DRS Updates

This page contains updates on parallel processing from NHRS, as well as answers to general interest questions we receive from employers. This page will be updated throughout parallel processing in October and November, so check back frequently for updates. The newest post will appear on top.

Employer Reporting Support

Posted 11/27/23 - NHRS’ transition to a new employer reporting platform this fall has resulted in a larger than normal volume of requests from participating employers seeking assistance in dealing with reporting exceptions and rejected files.

NHRS staff is working to resolve these issues as they are received and wants to alert employers that normal response times are delayed. 

We have assigned additional staff to work with employers through the transition, including an employee focused on teacher contract setup. In addition, we continue to work directly with multiple payroll software vendors to address file output issues and are engaging with our software vendor to develop short-term fixes, such as disabling some non-critical exceptions, and to identify long-term enhancements to relieve some of the pressure on our employers.

Our goal is to address as many major issues as possible before December reporting is due, but we caution that may not be possible.

We remain committed to working with our participating employers to resolve issues in a timely manner and thank you in advance for your patience.

Please report any issues you are experiencing to: exceptions@nhrs.org

Email Contact Address

Posted 11/27/23 - NHRS is phasing out the "PGV3DRS-at-nhrs.org" email address; please use exceptions@nhrs.org to contact us with all reporting-related questions or issues.

Parallel Processing Ends 11/17

Posted 11/8/23 - Parallel Processing will end Friday, November 17, at 4 p.m. and the “old” version (V2) of the NHRS employer Data Reporting System (DRS) will be closed.
 
Beginning Monday, November 20, employers will report only in the “new” version (V3) of the DRS.
 
If your October monthly reporting due in November has posted in V2, free of exceptions, before the cutoff date:

• You should submit a payment voucher in V2 before the cutoff date. If you are unable to submit a voucher before the cutoff date, NHRS has a fillable PDF voucher that you will need to fill out and submit via secure email to exceptions@nhrs.org. Note: The actual payment is not due until Monday, November 27.
• You must still submit October 2023 due November 2023 member data, free of exceptions, in V3, along with the payment voucher.

If your October monthly reporting due in November has NOT posted in V2, free of exceptions, before the cutoff date:

• V2 will no longer be accessible.
• You must submit October 2023 due November 2023 member data, free of exceptions, only in V3.
• You must submit a payment voucher in V3, which is automatically populated once your batch has posted.

If you have any questions or reporting issues, please contact NHRS at: exceptions@nhrs.org or 603-410-3532.
 
Remember, October wage and contribution data is due, free of exceptions, no later than Wednesday, November 15. Penalties for late reporting in V2 have been turned back on for this month’s reporting period.
 
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, payments are due Monday, November 27.
 
NHRS appreciates the additional work that this necessary transition entails, and we thank you for your continued efforts.

DRS account transfer feature ends on Nov. 3

Posted 11/1/23 - A small number of employers have yet to set up an account in the new version (v3) of the DRS.
 
Instructions for using your current account credentials to set up an account in the V3 DRS are available here.
 
Note: The account transfer feature will shut down on Friday, November 3. If you have not set up a DRS account by then, you will need to submit a DRS authorization form.

Reminder: Use ‘Submit Batch for Posting’ Button in V3

Posted 10/31/23 - In in the new version (V3) of the Data Reporting System (DRS), a “Submit Batch for Posting” button is available on the Batch Detail pop-up window if the status of the batch is Submitted, and at least one trial has been run for the batch.

An Employer must select this button for the employer reporting posting process in PGV3 to move forward. This is the Employer’s way of indicating they are done working the batch and “everything is good.”

Upon selecting this button, the user is taken to the Contribution Summary screen to view the “almost final” contributions. The screen also has a button to “Submit Batch for Posting.” Upon selecting the button, a warning is displayed, “If you submit the batch for posting, the batch becomes locked, and no changes can be made to the batch until the next posting process runs.”

If the Employer is good with the information and clicks through the warning, the associated Voucher for the scheduled batch is loaded with the batch detail and updated to Submitted status.

Note that NHRS has temporarily disabled the automated posting process. Employers can and should still report and clear exceptions in V3, but the retirement system will manually post the employer batches in V3 after ensuring that reporting in the “old” V2 system is complete and that the V3 file balances to the V2 posted batch. Employers who have successfully completed their reporting in V2 and cleared any exceptions identified in their V3 batch can notify NHRS that their V3 batch is ready to post at exceptions@nhrs.org. NHRS has initiated this change because the V2 system is still the system of record, and we want to ensure a valid file was reported in that system before a file is posted in the V3 system. We expect to continue this process through November.

