EPF Filing Goes Digital: How Will This Change Affect Your Business?

EPF Electronic Filing Update

All employers of covered establishments under the EPF can now file the Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) starting from April 2012. This change allows them to dispense with filing physical returns in Forms 5, 10, 12A, 3A, and 6A.

Exempted establishments are not required to file returns in Forms 3PS, 4PS, 5PS, 6PS, 7PS, and 8PS.

A copy of the notification by EPFO is attached for the information of all organizations. Please take note of the action required by the establishments to start with the new system.

The notification appeared in the Hindustan Times, dated 6th April 2012.

Regards

As per the notification, I have completed the installation of the software and updated the data therein. I have also obtained challans for 5 and 10 as well. However, I am still unclear about how the ECR is connected with the PF Website. How can it be online like ESIC?

Please guide me on this matter, sir.

Regards,
Mangesh Wakodkar

Please download the 'E-Return Tool for Employer' program from the EPF website. Upload the data for your establishment and generate the ECR Return Form in txt format. Then, upload the txt file on the website under the E-sewa link.

Challan can be generated online, similar to ESIC.

Regards,
Archit Kulkarni.

Could you please let me know the procedure in the 'E-Return Tool for Employer' program to take the CSV file every month?

Regards

Dear Mangesh,

Have you registered your establishment with EPFO for ECR, as specified in the notification, which reads as follows?

"Employers/Authorized Signatory Registration Requirement"

"Employers/Authorized Signatory are required to register their establishment on the EPFO website [EPFO] for their user ID and Password effective from 20th March, 2012, for filing the Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) for the wage month of March 2012 (payable in April 2012) onwards."

I hope this helps clarify things for you.

Best regards,