Please see the downloads section for guidance documents and the latest ESS update.
To access the ESS log in page, please visit Employer Self-Service (ESS). Here you will also find process videos to assist you with key workflows, including monthly data submission.
If you would like support in using ESS please contact WMPFEmployerSystemSupport@wolverhampton.gov.uk
If you are looking for training in ESS, please visit ESS Training on Eventbrite to view and book your place.
July 2023 Update
Your access to Employer Self-Service (ESS)
Your username and temporary password will be supplied to you in two separate emails during week commencing 24th July 2023. Once received, please log into ESS via the Fund’s website using your new details. You will be required to reset your password and create three security questions upon accessing ESS for the first time. Please remember that only current active Employer Hub users will have new accounts created for them in ESS.
If you have not received your new log-in details by the end of Friday 28th July, please email WMPFEmployerSystemSupport@wolverhampton.gov.uk after you have checked your junk/spam folders.
Your designated slot for submitting your June monthly interface file in ESS
In order to ensure that the Fund can support our employers and payroll providers in submitting their first monthly data files in ESS, we are asking you to attempt to load your June interface file during the timeslot sent to you via email. You are, of course, at liberty to submit your June monthly data file at any point once you have received your log-in details, but please be advised that we will be prioritising those who are submitting during their allotted time for support if it is required.
Don’t forget to pay your June contributions on time (19/07/2023) and complete this online remittance form so that your payments can be allocated correctly.
Your interface file layout packs
The three workbooks that contain all you need to be able to start to create your files for the monthly, standard (member changes), and exit interfaces are in the downloads section on this webpage. Each pack contains:
- Notes tab: general guidance on how to use the workbook.
- Schema tab: Full file layout including field descriptions and colour-coded with mandatory/required if applicable/not required fields.
- Accepted codes tab: where data entry is fixed, all relevant codes are listed here.
- Header layout: the header row for each interface that can be pasted into your own spreadsheet.
- Sample file: an example of a completed file.
- Validations: full list of validations that are run against the data prior to submission to the Fund.
By way of a reminder, the three new interfaces will perform the following functions:
| File Type | Purpose | Notes |
| Monthly Interface | For the submission of earnings and contributions data for active members, joiners to the scheme, and immediate opt-outs (i.e., those members that have opted out of the scheme within three months of joining and have been refunded through the payroll). | Uses existing file layout, but the header row must be left in. Please replace your existing file layout with the one provided. No member data changes can be submitted through the monthly interface file. |
| Standard Interface | For the submission of any changes to a member record, such as change of name, marital status, address, service breaks, hours changes. Replaces S10 process in Employer Hub. | Multiple changes can be submitted for a member, but there must be one line per data type (e, g., change in name and marital status on one row with record type ‘PD’, and change of address on the next row with a record type of ‘COA’. |
| Exit Interface | For the submission of all leavers with the exception of immediate opt-outs (see monthly interface). Replaces S4 process in Employer Hub. | Multiple leaver types can be submitted on one file. Retirements and Death in Service where documents are required will start a document upload process against the relevant member(s). |
Training
If you haven’t done so already, please book onto one of our virtual data submission training sessions to support you in the creation and submission of your first interface files.
There is also a brief video where you can watch a demonstration of a monthly data interface submission in ESS.