Handling a Non-Reporter Warning in V3

Posted 10/30/23 - Employers will see a non-reporter warning exception in V3 when a member with an employment history record and current Status of Active or Active Payee (i.e. retired) was not reported in the batch and does not have a termination date associated with his or her record.

To clear this type of warning for the file you are working on, an employer can delete the member from the exception list by marking them as “added by mistake,” however, the non-reporter warning will return the month after. To avoid an ongoing warning, if you receive a non-reporter exception enter in a termination date and termination reason, then select update. Once that has been done you will need to delete each pay period that has no wages or contributions for the member. Then you can mark as corrected. Unfortunately, at this time, another non-reporter warning exception will pop up and you need to notify NHRS so that we can override the warning. NHRS will look into a future system enhancement to eliminate this second warning.

Tip: Accessing the Voucher for a Submitted Batch

Posted 10/30/23 - To get to the Voucher for the submitted batch you are working on in the new DRS (V3) you must log into the DRS and click on Vouchers on the left-hand side of the screen.

From the little flashlight/funnel icon you will select the drop-down menu, check off the submitted box, and then hit apply. This will then populate your voucher so you will see what it looks like.

Employer Reconciliation/Account Adjustments

Posted 10/30/23 - During Parallel Processing please continue to email any reconciliation items for both systems to errecon@nhrs.org. We are trying to hold off on employers using the Account Adjustment feature in V3 for recon until we go completely live in December with V3 as the system of record.

Please keep in mind that starting with your November 2023 file due 12/15/2023, NHRS will no longer accept underpayments; it must be exact balance owed or over.

Additional Pay Frequencies Added to File Schema

Posted 10/20/23 - The PGV3 file schema (file layout) has been updated to accommodate school employers with 23 and 27 pay periods. This has no impact on employers who do not have this number of pay periods. The schema is available on this page.

Reporting is Due in Both Systems

Posted 10/18/23 - Some employers have yet to set up an account in the new version of the NHRS employer Data Reporting System (DRS).

As previously noted, NHRS is requiring employers to continue submitting their monthly active member reporting files using the current DRS (Version 2) in October and November, and also submit this information in the new version of the DRS (Version 3). We are asking you to set up an account now and report your monthly member data in the Version 3 DRS as soon as your Version 2 reporting has posted. 

The reporting deadline was October 16 and to ensure correct retirement data for members, it is imperative that you enable your access and submit your data to NHRS immediately. NHRS may follow-up by telephone with employers who have not set up Version 3 DRS accounts.

Instructions for using your current account credentials to set up an account in the Version 3 DRS are available here. 

If you have questions or technical issues related to setting up your account in Version 3, please contact NHRS at: exceptions@nhrs.org 

Additional Version 3 DRS training resources and instructions are available here.

Posting V3 Files During Parallel Processing

Posted 10/13/23 - NHRS has temporarily disabled the automated posting process in the new version (V3) of the Data Reporting System (DRS). Employers can and should still report and clear exceptions in V3, but the retirement system will manually post the employer batches in V3 after ensuring that reporting in the “old” V2 system is complete and that the V3 file balances to the V2 posted batch.

Employers who have successfully completed their reporting in V2 and cleared any exceptions identified in their V3 batch can notify NHRS that their V3 batch is ready to post at exceptions@nhrs.org.

NHRS has initiated this change because the V2 system is still the system of record and we want to ensure a valid file was reported in that system before a file is posted in the V3 system.

We expect to continue this process through November.

Recent questions: Week of Oct. 2

Posted 10/9/23 - Q. What is the "From" email address employers will see on automatic DRS notifications?

Email notifications generated from the new system will come from "noreply@nhrs.org".

Q. Are paper Enrollment forms still needed? How would they be provided to NHRS?

 A. Right now, NHRS is requiring that employers continue to send us paper enrollment forms during parallel processing in October and November. If there are no issues identified with enrolling members directly through the batch, we will discontinue requiring the paper forms and notify employers. You can send these forms the same way you have been doing all along (fax, mail, secure email). For instructions on enrolling new or re-hired members through the new DRS, click here.

Q. I Don’t have a valid XML file yet, what can I do?

Contact NHRS at exceptions@nhrs.org.