download your PAPDIS file
Once the export has been successfully generated:
Open the completed PAPDIS export.
Review any validation messages.
Click Download File.
The file will download as a PAPDIS 1.1-compliant CSV file that can be submitted to your pension provider.
File naming convention
PAPDIS files are automatically named using the following format:
papdis - [pay group name] - [pay run start date] - [pay run end date]
This makes it easier to identify and track exported files across multiple pay runs.
Understand PAPDIS data requirements
The PAPDIS export uses information from employee records, pension settings, and the selected pay run.
Employee information
The export may include:
First name and surname
Date of birth
Gender
National Insurance Number (NINO)
Residential address
Employment start date
Pension information
The export may include:
Pension provider membership details
Enrolment status
Contribution amounts
Opt-in and opt-out dates
Deferral dates
Pension assessment categories
Pay run information
The export uses information from the selected pay run, including:
Pay period dates
Pension contributions
Salary sacrifice arrangements
Pay frequency
Salary sacrifice contributions
Where a pension membership uses salary sacrifice:
Employee pension contributions are reported as £0.00.
The sacrificed contribution amount is reported as an employer contribution.
This ensures the PAPDIS file reflects the correct pension contribution arrangement.
Pay frequency mapping
The system automatically maps supported pay frequencies to PAPDIS values.
Pay Frequency | PAPDIS Code |
Weekly | W1 |
Fortnightly | W2 |
Four Weekly | W4 |
Monthly | M1 |
📝 Important to note: Semi-monthly and custom pay frequencies are not directly supported by PAPDIS. The system will generate a warning when these frequencies are encountered.
FAQs and Troubleshooting
Why can't I generate a PAPDIS file?
Why can't I generate a PAPDIS file?
PAPDIS exports may be unavailable if:
The PAPDIS feature has not been enabled for your organisation.
Required employee information is missing.
Required pension membership details are incomplete.
Review any validation errors shown on the export page and update the relevant employee records before trying again.
Why am I receiving a gender validation error?
Why am I receiving a gender validation error?
PAPDIS requires a gender value to be supplied.
If an employee's gender is missing or contains a value that is not supported by the PAPDIS specification, the export will return a validation error until the employee record is updated.
Why is my employee showing an enrolment or exit event?
Why is my employee showing an enrolment or exit event?
PAPDIS records pension enrolment and exit events when they occur during the relevant pay period.
This may include:
Automatic enrolment
Opt-ins
Entitled worker requests
Employment terminations
Pension opt-outs
Why are contribution amounts different when using salary sacrifice?
Why are contribution amounts different when using salary sacrifice?
For salary sacrifice pension arrangements, employee contributions are reported as employer contributions within the PAPDIS file. This is expected behaviour and complies with PAPDIS reporting requirements.