Workflows in ESS
There are a number of workflows in ESS (known as processes in Employer Hub) that will be available to you, some of which directly replace and enhance existing Employer Hub processes, and some that will be new to you. Hopefully, the table below will help you to understand what’s coming in ESS:
| Workflow Name in ESS | Equivalent UPM Process | Function |
| Employer Referral
Fund → Employer |
Webtrays (S15 queries) | Allows Fund users to submit a query (either member or employer level) to ESS users. Case will be allocated to a user group or employer name. The workflow will allow Fund users to upload documents in a secure way and is intended to replace both the current 'S15' process and secure emails. Once a case has been submitted to an ESS user, they can respond within the case, also attaching documents. The case can be sent back and forward between ESS users and Fund staff until it's resolved. |
| Admin Referral
Employer → Fund |
Web employer query | Allows ESS users to submit a query (either member or employer level) to the Fund. The workflow will allow ESS users to upload documents in a secure way and is intended to replace both the current 'S15' process and secure emails. Once a case has been submitted to the Fund user, they can respond within the case, also attaching documents. The case can be sent back and forward between ESS users and Fund staff until it's resolved. |
| Employer update my contact details | N/A | Allows an ESS user to update their own title and email address. |
| Employer Maintenance - View Only - Employer | Replaces employer record view | Workflow to view employer information: basic details, valuation details. |
| Exit Interface | S4EL/S4RB | Replaces S4 process in Employer Hub. A bulk file that ESS users will submit that contains all type of leaver and opt-outs after three months (immediate opt-outs must still be submitted via monthly submission). Users can submit one or multiple leavers per file, and each file can be a mix of leaver types. If retirement/DIS is selected as a leaver type a document upload case will be auto-created to allow the user to submit RB1, etc. |
| Maintain Employer Contacts - Superuser | N/A | This workflow allows a superuser to update contact details held in the Contact Management System. They will be able to view and edit employer users as well as their contact links. |
| Monthly Submissions Interface | Monthly submission | Mirrors monthly submission process in Hub. Users will submit new joiner details, earnings and contributions data, additional payments, and opt-outs withing three months (refunded through payroll). Note: most validations happen prior to submission, and users cannot submit the next month's file until the current month's has been fully submitted. |
| Standard LGPS Interface | S10/Bulk member changes | Replaces S10 process and bulk member changes file in Employer Hub. Users will submit a standard interface to effect the following: member basic details changes, change in scheme section, change in cont. rate, hours changes (all members), service breaks (all members). |
In addition, an organisation’s Superuser(s) will be able to create, amend and revoke users for the organisations to which they have access.
June 2023 Update
Your interface file layout packs are here!
Now available in the downloads section on this web page are three workbooks that contain all you need to be able to start to create your files for the monthly, standard (member changes), and exit interfaces.
Each pack contains:
- Notes tab: general guidance on how to use the workbook.
- Schema tab: Full file layout including field descriptions and colour-coded with mandatory/required if applicable/not required fields.
- Accepted codes tab: where data entry is fixed, all relevant codes are listed here.
- Header layout: the header row for each interface that can be pasted into your own spreadsheet.
- Sample file: an example of a completed file.
- Validations: full list of validations that are run against the data prior to submission to the Fund.
By way of a reminder, the three new interfaces will perform the following functions:
| File Type | Purpose | Notes |
| Monthly Interface | For the submission of earnings and contributions data for active members, joiners to the scheme, and immediate opt-outs (i.e., those members that have opted out of the scheme within three months of joining and have been refunded through the payroll). | Uses existing file layout, but the header row must be left in. Please replace your existing file layout with the one provided. No member data changes can be submitted through the monthly interface file. |
| Standard Interface | For the submission of any changes to a member record, such as change of name, marital status, address, service breaks, hours changes. Replaces S10 process in Employer Hub. |
Multiple changes can be submitted for a member, but there must be one line per data type (e, g., change in name and marital status on one row with record type ‘PD’, and change of address on the next row with a record type of ‘COA’. |
| Exit Interface | For the submission of all leavers with the exception of immediate opt-outs (see monthly interface). Replaces S4 process in Employer Hub. |
Multiple leaver types can be submitted on one file. Retirements and Death in Service where documents are required will start a document upload process against the relevant member(s). |
Keep your eye out for an email that’s on its way to you detailing your allocated June data file submission slot.
May 2023 Update
Change to go-live date reminder
As we have previously confirmed, the go-live date for the new Employer Self-Service portal (ESS) will be 24-07-2023. This was confirmed in the latest edition (Spring) of the PAST newsletter that was issued to just over 1300 Fund contacts, including all current Hub users on 04-05-2023. If you haven’t received your copy, you can access it the Download section.
Please make sure you read the newsletter because it contains a large amount of critical information and actions that need to be taken prior to, and during, transition.
