Custom UPA integration development
Appfront builds UPA integrations for payroll software providers, payroll bureaus and organisations with their own payroll administration. The Uniforme Pensioenaangifte (UPA, Standard Pension Return) is the standard through which employers submit their pension data from payroll administration to pension providers. Most payroll packages support UPA. Anyone building or using their own payroll software has to arrange the submission themselves. We build the integration that prepares the return, submits it and processes the responses.
What is a UPA integration?
Employers affiliated with a pension fund or another pension provider submit data about their employees and pensionable pay on a regular basis. The Uniforme Pensioenaangifte, UPA, is the standard for this: payroll administration is the source, and the data travels via software to the provider. Changes are made only at the source, so the provider receives the same data as the payroll administration.
Most payroll packages support UPA. Anyone building or using their own payroll software, for example for a special collective agreement or a sector, has to arrange the submission themselves. Without an integration, data is entered into a pension provider's portal or submitted as a file. Responses arrive separately and are processed by hand, and corrections do not flow back from the source.
We build custom software because the integration has to fit your software and your customers: how your payroll data is structured, how many employers you submit for and with which pension providers, which channel the providers prescribe, and how users want to see responses. Which version of the standard applies and how a provider arranges the connection, we look at in the first step. We often start with one provider and a few employers, and expand once the submission and responses run smoothly. That keeps things manageable for you and for the provider.
From the source
The pension return prepared from payroll administration, so the provider receives the same data and corrections go through the source.
One standard, multiple providers
Submission to several pension providers under the same standard, with the channel each provider prescribes.
Feedback processed
Confirmations, errors and feedback returned to your software, to the employer and the employee.
How we build your UPA integration
We start with your software: how the payroll data is structured, how many employers and providers you supply, and how it works today.
Your payroll data, employers and pension providers, the channels and the version of the standard.
Returns according to the UPA standard from your data, with checks before sending.
Submission per provider, processing of confirmations, errors and feedback.
Corrections via the source, testing with the providers, and management when new versions of the standard are released.
What a UPA integration does in practice
The components below come up in almost every UPA integration. Which ones you need depends on your software and providers.
Preparation
The return per employer and period from payroll administration, according to the standard.
Validation
Checks before submission, so a return isn't rejected by the provider only after it has been sent.
Submission
Sending to each provider via the channel that provider prescribes.
Feedback
Confirmations, errors and feedback for the employer and employee.
Corrections
Corrections at the source, which are included in a subsequent return.
Audit log
For each return, what was sent, when and with what result.
Who we build UPA integrations for
The integration is intended for anyone who wants to submit pension data from their own software.
Payroll software vendors
A package that must support UPA. The standard and the testing are the core.
Payroll bureaus
Returns for many employers at many providers. The feedback matters most.
Organisations with their own payroll software
A bespoke system for a special collective labour agreement. Delivery is what matters.
Industry packages
Software for a sector with its own pension fund. That fund's channel is the core.
Technology and integrations
This page covers pension returns via UPA. For the wage tax return, see our page on a wage tax return integration, and for payroll packages, our pages on a Nmbrs integration and a Loket.nl integration. You can read about our way of working under building software.
Why choose Appfront for your UPA integration?
An incorrect pension submission affects an employee's pension. We build on that: data from the source, one standard for all providers, and rejections that get resolved.
No duplicate entry
The submission comes from your payroll administration. Nobody re-enters data with the provider.
Corrections at source
An error is fixed in the payroll administration and carries through automatically.
Feedback that doesn't get missed
Every rejection stays visible to employer and employee until it has been resolved.
Security and privacy in a UPA integration
The integration processes payroll and personal data of employees, which is highly confidential. Access credentials for the providers are stored encrypted and used only by the integration. Access is set up by role, and every submission is logged.
The integration runs in a European data centre or in your own environment, with encrypted storage, daily back-ups and two-factor login.
Frequently asked questions about a UPA integration
Questions that payroll bureaus and software suppliers ask before they start.
The Uniforme Pensioenaangifte (Uniform Pension Reporting) is a single standard way for employers to submit pension data from payroll administration to pension providers. The payroll administration is the source.
Most do, so a bespoke integration isn't needed. Custom work makes sense if you build or use your own payroll software, or if you're a vendor who wants UPA in your product.
Through the channel the pension administrator prescribes, after connecting or setting up an account with that administrator. We'll look at which administrators you serve and how they handle submissions in the first step.
Corrections are made in the payroll administration and included in a subsequent submission, so the provider holds the same data as the source.
They come back into your software, for the employer and the employee, and remain visible until resolved.
Payroll tax reporting goes to the Tax Authority about income tax and social security contributions. UPA goes to the pension provider about pensions. There is a separate page on this site for payroll tax reporting.
The administrators and the standard's managers announce new versions. We adapt the integration in our maintenance and test with the administrators.
Pension reporting directly from your own software?
Tell us which payroll software you use or build, for how many employers, and with which pension administrators you submit data. We'll show you what the integration would look like.