PF & ESI Data Import

Navigation Path

PF & ESI → PF & ESI PDF Import

URL

/pf-esi/pf-esi-import

Description

• Import PF and ESI data from official EPFO/ESIC PDF or Excel files
• Process ECR (Electronic Challan-cum-Return) data
• Reconcile PF and ESI contributions with official records
• Import government-provided contribution statements
• Verify employer and employee contributions
• Update system with official challan details
• Maintain compliance records for statutory reporting
• Support both PDF and Excel file formats

1. Page Overview

What is PF & ESI PDF Import?

This feature allows importing official PF and ESI data provided by EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation) and ESIC (Employees' State Insurance Corporation) in PDF or Excel format.

Purpose:

• Reconciliation: Match system-calculated PF/ESI with official challans
• Data Verification: Compare contributions submitted vs. system records
• Compliance: Maintain official government records in system
• Audit Trail: Keep historical contribution data from EPFO/ESIC
• ECR Processing: Import Electronic Challan-cum-Return data
• Error Detection: Identify discrepancies between system and official data

Types of Files Imported

PF Files:

• ECR PDF from EPFO Unified Portal
• PF Challan PDF
• Monthly PF statement (Excel format)
• Member-wise contribution details
• TRRN (Transaction Reference Number) details

ESI Files:

• ESI Challan PDF from ESIC portal
• Monthly ESI contribution statement
• Employee-wise ESI details (Excel)
• Payment acknowledgment receipts
• Contribution period details

2. Form Fields

Report Type

Options:

• -- Select Report Type -- (default/placeholder)
• PF - For Provident Fund data import
• ESI - For Employee State Insurance data import

Behavior:

• Required field - must select before import
• Determines how system parses the uploaded file
• Affects validation rules applied
• Changes expected file structure

Purpose: System needs to know the type to correctly parse and validate the data

Month

Options: All 12 months (e.g., DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, etc.)

Purpose:

• Associates imported data with specific contribution period
• Used for reconciliation with salary month
• Helps in month-wise contribution tracking
• Essential for compliance reporting

Note: PF/ESI contributions are calculated and paid monthly

Year

Options: Available years (e.g., 2025, 2024, 2023, etc.)

Default: -- Select Year -- (placeholder)

Purpose:

• Complete the contribution period (Month + Year)
• Enable proper historical tracking
• Support multi-year compliance records

ECR Name

Features:

• Optional field
• Free text input
• Placeholder: "Enter ECR Name"

Purpose:

• Help identify specific challan or ECR
• Useful when importing multiple files
• Reference for future lookup
• Can include TRRN or challan number

Examples:

• PF_DEC_2025_UNIT_NOIDA
• ESI_Challan_December_2025
• ECR_TRRN_123456789
• PF_Payment_Ref_ABC123

3. File Upload Section

Upload Area

Label: "Select ( PF OR ESI PDF) File:"

Features:

• Drag-and-drop support
• Click to browse file system
• Multi-format support (PDF, Excel)
• Visual feedback on file selection
• File name display after selection

Accepted File Formats

PDF Files:

• Official EPFO ECR PDF
• ESIC Challan PDF
• Contribution statements
• Payment receipts

Excel Files:

• EPFO download files (.xlsx, .xls)
• ESIC contribution sheets
• Member-wise details in spreadsheet
• System-generated formats from portals

File Size: Typically up to 10MB (varies by system configuration)

4. Action Buttons

Import and Reset

Import Button Behavior:

• Validates all required fields are filled
• Checks file format is correct
• Parses PDF or Excel file
• Extracts PF/ESI contribution data
• Validates data against system records
• Shows success/error messages
• Updates contribution records

Reset Button Behavior:

• Clears Report Type selection
• Resets Month to default
• Clears Year selection
• Removes ECR Name text
• Clears uploaded file
• Returns form to initial state

5. Workflow: Import PF Data

Step-by-Step Process

1. Download PF File from EPFO

   • Login to EPFO Unified Portal
   • Navigate to ECR section
   • Select contribution month and year
   • Download ECR PDF or Excel file
   • Save file to local system

2. Select Report Type

   • Click "Report Type" dropdown
   • Select "PF" option

3. Select Month and Year

   • Choose Month (e.g., DECEMBER)
   • Select Year (e.g., 2025)
   • Must match the downloaded file's period

4. Enter ECR Name (Optional)

   • Provide reference name
   • E.g., "PF_December_2025" or TRRN number

5. Upload PF File

   • Click upload area or drag-and-drop
   • Select the downloaded PF file (PDF or Excel)
   • File name appears after selection

6. Import Data

   • Click "Import" button
   • System validates file format
   • Parses PF contribution data
   • Extracts employee-wise contributions
   • Shows processing status

