ELECTRONIC CHALLAN CUM RETURN (ECR) FILE FORMAT
The Electronic Challan cum Return (ECR) will be an electronic return in plain text format and will consist of two parts, namely the HEADER line and
DETAILS line (one line for each member). The separator between fields should be #~# ( hash tilda hash--three characters).
HEADER LINE (First line of the ECR Text file): It will basically be a summary of the detail lines and will have following fields.
Sl. Column Name Column Whether Validation Rule applicable for uploading Remarks
No Width mandatory
1. Establishment ID Character (15) Yes Should be in the format Region code (2 For example establishments under Regional Office, Delhi North,
letters), Office code (3 letters), establishment with code number DL/12345 and DL/54321/1 (with extension)
code (7 digits), and extension (3 digits). should be written as DLCPM0012345000 and
No special character like „/‟ to be provided. DLCPM0054321001 respectively.
The number fields should be left padded with
„0‟ to make it of the required length.
2. Contribution rate Number (6,2) Yes Enter the contribution rate applicable for your establishment. At
present it is 12% and may be 10% in certain cases.
3. Total Members Number (7) Yes This should tally with the no. of member Please enter the total number of members for whom the ECR is
detailed lines being uploaded.
4. Wage Month & Character (6) Yes Should be In MMYYYY format. The Month The month and year of the wages/salary should be entered, For
Year of ECR value should be 01 to 12. The Year value example if contribution deducted from the salary for the month of
should be in four digits like 2012. March 2012 with the employers shares are being remitted,
032012 should be entered.
5. Return Month & Character (6) Yes Should be In MMYYYY format. The Month The return month should be following month of the Wage Month
Year of ECR value should be 01 to 12. The Year value and not the month in which the ECR is being uploaded.
should be in four digits like 2012.
6. Total EPF Wages Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
EPF Wages member detailed lines
7. Total EPS Wages Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
EPS Wages member detailed lines
8. Total EPF Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Contribution (EE EPF Cont (EE Share) due member detailed
Share) due lines
9. Total EPF Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Contribution (EE EPF Cont (EE Share) being remitted member
Share) being detailed lines
remitted
10. Total EPS Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Contribution due EPF Cont (EE Share) due member detailed
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ELECTRONIC CHALLAN CUM RETURN (ECR) FILE FORMAT
lines
11. Total EPS Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Contribution EPS Contribution being remitted member
being remitted detailed lines
12. Total Diff EPF Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
and EPS EPF Cont (EE Share) due member detailed
Contribution(ER lines
Share) due
13. Total Diff EPF Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
and EPS Diff EPF and EPS Contribution(ER Share)
Contribution(ER being remitted member detailed lines
Share)being
remitted
14. EPF Number (15) Yes Numbers only, no special character, not in
Admin/Inspection decimals:
Charges due
15. EPF Number (15) Yes Numbers only, no special character, not in
Admin/Inspection decimals:
Charges being
remitted
16. EDLI Contribution Number (15) Yes Numbers only, no special character, not in
due decimals:
17. EDLI Contribution Number (15) Yes Numbers only, no special character, not in
being remitted decimals
18. EDLI Number (15) Yes Numbers only, no special character, not in
Admin/Inspection decimals:
Charges due
19. EDLI Number (15) Yes Numbers only, no special character, not in
Admin/Inspection decimals,
Charges being
remitted
20. Total NCP Number (10) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Days0, NCP Days member detailed lines
21. Total Refund of Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Advances Refund of Advances member detailed lines
22. Total Arrear Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Wages Arrear EPF Wages member detailed lines
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ELECTRONIC CHALLAN CUM RETURN (ECR) FILE FORMAT
23. Total Arrear Number (15) Yes This value should tally with the total value of
Contribution Arrear EPF Contribution(EE,ER and Diff EE &
ER Share) member detailed lines
Total: (291)
DETAILED PART (Second line & onwards of the ECR Text file): There will be one line for each member and will have following fields.
Sl. Column Name Column Whether Validation Rule applicable for uploading Remarks
No Width mandatory
1. Member ID Number (7) Yes Only account number ( maximum 7 digits) Two lines with same member id will not be accepted in a
Value should be >0 single ECR text file.
2. Member Name Character (85) Yes No special characters are allowed
3. EPF Wages Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character and not in
decimals
4. EPS Wages Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character and not in Wages on which Pension contribution is due. In case of the
decimals member over 58 years age, the wages should be „0‟ even in
case there are PF wages. Also in case of employer
contributing over the wage ceiling, the pension wages
should be maximum 6500/- if Pension contribution is
restricted to Rs 541/-.
