Blog / Payroll

PF (Provident Fund) ECR Version 2.0: Challan Filing Changes

Published: Jan 3, 2017

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Read Time: 3 Mins

Author: Keka

PF (Provident Fund) ECR Version 2.0: Challan Filing Changes

Summary

PF ECR 2.0 introduced important updates to challan filing and compliance requirements. This blog explains what changed, how it affects HR and payroll teams, and the steps needed to ensure accurate submissions. It provides a clear overview to help organizations stay compliant with EPFO regulations.

Employee Provident Fund Office (EPFO) Is Doing A Great Job Improvising The Processes.

First, they released UAN format for all employees that will stay with an employee for life time between organization changes, thereby simplifying his/her PF tracking. And as a major step in further simplifying the processes for employers, they have improved the challan filing process. As part of this initiative, EPFO has launched the next version of Electronic Challan cum Returns (ECR) format on the 20th December, 2016. In order to carry out the migration to the new version of ECR (a.k.a. ECR 2.0), the unified portal was made inactive from 17th Dec to 20th Dec, 2016.

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To reduce the complexity of the existing process, the EPFO has revised the existing ECR file format and the ECR filing portal.

New features of ECR 2.0 (or ECR version 2.0)

The number of fields has been reduced from 25 (in ECR) to 11 (in ECR 2.0).
The ECR (Version 2.0) will be a completely UAN based format so only the contribution of employees with UAN can be uploaded. The employer can file the monthly EPF returns only after generating the UAN numbers, with the updated KYCs, against each UAN numbers.
Separate ECR for ‘Arrears’ will be generated. This ECR will have 8 data fields and will cover only employees with arrear payments.
Till now PF wages were required by EPFO, but going forward, employer needs to declare employees’ monthly ‘Gross Salary’ as part of ECR 2.0.
Before filing the monthly ECR, you can now download the blank ECR file pre-filled with the UAN numbers and names and thus eliminating the need to enter the UAN details again for the preparation of the ECR file. This will also be available for the Arrears file.
The earlier ECR was available for 12 days for online payment, after which it would lapse. In the new version it will not lapse and you can make the payment after uploading the same through the online payment link. However for the delay beyond the due date the applicable charges will apply.

The below fields are excluded in ECR 2.0 –

Member ID
Employee contribution due
Employer contribution due
Employee Pension Scheme contribution due
All arrear fields and other employee information fields

What does this mean for you as a Keka HR / Payroll Administrator?

Every Employer is required to update the UAN details for all your employees in Keka payroll system for PF filing to work since ECR 2.0 is completely UAN based.

To check existing UAN information for all employee, and to bulk update the same, please follow the following steps:

Step 1: Go to Payroll >> Payroll Admin >> Provident Fund & ESI.

Step 2: Click on ‘Employee PF & ESI Info’ link to see the PF information of employees (Including UAN number).

Step 3: If you want to bulk update this information, please click on ‘Bulk Import’ link and download the pre-filled Excel file. Update this file with the missing UAN details and upload it back. Please do not make changes or delete any data (in the downloaded Excel file) which doesn’t require updation.

This will update all the missing UAN information for employees.

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