Further ESS training dates added
We are pleased to confirm that we have expanded our ESS support to include two full-day training sessions in July along with drop-in sessions throughout August at the Fund offices at i9 in Wolverhampton. These are offered alongside our regular webinars – new dates for which have now been added. All are bookable by clicking on the relevant links below.
General Navigation
This crucial session demonstrates the basic functionality of Employer Self Service (ESS), including logging in, and a high-level overview of data submission.
Running Estimates
Delegates will learn how to run estimates for the following retirement scenarios:
- Normal retirement
- Early retirement
- Redundancy
- Ill-health
- Flexible retirement
Reporting & Processes
Delegates will learn how to run the following reports:
- active member lists
- managed users
- employer queries
- contacts
- membership statistics
- interface reports
- cases due/cases outstanding.
And how to complete the following tasks:
- submit a query to the Fund
- amend your organisation's contact details
- manage ESS users.
Data Submission
Delegates will learn how to:
- Submit a monthly data file (including contribution data, new joiners, and immediate opt-outs)
- Submit leaver notifications
- Submit member changes (including hours changes and service break data).
ESS Training Days at Fund Offices
This all-day session at the Fund's offices in Wolverhampton will give you a complete overview of the new Employer Self Service platform, including logging in, data submission, running estimates and reporting.
ESS Drop-in at Fund Offices
These informal 'surgeries' will be your opportunity to come to WMPF at i9 and talk to us about any issues or queries that you have with the new admin system, ESS.
February 2023 Update 2: New training dates available
I am pleased to confirm that a new set of virtual training dates are now live, and are available to view on Eventbrite, or by selecting one of the dates below. Please note, you do not need to attend the sessions in 'order'; the numbering is a suggested order, but you are able to attend any session at any point. Additionally, there are multiple presentations of each session i.e., The 'General Navigation' session content will be the same on each date that it is scheduled, so you only need to attend one session from each set.
Virtual Training Sessions
1. General Navigation
2. Running Estimates
3. Reporting & Processes
4. Data Submission
February 2023 Update 1: Amendment to system transition timescales
As you are aware, the Fund and its partner EQ have been working together to bring our employers, our members, and the Fund a new pensions administration software system that includes new self-service portals for employers and members.
Thank you to those of you who have attended the briefing/training sessions we have held to date; we have seen a good level of engagement across our employers. We value your input into the Pension Administration System Transition (PAST) project and have been actively gathering your feedback and comments in relation to the project. We have listened to your views and comments and, as such, we have taken the decision to defer the roll-out of Employer Self-Service (ESS) to give you more time to prepare for the transition. Our new go-live date will be in Summer 2023: this move will allow you to attend more training prior to the change; give you the opportunity to review your current practices and align them to ESS's requirements; and give you more time to carry out the essential data-cleansing that will be required to ensure that only accurate member data is migrated. Please look out for the next edition of the PAST Newsletter for further details, including more training dates.
In light of this update, we have taken the decision to not shorten the timescale for the provision of February's monthly data file, and have reverted to the 19th March deadline. Please ensure that your February 2023 data file, and associated contributions, are submitted/paid to the Fund no later than 19th March 2023.This change also affects Member Self-Service: our Member Services Team will be communicating with members throughout the project to keep them updated.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. If you have any queries or comments in relation to the PAST project, please contact us at WMPFEmployerSystemSupport@wolverhampton.gov.uk.
January 2023 Update
Happy New Year!
ESS Training: New dates added
New dates have been added to our suite of ESS training, and will continue to be added as demand dictates. We strongly encourage every current Employer Hub user to attend at least one webinar or face-to-face session for each topic. The full suite of training is accessible here, or you can click on the dates and times in the table below to be taken to each specific session. Please note that each presentation of a specific topic is a repeat, so you will only need to attend one session for each topic, but you are more than welcome to attend multiple presentations of the same topic if you wish.
Virtual Sessions:
| 1. General Navigation | More dates coming soon! | |||
| 2. Data Submission | More dates coming soon! | |||
| 3. Running Estimates | More dates coming soon! | |||
| 4. Reporting | More dates coming soon! |
At Fund Offices (i9):
| New dates coming soon! | |
Hub Access
Current active Hub users will have access to ESS created automatically for them - in order to ensure continuity of access, if you are a current Hub user, please ensure that you have logged into Hub at least once between now and transition to ensure that you will have a user account in ESS created automatically. Users that have not recently accessed Hub will not have an ESS account created, and will have to have access re-established by the Superuser in your organisation.
