Why Has The Super Fund Rejected Or Not Processed My Super Contribution?

A super contribution can be rejected, delayed or left unallocated when the SuperStream message, payment details, fund details, or employee details do not match what the receiving fund expects.

For current Payday Super processing, the normal workflow is Pays >> Payday Super after each completed pay run. The older Super Fund Deposits creation tools are retained for history, resends, legacy catch-ups and exceptional manual adjustments, but they should not be used as the ordinary way to start a new Payday Super payment.

The Correct Payday Super Workflow

1. Complete the pay run on the Pays screen.
2. Click Payday Super.
3. Set the Payment Date, select the completed pays to include, and fix or exclude any rows with validation warnings.
4. Click Create to build the super contribution batch.
5. Review the SuperStream Summary.
6. Click Send Messages, unless you are intentionally exporting a SAFF file for an external clearing house.
7. Make the payment using the method selected for the fund, such as Direct Credit (ABA/XML), manual transfer from the Direct Entry preview, PayTo, PayID, or SAFF through a clearing house.

From 1 July 2026, super contributions generally need to be received by the employee super fund within 7 business days after payday, unless an ATO exception applies. Do not leave a gap between sending the remittance and making the payment.

Common Reasons A Contribution Is Rejected Or Not Processed

• The payment reference was changed or entered incorrectly. SuperStream payments rely on the reference generated for the batch. If the bank payment reference does not match the message, the fund may not be able to allocate the money.
• The payment was made too late. Bank cut-off times, BECS settlement, clearing house queues, weekends and public holidays can all affect when funds are received.
• The employee member number is missing or wrong. The fund may reject the contribution if the member number does not match the employee account.
• The USI or fund product is wrong. Some funds have multiple USIs. A valid USI still needs to be the correct product for the employee account.
• The employee name or date of birth does not match the fund record. The fund may require the employer to confirm details with the employee.
• SMSF details are incomplete. SMSFs need correct BSB, account number and Electronic Service Address details unless a business-related SMSF exemption applies.
• The bank details are invalid or outdated. Lightning Payroll validates BSBs to reduce this risk, but manually entered SMSF details should still be checked carefully.
• An external provider delayed or rejected the file. If you use SAFF or a clearing house, their validation and payment timing still affect whether the contribution arrives on time.

What To Do Next

1. Open the SuperStream Mailbox and check the message status and any response details. Funds commonly respond only when there is a problem.
2. If the money is still with the fund, contact the fund first and ask what detail needs correcting.
3. Correct the employee, fund, SMSF or payment details in Lightning Payroll before resending.
4. If the message needs to be resent for an already-created deposit, use the existing-deposit resend workflow: How do I send existing super fund deposits?
5. If the fund returned the money to your bank, manually fail or delete the original message where appropriate, correct the details, then resend and repay the contribution.

For payment-method choices and timing differences, see What SuperStream payment options are available for Payday Super?