7. Review Results

   • Check success/error messages
   • Verify number of records imported
   • Review any discrepancies reported
   • Confirm data reconciliation

6. Workflow: Import ESI Data

Step-by-Step Process

1. Download ESI File from ESIC

   • Login to ESIC portal
   • Navigate to Challan section
   • Select contribution period
   • Download Challan PDF or contribution Excel
   • Save file locally

2. Select Report Type

   • Click "Report Type" dropdown
   • Select "ESI" option

3. Select Month and Year

   • Choose Month (e.g., DECEMBER)
   • Select Year (e.g., 2025)
   • Ensure matches ESIC file period

4. Enter ECR Name (Optional)

   • Add reference identifier
   • E.g., "ESI_Challan_Dec_2025"

5. Upload ESI File

   • Upload the ESIC file (PDF or Excel)
   • Via drag-and-drop or browse
   • Confirm file selected

6. Import Data

   • Click "Import" button
   • System validates ESI file format
   • Extracts contribution details
   • Employee and employer contribution amounts
   • Challan details

7. Verify Import

   • Check import success message
   • Review imported contribution data
   • Verify employee-wise ESI amounts
   • Reconcile with system calculations

7. What Data is Imported?

From PF Files

Employee Details:

• Employee PF Number (UAN)
• Employee Name
• Date of Joining/Exit
• Days worked
• PF wages (limited to PF ceiling)

Contribution Details:

• Employee PF contribution (typically 12%)
• Employer PF contribution (typically 12%)
• EPS contribution (Pension Scheme - typically 8.33%)
• EDLI contribution (Insurance scheme)
• Admin charges (typically 0.5%)

Challan Information:

• TRRN (Transaction Reference Number)
• Challan date
• Payment date
• Total contribution amount
• Establishment ID

From ESI Files

Employee Details:

• ESI Number (IP Number)
• Employee Name
• ESI wage (limited to ESI ceiling)
• Days worked
• Employee status

Contribution Details:

• Employee ESI contribution (typically 0.75%)
• Employer ESI contribution (typically 3.25%)
• Total ESI contribution (4%)
• Contribution period

Challan Information:

• Challan number
• Payment date
• Total ESI amount
• ESIC code
• Branch office details

8. Data Reconciliation

Purpose of Reconciliation

After importing official PF/ESI data, the system compares:

System Records vs Official Records:

• Employee-wise contribution amounts
• Total PF/ESI calculated by system
• Actual contributions shown in EPFO/ESIC files
• Wage ceilings applied
• Number of employees

Reconciliation Output:

• Matched Records: Where system and official data match
• Discrepancies: Differences found between system and official
• Missing Employees: In system but not in official file (or vice versa)
• Amount Variances: Differences in contribution amounts

Common Discrepancy Reasons

PF Discrepancies:

• Wage ceiling differences
• Mid-month joining/exit not properly handled
• Arrears processed but not included in challan
• Manual adjustments made
• Different PF wage calculation methods

ESI Discrepancies:

• ESI ceiling crossed mid-month
• Leave without pay affecting ESI wage
• Gross salary calculation differences
• Rounded amounts vs exact amounts
• Employee exit not updated timely

9. Validation Rules

File Validation

✓ File Format

• Must be PDF, .xlsx, or .xls format
• File not corrupted or password-protected
• File size within system limits
• Readable and parseable format

✓ File Source

• Should be from official EPFO/ESIC portal
• Recognized file structure
• Contains valid data fields
• Proper formatting maintained

Data Validation

✓ Report Type Match

• Selected report type (PF/ESI) must match file content
• PF files should not be imported as ESI (and vice versa)
• File structure validated against report type

✓ Period Validation

• Month and Year must be selected
• Period should match file's contribution period
• Cannot import future period data
• Historical period data allowed

✓ Employee Validation

• Employees in file should exist in system
• UAN/ESI numbers should match system records
• Employee codes validated

✓ Contribution Amount Validation

• Amounts should be numeric and non-negative
• Contribution rates should be within acceptable range
• Total amounts should match sum of individual contributions
• Wage limits should not be exceeded unreasonably

10. Success and Error Messages

Success Messages

PF Import Success:

✅ "PF data imported successfully. X employee record(s) processed. Reconciliation report generated."

ESI Import Success:

✅ "ESI data imported successfully. X employee record(s) processed. Reconciliation completed."

Perfect Match:

✅ "All records matched! System PF/ESI contributions match official data."

Partial Match:

⚠️ "Data imported successfully. X records matched, Y discrepancies found. Review reconciliation report."

Error Messages

No Report Type Selected:

❌ "Please select Report Type (PF or ESI)."

No File Selected:

❌ "Please select a file to import."

Invalid File Format:

❌ "Invalid file format. Please upload PDF or Excel (.xlsx, .xls) file."