Monthly Submissions
Whilst the current monthly submission file layout will remain, there are some key process changes that you need to be aware of:
- To prevent the Fund having to contact employers with queries after your files have been submitted, more validations will be run before you submit your file to the Fund, giving you the opportunity to investigate and rectify issues in real-time.
- Your data file must include the 8-digit pension reference numbers for ALL members - '0' will no longer be acceptable. If the member is a new joiner to the scheme, the field must be left blank.
- Your data file must include a unique payroll number for each post/pension record per member.
- Most validations are run against members' records during the process, and not after submission to the Fund.
- Your monthly data file, which must still be submitted as a .CSV file, will require the header row to be included.
- Error resolution will be done by downloading, amending, and re-uploading a resubmission file.
- Your remittance advice will not be produced, and the contribution data will not be posted to member or employer records, unless all errors have been cleared.
- You will not be able to submit your next file until the previous file has been submitted. For example, if you have not uploaded, validated, corrected errors.
General Pension Administration
It is critical that all routine pension administration is up-to-date prior to migration; therefore, please can you ensure that the following final deadlines are noted and adhered to;
Now
- Respond to all data queries:
- Monthly data feedback
- Outstanding S15 queries
- McCloud data queries
- Notify us of any significant membership changes
- Check your current Hub users
- Log into Employer Hub to ensure your access remains active
- Check your active member lists
November 2022 Update
Training sessions are now available to book!
The first group of virtual and on-site Employer Self-Service training sessions have been scheduled, commencing in December 2022. We strongly encourage every current Employer Hub user to attend at least one webinar or face-to-face session for each topic. The full suite of training is accessible here, or you can click on the dates and times in the table above to be taken to each specific session. Please note that each presentation of a specific topic is a repeat, so you will only need to attend one session for each topic, but you are more than welcome to attend multiple presentations of the same topic if you wish.
August 2022 Update
We are currently working closely with EQ to create an employer platform that works for you. The transition Employer Self-Serve (ESS) platform will bring many benefits, not least:
- Efficiencies through greater automation
- Greater levels of management information
- Refined member changes and leaver notification processes (workflows)
- Self-serve employer contact updates
- Secure, two-way messaging between the Fund and ESS users
- Scheme information at your fingertips
- Enhanced dashboards for improved error resolution
In addition to the above enhancements, users will still retain the ability to complete the following tasks:
- Maintain your own ESS users
- Run member benefit estimates
- Submit monthly contribution data and joiner information
- Search for member records
As well as a new employer platform, EQ are delivering a new pension administration system for WMPF (Compendia Touch) and a new member platform - Member Self- Serve (MSS) with the transition date for all users (WMPF, employers and members) set for April 2023. Our Member Services Team will be reaching out to all members over the coming months to support them in the transition.
To ensure that the transition to Compendia, ESS and MSS goes as smoothly as possible, we are asking all employers to act now to ensure that the data we hold for you and your members is accurate, so please, if you haven't already, complete the following tasks:
- Submit your 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2021 McCloud Data - the last date that the process will be available for the submission of this data is Wednesday 30th November 2022.
- Log into Hub and run the following reports; Contact List , Active Member List, and the Hub User Report - check them for accuracy and notify us of any changes
- Ensure your monthly data submissions and contributions are up to date
- Ensure that you have no outstanding joiners
- Ensure that you have no outstanding leavers
- Notify us of any significant employer changes; for example, academy conversions, academy trust changes, large-scale member movements, existing contracts ceasing, new contracts awarded
During this period of transition, the Fund will work closely with employers to ensure that expectations and requirements are effectively communicated, planned for, and actioned. Please be alert to the fact that current and future submission requirements may be subject to change, but the Fund will provide appropriate training and support to help you prepare for the transition to the new portal and its processes; keep your eye on future communications about the transition and share the details of any training sessions with individuals at your organisation who will need to attend.