If your employees are a self-managed super fund (SMSF) member or trustee, here's what you need to know about staying compliant with Payday Super and SuperStream changes, including ESA requirements and contribution timeframes.

SMSF super payments

Does HeroClear support UniSuper Defined Benefit members?

HeroClear cannot process SuperStream contributions to UniSuper's defined benefits division. Defined benefit funds don't hold the CONT1.0-X certification that HeroClear requires and verifies via the Fund Validation Service (FVS).

Employers with defined benefit payments should handle those contributions directly with the fund.

Does HeroClear work for employees with Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSFs)?

Yes. HeroClear handles all fund types including SMSFs, using Confirmation of Payee (CoP) to verify SMSF account details.

Important

The correct Electronic Service Address (ESA) for SMSFs via HeroClear is "wrkrSMSF" — not "CLICKSUPER". Using the wrong ESA is the most common cause of SMSF contribution rejections (error code GEN.11).

Note

SMSFs are not part of the MVR flow. SMSF verification is handled via FVS and CoP instead.

What do I need to do to prepare for Payday Super and SuperStream changes?

You need to comply with all Payday Super and SuperStream changes, including the requirements around contribution allocation, bank account reachability, and maintaining an active electronic service address (ESA).

How long do I have to allocate or reject a super contribution?

You have 28 calendar days after the end of the month in which a contribution is received to allocate or reject it. This timeframe hasn't changed under Payday Super.

What do I need to check if I receive a contribution from an unrelated employer?

You need to make sure your bank account is reachable by the New Payments Platform (NPP), which you can confirm with your bank, and that you're registered for and actively maintaining an electronic service address (ESA).

What is an ESA and what does it do?

An Electronic Service Address (ESA) is how SuperStream contribution messages are delivered to an SMSF, usually through an administrator or messaging provider.

What's changing with member verification under the SuperStream upgrades?

With the SuperStream upgrades supporting Payday Super, employers can send a member verification request to you before making a contribution. This confirms your ESA is active before the employer attempts to pay.

What happens if my ESA isn't active?

If your ESA isn't registered or correctly maintained, the employer will receive an error and won't be able to make the contribution. Payments may instead be redirected to the employer's default fund to help them avoid the super guarantee charge (SGC), and the employer may unintentionally become exposed to the SGC if the contribution isn't made within the required timeframe.

Why is maintaining an active ESA so important?

Maintaining an active ESA is a critical readiness item for you, since it directly affects whether employers can successfully make contributions to your fund.

Where can I find the ESA?

The ESA isn't something Employment Hero generates or stores, it comes from the SMSF's messaging provider (the service that handles electronic contribution data for self-managed super funds, such as an SMSF gateway or the fund's admin platform).

Where to see/update it in Employment Hero Payroll:

Go to the employee's profile → Payrun Settings→ Superfund tab.
Click on the fund name if there is one already

The ESA field will be shown here alongside the fund's ABN and member number, this is where it needs to be entered or corrected if it's missing or invalid.

If the employee is unsure of their ESA they will need to:

Check with their SMSF's accountant or fund administrator, who set up the ESA when the fund was registered.
Confirm the ESA is still active and correctly linked to the SMSF's ABN with the ATO , this is required for contributions to be processed.

Once you have the correct ESA, you can update it in the employee's super details in the payroll system for future super contributions.

Further information

Get help from the Employment Hero Community

If you are looking for further ideas, try our community Hero Connect is currently only available for HR-only and HR+Payroll customers. Hero Connect is not yet available for Payroll-only customers. .

Explore related content