File Parse Error:

❌ "Unable to parse file. Please ensure file is from official EPFO/ESIC portal."

Period Mismatch:

❌ "File period (Jan 2025) does not match selected period (Dec 2025). Please verify."

No Month Selected:

❌ "Please select Month for the contribution period."

No Year Selected:

❌ "Please select Year for the contribution period."

Report Type Mismatch:

❌ "Selected Report Type is 'PF' but uploaded file appears to be ESI data. Please verify."

Empty File:

❌ "File contains no employee data. Please check the file."

Import Failed:

❌ "Import failed. Error: [specific error details]. Please try again or contact support."

11. Common Use Cases

Case 1: Monthly PF Reconciliation

Scenario: After processing salary and submitting PF, import official ECR to verify

Steps:

1. Process monthly salary with PF deductions
2. Submit PF challan through EPFO portal
3. Download ECR PDF from EPFO
4. Import using this page:
   • Report Type: PF
   • Month & Year: Contribution period
   • Upload ECR PDF
5. Review reconciliation report
6. Investigate any discrepancies

Result: Confirmed that system PF matches official EPFO records

Case 2: ESI Challan Verification

Scenario: Verify ESI contribution submission matches system calculation

Steps:

1. Calculate and deduct ESI from monthly salary
2. Pay ESI challan through ESIC portal
3. Download payment receipt/challan
4. Import ESI data:
   • Report Type: ESI
   • Select period
   • Upload ESIC file
5. Check for discrepancies
6. Resolve any differences

Result: ESI contributions verified and reconciled

Case 3: Audit Preparation

Scenario: Prepare for PF/ESI audit by importing all historical challans

Steps:

1. Collect PF/ESI files for entire audit period
2. Import month by month:
   • Each month's PF ECR
   • Each month's ESI Challan
3. Generate reconciliation reports
4. Identify and document discrepancies
5. Prepare explanation notes
6. Compile for auditor

Result: Complete audit-ready PF/ESI records with official government data

Case 4: Discrepancy Investigation

Scenario: EPFO shows different PF amount than system records

Steps:

1. Download disputed month's ECR from EPFO
2. Import ECR file in system
3. Review reconciliation report
4. Identify specific employees with differences
5. Check:
   • Wage calculation differences
   • Ceiling application
   • Mid-month changes
6. Correct system data or file correction with EPFO

Result: Discrepancy root cause identified and resolved

12. Understanding PF ECR Structure

What is ECR?

ECR (Electronic Challan-cum-Return) is a combined document that includes:

• Challan: Payment details (amount paid to EPFO)
• Return: Employee-wise contribution details

Submitted Monthly via:

• EPFO Unified Portal
• Contains member-wise PF details
• Required by 15th of following month

Key PF Components in ECR

PF Components:

Total Employer Contribution: 12% + 0.5% + 0.5% = 13% of PF wage

PF Wage Ceiling: ₹15,000 per month (contributions calculated on maximum ₹15,000)

13. Understanding ESI Challan Structure

What is ESI Challan?

ESI Challan is the payment proof for Employee State Insurance contributions

Components:

• Employee-wise contribution details
• Total ESI amount paid
• Contribution period (6 months)
• Payment date and challan number

ESI Contribution Structure

ESI Wage Ceiling: ₹21,000 per month (employees earning above this are not covered)

Contribution Period: Half-yearly (April-Sept, Oct-March)

Payment Due: 15th of following month

14. Best Practices

Before Import

1. Download from Official Source

   • Only use files from EPFO/ESIC official portals
   • Don't modify downloaded files
   • Ensure file is for correct period

2. Verify Period

   • Check file's contribution month/year
   • Ensure it matches salary processed period
   • Confirm payment has been made

3. Backup Existing Data

   • Export current PF/ESI records
   • Keep backup before importing official data
   • Maintain previous reconciliation reports

During Import

1. Select Correct Report Type

   • Choose PF for EPFO files
   • Choose ESI for ESIC files
   • Don't mix up types

2. Match Period Exactly

   • Month and Year must match file
   • Mismatch will cause reconciliation errors

3. One Period at a Time

   • Import one month's data per import
   • Don't try to import multiple periods together

After Import

1. Review Reconciliation Report

   • Check matched vs mismatched records
   • Investigate all discrepancies
   • Document reasons for differences

2. Resolve Discrepancies

   • For system errors: Correct salary/PF calculation
   • For EPFO errors: File correction request
   • For genuine differences: Document with explanation

3. Maintain Records

   • Save reconciliation reports
   • Archive imported files
   • Keep audit trail
   • Document all corrections

4. Regular Reconciliation

   • Import and reconcile every month
   • Don't wait for audit
   • Proactive discrepancy management

15. Integration with Other Modules

Salary Processing

How It Connects:

