EPN589 - New performance measures and targets for your monthly interface

Date posted: 10/01/2020

Audience

• Pension leads
• Payroll managers
• HR managers
• Staff responsible for managing a shared service or payroll provider who send monthly interface files to the Scheme Administrator (MyCSP)

Summary

This EPN details revised performance measures and targets for your monthly interface, which have been agreed by the Scheme Manager (Cabinet Office) and Scheme Administrator (MyCSP).

The changes detailed in this EPN do not apply to employers who submit a full interface or employers who are currently going through testing for their interface (i.e. New Fair Deal (NFD) employers who are going through the onboarding process, and employers going through payroll migration testing). Once the testing of your interface has been completed you will then need to comply with the below measures and targets.

The revised measures and targets will help you to proactively monitor and improve the timeliness and quality of data you provide in your monthly Manual and Standard interface submissions.

As data quality continues to improve across the scheme, there is an expectation that:

• all employers must submit interface files right first time;
• and if there are any Data Validation Failures (DVFs) created with the initial interface submission, then no more than two Data Validation Reports (DVRs) are submitted to correct all DVFs ahead of the next regular monthly interface submission; with a view of further reducing the number of DVRs being submitted to one from January 2021 onwards.

Therefore, please note that with effect from May 2020 (for April 2020 interfaces) any work associated with sending more than one regular interface file submission or more than two DVRs to correct DVFs, will be undertaken via the Statement of Work (SoW) process and will be chargeable.

Actions

• To understand the new performance measures and targets and recognise your obligations in relation to interface timeliness, data quality and submitting interface files right first time.
• To understand the possible negative impact on the quality of your data when DVFs are created by your interface and are not responded to in month; for example, before your next monthly interface submission.
• To ensure that you have action plans in place to ensure that you meet these right first time objectives before your April 2020 interface is submitted.
• To understand that support is available to you.

Timing

• New performance measures and targets will launch in February 2020 for your January 2020 Interface.
• With effect from May 2020 (for April 2020 interfaces), any work associated with sending more than one regular interface file submission or more than 2 DVRs to correct DVFs, will be undertaken via the Statement of Work (SoW) process and will be chargeable.
• Response to your DVFs to prevent missing or inaccurate data is ongoing.

Detail

Performance measures and targets

Performance measures and targets have been in place for almost two years (from January 2018) and have had a positive impact on the data quality received by the Scheme Administrator.

Their purpose is to help you to improve the timeliness and quality of monthly data submissions by clearly outlining what is expected of you and reporting to you on your performance.

These measures largely formalise the process that already exists in terms of submission timeliness, but we also ask you to meet a data quality target from January 2020 onwards of no more than 0.5% errors in your interface data. 

Your current percentage is sent to you each month with a confirmation email or with your DVR return.

The performance measures and targets are as follows.

Timeliness:

• Submission of a single interface file per month, no more than one month in arrears.  Submission of additional regular interface files will be chargeable.
• Submission of a single interface file per month, no more than two working days before or after your agreed submission date.  Submission of additional regular interface files will be chargeable.
• If you are advised of errors and warnings in your data, submission of no more than two DVRs returned ahead of your next monthly interface.  Submission of additional DVRs will be chargeable.
• Note that if your Data Validation Report is not returned ahead of your next monthly interface submission it  could have a negative impact on the following; the quality of data held by the Scheme Administrator; the completion of your active Data Cleanse project; and/or BAU activities undertaken by the Scheme Administrator.  

Quality:

• From January 2020, no more than 0.5% data errors in your initial interface submission.  There is the possibility of future reductions to 0.25% from January 2021 and this is being discussed between the Scheme Manager, GIAA, and the Scheme Administrator. Therefore, we suggest you plan for this outcome. Please note that the percentage of errors is calculated based on the membership count received within your monthly interface file.
• If you submit your regular interface file and it contains more than 1% of errors after being processed through the test environment, the Scheme Administrator will send this file back to you for correction and resubmission and will be classed as an additional file which will be chargeable under a SoW.
• If you are advised of errors and warnings in your data, submit no more than two DVRs that clear all DVFs ahead of your next regular interface submission.  Submission of additional DVRs will be chargeable.
• Please note that if your DVR is not returned ahead of your next monthly interface submission, it could have a negative impact on: the quality of data held by the Scheme Administrator; the completion of your active Data Cleanse project; and/or BAU activities undertaken by the Scheme Administrator.  

The Scheme Administrator will monitor your performance against the measures and targets. The Scheme Administrator will continue to provide reports to the Scheme Manager who will expect you to meet the new target from February 2020 (for your January 2020 interface).

For additional interface file/DVR submissions, the expectation is that you meet these targets from May 2020 (for your April 2020 interface). Where you are unable to meet these targets, the Scheme Administrator will continue to offer free guidance and reasonable support via phone and email.

Where necessary, the Scheme Administrator will work with you to create a remediation plan to improve your performance. This could involve consultancy or other support such as a structured half or full-day training course.  Such support is chargeable via the SoW process. 

Please note: further escalation through the Scheme Manager may be required where performance measures are still not met.

If you are concerned that you will not be able to meet the new performance targets and measures, please contact your Interface Analyst or Employer Relationship Manager by 31 January 2020.

Support available to you

Support from your Interface Analyst

To address validation issues in-month, or to discuss your performance measures and targets, you should contact your Interface Analyst at interfaceteam@mycsp.co.uk

If a third party provides your Monthly interface, you will need to make sure the guidance is available to them.

You can request a copy of the guidance by emailing interfaceteam@mycsp.co.uk

Contacts

If you require any further assistance on the content of this EPN, please contact: nicola.gidden@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

If you have a question about the distribution of EPNs, or would like to receive them in a different format, please contact EPN@MyCSP.co.uk.

You can find electronic copies of the Employer Pension Guide, all current EPNs and forms in the Employer section of the Civil Service Pensions website at www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk.

This notice is for employers and should not be issued to scheme members. 

If members have a question about their pension they can find information at: www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/members