Follow this guide to handle pay run errors and exceptions. There are three sections to this guide, which you must follow carefully in order:
- Check the Pay run and Pay run Report screens and logs to identify the error, and use the exception lookup table below
- Usually, you will then handle the report submission exception, but not always
- Handle the Pay run exception
1. Check the Error details and Logs #
You will first need to view the pay run log, then the report logs.
Pay run log #
Left menu Pay runs
If either All Status and All Severity columns are not all green, that signifies an ERROR or WARNING. The Pay run may be showing as ERROR, and/ or the pay run may be stuck on Wait:
Click the Error button on any pay runs, and 1. View details dropdown
You will now be viewing details of the Pay Run. This has multiple tabs, and all tabs with errors are shown with an ERROR badge:
Review all errors for each tab with the Errors badge to understand the nature of the error and to establish the cause.
For example, click the Logs tab and look for any ERROR (you may need to click the Next screen control at the bottom of the page):
Report log(s) #
Click the Pay run Reports tab:
- View each report with an ERROR status/severity to establish the cause of the error.
- Scroll down to see the details.
- Click on the Logs tab and look for any ERROR (you may need to click the Next screen control at the bottom of the page):
Exception lookup table #
Once you have found the error, carefully match it to the row in the table below. Then follow the steps depending on whether you have an
- Unapproved In progress Pay run or
- Approved Pay Run:
| Report, Status/Severity and Logs | Pay run Status/Severity and Logs | Explanation of what happened | Unapproved Pay run -Steps to handle the exception | Approved Pay run – Step(s) to handle the exception |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All reports, DONE No errors in log | ERROR Reports taking too long | The pay run workflow stopped waiting after 300 seconds (5 minutes); sometime after that, the FPS, EPS or NEST reports were completed successfully. | Redo | 3a Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved). |
| Any report, ERROR ServerError: Failure at <other end>… Details: <exceeded n retries> or <other error> | ERROR Reports taking too long | – The other end did not respond after n attempts, and the report submissions were never completed. – The other end failed causing it to respond in an unexpected manner. | – Wait a short while – Redo – On repeated failure, contact the other end for support | – Wait a short period. – 2.1 Continue the submission; if that fails, 2.2 Restart the submission. – 3a. Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved). |
| FPS/EPS, ERROR The supplied user credentials failed validation for the requested service. (1046) | ERROR Reports taking too long | The HMRC server is experiencing a problem in looking up credentials if the Pay run is either: – Not approved – Approved, and you are certain that the FPS and/or EPS credentials are correct | – Wait a short while – Redo | – Wait for a short period. – 2.1 Continue the submission; if that fails, 2.2 Restart the submission. – 3a. Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved). |
| FPS/EPS, ERROR The submission of this document has failed due to departmental specific business logic in the Body tag. (3001) | ERROR Reports taking too long | You must correct the report Submission error in your Pay run. Note that HMRC reports many types of errors. | – Correct the error – Redo | – 3b. Disapprove the payrun so updates can be made (invalidates existing submissions). – Correct the error – Approve |
| FPS/EPS, ERROR The supplied user credentials failed validation for the requested service. (1046) | ERROR Reports taking too long | The FPS and/or EPS credentials are incorrect. | N/A | – 2.3. Reload settings. – 3a. Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved). |
| GB Xero, ERROR RuntimeError: Token refresh_token error Bad Request (400). InvalidToken Xero API in ERROR state | ERROR RuntimeError: Waited more than 300s for reports | The Xero token has expired/is invalid and needs to be refreshed. | N/A | – Refresh the Xero token. – 2.3. Reload settings – 3a Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved). |
| GB NEST Enrol and Contribute, ERROR ServerError: Sorry we are unable to process this request. This is because either your NEST online account is locked or you haven’t yet activated your NEST online account. | – | – Unlock your account by using the ‘Unlock my account’ link on the Login page on NEST’s website. – Redo | – 2.2 Restart the submission. – 3a. Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved). | |
| GB NEST Enrol and Contribute, ERROR RuntimeError: No usable groups. Hint: is schedule available? RuntimeError: You’ve already submitted contributions for the member in this schedule. (IFC01681) Remote Xero error | ERROR Reports taking too long | NEST generated an error. Because the FPS and EPS submissions were successful, you should manually update NEST. Xero responded with Forbidden Status 403, AuthenticationUnsuccessful | – Correct the NEST scheme/investigate and correct the Xero error – Redo | – 2.4. End the report submission. – 3a. Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved). – Download/Upload NEST/Xero files from Documents if required |
Now, follow the appropriate sections 2 or 3 below.
2. Report errors #
In most cases, you must first handle any report errors or exceptions.
The Report Error button has a dropdown link to handle the Exception – click 2 Handle exception:
If there are multiple administrators, you may see a screen where you need to assign the Task to yourself by clicking Done:
Depending upon the type of error, choose one of the options below:
2.1. Continue the submission #
The first option to try in all cases is the default option to Continue the report submission as below:
This is an essential step always to try first: The earlier submission may well have reached the other end and started, and only subsequent acknowledgements were not received. Continue will preserve the original submission date and time, especially when the error spans more than one day.
2.2. Restart the report submission #
If the above step fails, usually very quickly, then you will need to Restart the report submission. Change the Restart option below to Restart the report submission. This allows the entire report to be resubmitted from the start:
2.3. Reload settings #
In some cases, report settings need to be changed and then reloaded. These include:
Token refresh_token error Bad Request (400) {"error":"invalid_grant"} from https://identity.xero.com/connect/token Incorrect RTI credentials.Ensure the token has been refreshed.
After assigning the task, you will need to change Reload settings to Use new settings from the report definition instead of the settings from the pay run and Restart the report submission (continue will not work):
2.4. End the report submission #
If you are sure that you want to End the report submission, choose this option. Typically, this is because:
- You have an alternative method to submit a report, e.g. CSV
- You need to redo the pay run
Check that the report has been completed successfully.
After handling a report submission exception, you must handle the pay run exception.
Note: The original error log is retained in this scenario and will show in the pay run listing, but it is no cause for concern.3. Pay run errors #
You must handle the pay run errors/exceptions once you have resolved any report submission exceptions. Below are two paths to follow, depending upon whether the pay run was correct and can continue (more common), or whether you need to disapprove the pay run and make changes (less common).
- The Pay run Error drop down > 2 Handle Exception
If there are multiple administrators, you may see a screen where you need to assign the Task to you by clicking Done:
3a. Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved) #
For report submissions that have completed successfully, the usual step is to select Yes; Resume report submissions (any issues have been resolved) and click Done. The Pay run workflow will then continue.
3b. Disapprove the payrun so updates can be made (invalidates existing submissions) #
If you discover that the cause of a report submission exception needs to be corrected in the pay run, you should select: No: Disapprove the payrun so updates can be made (invalidates existing submissions) and click Done. This puts you back in a position to make any required changes:
Make any required changes and proceed to approval.
Exception Handling in My tasks #
As well as direct navigation from the Error buttons, you can also find and handle exceptions in My tasks:
- If you are a bureau and have many companies, Search for the company
- The Exception may be in Assigned tasks or Queued tasks, depending on how many administrators you have
Carefully identify the report that is failing, then click Resume Submission as Payroll Approver:
For Pay runs click Handle Exception as Master Admin (you may need to repeat for multiple reports):