• PF/ESI deducted during salary processing
• System calculates contributions based on salary
• Import validates system calculations
• Discrepancies indicate salary calculation issues

Impact:

• If discrepancies found, may need salary correction
• Affects employee net salary
• May require arrears or recovery

PF & ESI Reports

How It Connects:

• Imported data used in statutory reports
• ECR details available for reference
• Reconciliation reports generated
• Historical contribution data maintained

Impact:

• Accurate reporting for compliance
• Audit trail for challans
• Government submission verification

Compliance Module

How It Connects:

• Import confirms statutory compliance
• Payment proof maintained
• Contribution history tracked
• Audit-ready documentation

Impact:

• Compliance status updated
• Penalties avoided through verification
• Audit preparation simplified

16. Troubleshooting

File Not Uploading

Symptoms: File doesn't upload or upload fails

Possible Causes:

• File too large
• Incorrect file format
• Browser/network issue
• File corrupted

Solutions:

• Check file size (should be under 10MB typically)
• Verify file format (.pdf, .xlsx, .xls)
• Try different browser
• Re-download file from EPFO/ESIC portal
• Check internet connection

Parse Error

Symptoms: "Unable to parse file" error message

Possible Causes:

• File not from official portal
• File modified manually
• Wrong file uploaded
• File structure changed by EPFO/ESIC

Solutions:

• Ensure file downloaded directly from portal
• Don't open and save file (may change format)
• Verify it's official ECR/Challan file
• Check file isn't corrupted
• Re-download from source

All Records Show Mismatch

Symptoms: Every employee shows discrepancy

Possible Causes:

• Wrong month/year selected
• PF/ESI wage calculation difference
• Ceiling amount not applied correctly
• Different contribution rates

Solutions:

• Verify selected period matches file
• Check PF wage calculation method
• Review ESI wage ceiling application
• Verify contribution rate settings
• Check salary structure configuration

Missing Employees

Symptoms: Some employees in system but not in official file

Possible Causes:

• Employees below PF/ESI threshold
• New joiners not included in this challan
• Employees on unpaid leave
• Employees above ESI ceiling
• Excluded due to exemptions

Solutions:

• Check employee salary against thresholds
• Verify employee status during contribution period
• Check if employee opted out (if allowed)
• Review joining dates
• Confirm ESI applicability

Extra Employees in File

Symptoms: Official file has employees not in system

Possible Causes:

• Employees not added to system
• Employee resigned but challan includes them
• Data entry error in EPFO/ESIC
• Wrong establishment/unit file uploaded

Solutions:

• Check if employees exist under different codes
• Verify employee records
• File correction with EPFO/ESIC if error
• Ensure correct unit's file imported

17. Important Notes

Critical Considerations

• Timely Import: Import and reconcile every month, don't accumulate
• Official Files Only: Only use files from EPFO/ESIC portals
• Don't Modify: Never edit downloaded files before import
• Period Match: Always ensure file period matches selection
• Investigate Discrepancies: Don't ignore mismatches - investigate and resolve
• Audit Trail: Maintain all imported files for audit purposes

Reconciliation Best Practices

Monthly Cycle:

1. Process salary (calculate PF/ESI)
2. Generate and submit challan
3. Pay through portal
4. Download official receipt/ECR
5. Import in system
6. Reconcile within 2-3 days
7. Resolve discrepancies immediately

Benefits:

• Catch errors early
• Timely corrections possible
• Avoid audit issues
• Maintain accurate records
• Compliance peace of mind

Statutory Compliance

Legal Requirements:

• PF return (ECR) due by 15th of following month
• ESI challan due by 15th of following month
• Penalties for late submission or payment
• Interest on delayed payment
• Inspection and audit by authorities

System Benefits:

• Verify compliance status
• Confirm timely submission
• Maintain proof of payment
• Prepare for inspections
• Reduce penalty risk

Data Privacy

Sensitive Information:

• Employee UAN/ESI numbers
• Personal contribution details
• Wage information
• Government submission records

Security Measures:

• Restrict access to authorized users
• Secure file storage
• Audit log of imports
• Data encryption
• Compliance with data protection laws

18. Related Pages

Before PF/ESI Import

1. Salary Processing - Calculate and deduct PF/ESI
2. PF & ESI Reports - Generate contribution reports
3. Challan Generation - Create PF/ESI payment challans

After PF/ESI Import

1. Reconciliation Report - View detailed reconciliation
2. PF Challan - Review PF challan details
3. ESI Challan - Review ESI challan details
4. Correction Module - Make necessary corrections
5. Audit Reports - Generate compliance audit reports

Related Operations

1. PF Highlighter - Highlight PF-related data
2. ESI Highlighter - Highlight ESI-related data
3. Statutory Compliance Dashboard - Overall compliance status
4. Contribution History - Historical PF/ESI data

End of Documentation