5. EPF Contribution Number (10) Yes Numbers only, no special character and not in Employee share deducted and due for remittance
(EE Share) due decimals, should be equal to or more than EPF
Contribution (EE Share) being remitted
6. EPF Contribution Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character, not in Employee share being remitted through this ECR
(EE Share) being decimals:
remitted
7. EPS Contribution Number (10) Yes Numbers only, no special character and not in
due decimals, should be equal to or more than EPS
Contribution being remitted
8. EPS Contribution Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character, not in
being remitted decimals
9. Diff EPF and Number (10) Yes Numbers only, no special character and not in
EPS Contribution decimals, should be equal to or more than Diff
(ER Share) due EPF and EPS Contribution (ER Share) being
remitted
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ELECTRONIC CHALLAN CUM RETURN (ECR) FILE FORMAT
10. Diff EPF and Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character, not in
EPS Contribution decimals,
(ER Share) being
remitted
11. NCP Days Number (2) No Numbers only, no special character, not in Number of days in the month for which wages are not due.
decimals.
12. Refund of Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character and not in
Advances decimals
13. Arrear EPF Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character and not in
Wages decimals
14. Arrear EPF EE Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character and not in
Share decimals
15. Arrear EPF ER Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character and not in
Share decimals
16. Arrear EPS Number (10) No Numbers only, no special character and not in
Share decimals
17. Father‟s/Husband Character (85) No No special characters are allowed Please provide only if the member has joined in the wage
‟s Name month. (for new member only)
18. Relationship with Character (1) No Relationship of the member with column 17 Please provide only if the member has joined in the wage
the Member above. Value should be F(for father) or S (for month. (for new member only)
Husband)
19. Date of Birth Date (10) No Valid date in dd/mm/yyyy format. Please provide only if the member has joined in the wage
month. (for new member only)
20. Gender Character (1) No M(Male) , F(Female) or T (Transgender) Please provide only if the member has joined in the wage
month. (for new member only)
21. Date of Joining Date (10) No Valid date in dd/mm/yyyy format, not later than the Please provide only if the member has joined in the wage
EPF month of ECR month. (for new member only)
22. Date of Joining Date (10) No Valid date in dd/mm/yyyy format, not later than the Please provide only if the member has joined in the wage
EPS month of ECR month. (for new member only)
23. Date of Exit from Date (10) No Valid date in dd/mm/yyyy format, cannot be prior Please provide only if the member has left in the wage
EPF to date of joining month. (for exiting member only)
24. Date of Exit from Date (10) No Valid date in dd/mm/yyyy format, cannot be prior Please provide only if the member has left in the wage
EPS to date of joining month. (for exiting member only)
25. Reason for Character (1) No C (Cessation) , S (Superannuation) , R ( Please provide only if the member has left in the wage
leaving Retirement), D (Death in Service), or P month. (for exiting member only). Mandatory, if “Date of
(Permanent Disablement) Exit from EPF” is not blank.
Total: (362)
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ELECTRONIC CHALLAN CUM RETURN (ECR) FILE FORMAT
Sample ECR text file with three members for the month of March 2012 paid in April 2012 for establishment id DLCPM0001234000 is as follows for
reference:
DLCPM0001234000#~#12#~#3#~#32012#~#42012#~#18000#~#17500#~#2160#~#2160#~#1458#~#1458#~#702#~#702#~#198#~#198#~#88#~#88#~#2#~
#2#~#12#~#0#~#10000#~#3000#~##~#
12#~#sanjay#~#7000#~#6500#~#840#~#840#~#541#~#541#~#299#~#299#~#0#~#0#~#10000#~#1500#~#1000#~#500#~##~##~##~##~##~##~#20-03-
2012#~#20-03-2012#~#S
13#~#BIRENDRA#~#6000#~#6000#~#720#~#720#~#500#~#500#~#220#~#220#~#8#~#0#~#0#~#0#~#0#~#0#~##~##~##~##~##~##~##~##~#
16#~#SHEELA#~#5000#~#5000#~#600#~#600#~#417#~#417#~#183#~#183#~#4#~#0#~#0#~#0#~#0#~#0#~#VINEET#~#F#~#05-03-1990#~#F#~#05-03-
2012#~#05-03-2012#~##~##~#
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