ABPA's Secure Web Services for Employers FAQ
Answers
Which electronic data formats can you accept and process from employers?
ABPA can receive and process employer data in a wide variety of electronic formats. However, in order to provide guidelines to employers, we have developed a standardized data format for electronic exchange. We have defined a large number of data validation routines for this format. In addition to this, we work closely with our clients and employers to develop mutually convenient electronic data exchange formats.
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Which electronic data exchange interfaces do you provide for employers?
ABPA provides the following electronic data exchange interfaces for employers:
- E-mail submission for encrypted transmission of employer data
- Download from employers using secure FTP servers
- ABPA’s SecureSend Web Service
- Electronic media (CDs, DVDs and tapes) sent to us by mail
- Web-based online employer reporting service EmployerConnect
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What types of errors are found by your software?
We have multiple levels of validation built into our processes. Our software checks for the following errors:
- Mismatch between reported and remitted dollar amounts
- Duplicate submissions for the same period
- Data transmission errors
- Data file format errors Our software catches these errors and notifies our production staff via e-mail for initiation of suitable follow-up error correction.
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Do you process reciprocal payments?
ABPA processes reciprocal incoming and outgoing payments in several formats including national standards such as ERTS and UARS.
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How can I access Employer Web Services?
For access to ABPA’s electronic data exchange services please contact your Account Executive.
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What is the ABPA Standard Fixed Length File Format for Electronic Transmission of Employer Reports?
|
Field Name
|
Position
|
Field Size
|
Field Type
|
Comments
|
|
Employer Number
|
1-9
|
9
|
Text
|
Right Align with leading space(s)
|
|
Employer Suffix
|
10-12
|
3
|
Text
|
Left Align with trailing space(s)
|
|
Record Number
|
13-16
|
4
|
Number
|
Start at 1 and incremented by 1
|
|
Employee SSN
|
17-25
|
9
|
Text
|
No dashes
|
|
Work Month
|
26-31
|
6
|
Date
|
Format: CCYYMM
|
|
Employee Last Name
|
32-48
|
17
|
Text
|
Required for New Hires
|
|
Employee First Name
|
49-58
|
10
|
Text
|
Required for New Hires
|
|
Employee Middle Initial
|
59-59
|
1
|
Text
|
|
|
Negative Indicator
|
60-61
|
1
|
Text
|
“Y” or “N”, See below
|
|
Wages
|
62-69
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 1
|
70-71
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 1
|
72-78
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 1
|
79-87
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 2
|
88-89
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 2
|
90-95
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 2
|
96-105
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 3
|
106-107
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 3
|
108-114
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 3
|
115-123
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 4
|
124-125
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 4
|
126-132
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 4
|
133-141
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 5
|
142-143
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 5
|
144-150
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 5
|
151-159
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 6
|
160-161
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 6
|
162-166
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 6
|
167-177
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 7
|
178-179
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 7
|
180-186
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 7
|
187-195
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 8
|
196-197
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 8
|
198-204
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 8
|
205-213
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 9
|
214-215
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 9
|
216-222
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 9
|
223-231
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Code 10
|
232-233
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Fund Hours 10
|
234-240
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Fund Amount 10
|
241-249
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Vacation Wk Mo
|
250-255
|
6
|
Date
|
Format: CCYYMM
|
|
Vacation Fund Code
|
256-257
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Vacation Hours
|
258-264
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Vacation Amount
|
265-273
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Other Wk Mo
|
274-279
|
6
|
Date
|
Format: CCYYMM
|
|
Other Fund Code
|
280-281
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Other Hours
|
282-288
|
7
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Other Amount
|
289-297
|
9
|
Signed Number
|
See below
|
|
Employee Gender*
|
298-298
|
1
|
Text
|
See below
|
|
Marital Status*
|
299-299
|
1
|
Text
|
See below
|
|
Date of Hire*
|
300-307
|
8
|
Date
|
Format: CCYYMMDD
|
|
Local Number*
|
308-311
|
4
|
Text
|
Right Align with leading zero(s)
|
|
Date of Birth*
|
312-319
|
8
|
Date
|
Format: CCYYMMDD
|
|
Home Phone Number*
|
320-329
|
10
|
Text
|
With area code, no formatting
|
|
Term Date*
|
330-337
|
8
|
Date
|
Format: CCYYMMDD
|
|
Address line 1*
|
338-362
|
25
|
Text
|
|
|
Address line 2*
|
363-387
|
25
|
Text
|
|
|
City*
|
388-404
|
17
|
Text
|
|
|
State*
|
405-406
|
2
|
Text
|
|
|
Zip+4*
|
407-415
|
9
|
Text
|
No dash
|
|
Future Expansion
|
416-512
|
|
|
Currently Empty
|
Notes for Table:
- These fields are for new hires only.
- Unsigned number fields must be positive numbers with no commas and an implied two decimal places. If there is a “Y” in the Negative Indicator field, then all unsigned number fields will be converted to negative numbers for that record.
- Employee Gender: Required for New Hires. Use “M” or “F”.
- Marital Status: Use “M”, “S”, “D”, or “W” for married, single, divorced or widowed.
- Preferred file format is ASCII text in the above record layout.
- Optional file format is EBCDIC text in the above record layout.
- Preferred media are compact discs (CDs or DVDs), files electronically transferred by secure FTP, ABPA’s Employer Momentum service, or as encrypted e-mail attachments. Optional media are tape cartridges.
- Employer Report Forms (ERF) may also be submitted as MS Excel format (*.XLS) or coma delimited format (*.CSV) files with all fields as defined above, with the following differences: o Exclude the Negative indicator field, and o Change the unsigned number fields to signed number fields in the format of –1234567.89
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