Troubleshooting for incorrect Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

How to troubleshoot missing or incorrect SMP values in Sage 50 Payroll.

Your software includes a function that calculates SMP for your eligible employees.

If your software calculates £0 when you expected a value, or a different value to what you expected, follow the troubleshooting steps below.

Check if you've resolved the issue after you complete the steps under each heading.

Check SMP set-up

The process to enter SMP in your software requires several fields to be correct. If you miss certain details or enter them incorrectly, payments may be either incorrect or missing.

To begin troubleshooting, follow the enter SMP via the employee's record article to ensure you completed all set-up steps correctly.

---

Previous SMP payments not cleared

If you're recording the second or subsequent child for this employee in your software, check for year to date values from previous SMP payments.

For help with checking this, follow the SMP doesn't calculate for an employee's second child article.

---

Manual SMP calculation enabled

Your software doesn't complete any SMP calculations if you've enabled manual SMP.

If you want your software to handle calculations and not use manual SMP, follow the steps below.

1. Double-click the required employee on your employee list.
2. Go to the Absence tab.
3. Select the S.M.P button, then clear the Manual Statutory Maternity Pay Calculations check box.
4. Click OK, then click Save.
5. Click Close.

---

Incorrect process date

In line with HMRC requirements, your software calculates SMP up to and including the process date.

Set the process date to when you're paying the employee, then check the number of weeks currently due is what you expect. If you expected a different number of weeks, this causes a discrepancy.

Check the process date

1. Go to Payroll then Change Process Date.
2. Set this to the actual pay date you will pay your employees.
3. Select OK to save this change.

Check the entitlement

Once you've corrected the process date, check the employee's entitlement.

1. Double-click the relevant employee on your employee list.
2. Go to the Absence tab.
3. Select the S.M.P. button, then go to the Entitlement tab.
4. Check the Currently Due field.

---

Incorrect employment start date

If your software is calculating SMP as £0, check the employees start date in the Employment tab of their employee record.

An incorrect start date affects SMP payments if it means your employee's apparent tenure isn't long enough to be eligible.

Correct the start date if it's not right then check if SMP now calculates as expected.

---

Early birth or pregnancy-related sickness settings

The following options affect when your software starts calculating SMP. Check that these options are correct for your employee's circumstances.

1. Double-click the relevant employee on your employee list.
2. Go to the Absence tab.
3. Select the S.M.P. button.
4. Check that the following checkboxes are clear or selected as required:
    TIP: Select the options below to find out when you should use them.  
   
   • ▼ MPP started by early birth

     Normally, you can't start SMP earlier than 11 weeks before the due date. However, if the baby was born more than 11 weeks early, select this checkbox and your software calculates SMP.

     If the baby is born within 11 weeks of the due date, don't select this checkbox.

   • ▼ MPP started by pregnancy-related sickness

     Select this checkbox if the employee goes on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) within four weeks of their due date.

     If the employee is already on SSP at the point four weeks before their due date, select this checkbox to move them onto SMP.

5. If you make any changes, select OK, then Save.
6. Select Close, then check if the SMP value your software calculates is correct.

---

Data corruption

Sometimes, data corruption can cause this issue. Check there isn't any data corruption affecting your software. To do this:

1. Follow the look after your data article to complete two repairs.
2. Complete the how to refresh legislation tables article.

---

Refresh enter payments

1. Select this employee on your employee list.
2. Go to Payroll, then Enter Payments.
3. Select the checkbox beside:
   • 'Select this checkbox if your employee is leaving and this is their final payment'
4. Select OK on the message then clear the checkbox.

---

Next steps

If you've completed all the steps in this article and haven't resolved the issue, contact Sage technical support.

---