Overview
From 1 July 2026, for clients using Beam, Definitiv automatically submits a Member Verification Request (MVR) to an employee’s nominated super fund when their fund details are set up or changed in a first-time contribution scenario. This verifies that the fund will accept a contribution for the employee before any money moves, reducing the risk of rejected contributions under the Payday Super regime.
Under Payday Super, SG contributions must reach a super fund within 7 business days of payday. A rejected contribution due to incorrect or unmatched fund details creates compliance exposure with limited time to resolve. Member verification allows issues to be identified and corrected before the first contribution is submitted.
When a verification is triggered, Definitiv informs you at the point of save that a request will be sent. The employee’s super fund details are then locked for up to 24 hours while Definitiv waits for a response from the fund. You will see the current verification status on the employee’s record and in the superannuation administration screens throughout this process.
When member verification is triggered
Definitiv automatically determines when a Member Verification Request is required based on ATO guidelines. A verification is triggered in the following scenarios:
A new employee is set up with a choice-of-fund super fund
An employee changes their nominated super fund
A Successor Fund Transfer notification is received - where an employee’s existing fund has merged into or transferred to another fund
Verification is not triggered for routine ongoing contributions to a fund that has already been verified. Verification requests are only submitted in first-time contribution scenarios in line with ATO guidance.
Verification is triggered regardless of how the fund details are entered - whether through the Definitiv interface, the employee workbook, or via the API.
Default fund registrations
Where a contribution will be made to your organisation’s registered default fund, Definitiv submits a Member Registration Request (MRR) rather than an MVR. The process and status displays work the same way - only the type of request sent to the fund differs based on the scenario.
What happens when a verification is triggered
When you save super fund details in a scenario that requires verification, Definitiv displays a message at the point of save confirming that a Member Verification Request will be sent to the nominated fund and that the fund details will be locked until a response is received or 24 hours have elapsed.
Once the request is submitted successfully, the employee’s super fund record shows a Pending verification status, including the submission timestamp and the time elapsed since the request was sent. Fund details cannot be edited while a verification is pending.
If the request fails Beam’s validation checks before being forwarded to the fund, the fund details are not locked - you can correct the details and save again immediately.
Definitiv matches the fund’s response back to the employee’s record automatically. You do not need to take any action while a verification is in progress.
Verification outcomes
Once a response is received, the verification status on the employee’s super fund record updates to one of the following:
Verified - the fund has confirmed the employee’s membership details. Contributions can proceed normally.
Rejected - the fund was unable to verify the employee’s membership. The specific rejection reason is displayed on the employee’s record, along with guidance on how to resolve it. Common rejection reasons include member not found, account closed, and SMSF ABN not recognised. Fund details are unlocked so you can make corrections.
Timed Out - no response was received from the fund within 24 hours. Fund details are unlocked. This does not automatically block a contribution - you can choose to proceed at your discretion.
MIGv3 Non-Compliant - the fund has not yet adopted SuperStream v3, and the verification request could not be processed. Contributions can still be submitted - this status does not indicate a problem with the employee’s fund details. Fund details are unlocked.
Validation Failed - the verification request did not meet SuperStream format requirements and was not forwarded to the fund. The specific validation message from the clearing house is displayed. Fund details are not locked, and contributions can still be submitted. Correct the details shown and save again.
Resolving rejections
When a verification returns a Rejected status, the employee’s super fund record shows the rejection reason and recommended next steps. Depending on the reason, resolution typically involves:
Confirming the member number and fund ABN with the employee
Updating the employee’s super fund details to a current fund where the account has closed
Confirming the SMSF ABN is active and accepting contributions where an SMSF rejection is returned
Asking the employee to nominate an alternative fund where the fund is not accepting new members
Once the fund details have been corrected and saved, a new verification request is submitted automatically.
Resending a verification request
Definitiv prevents more than one verification request being sent for the same employee and fund within a 24-hour window, in line with the SuperStream standard. If a pending verification already exists for an employee’s nominated fund, you cannot send another request for the same fund or edit those fund details until the original verification resolves or 24 hours have elapsed.
If the employee needs to be moved to a different fund entirely, that change can be made - a new verification request for the new fund is not subject to the 24-hour restriction on the previous fund.
Once a verification has resolved - or timed out - you can make further fund detail changes and a new verification request will be triggered as required.
Superannuation administration screens
Two new tabs have been added to the Admin - Superannuation screen to provide visibility over outstanding and rejected verifications across your organisation. The existing superannuation screen and its current functionality are unchanged.
Outstanding tab
The Outstanding tab displays all verification requests that have been successfully submitted to a fund but for which no response has yet been received. Each record shows the employee name, fund name, message type (MVR or MRR), submission date and time, and the time elapsed since submission. A column indicates the current pending status and whether a previously rejected verification is still outstanding or a new request is now pending.
Each record includes a direct link to the employee’s super fund page. When a response is received, the record is automatically removed from the Outstanding tab - or moved to the Errors tab if the response is a rejection.
Errors tab
The Errors tab displays all verifications that have returned a Rejected status, a validation failure, or a 24-hour timeout that have not yet been resolved. Each record shows the employee name, fund name, message type, error type, error detail, and the date the error was received. A column indicates whether the error is still outstanding or a new verification request is currently pending.
Each record includes a direct link to the employee’s super fund page. When an error is resolved - fund details corrected, a new verification submitted, and a Verified response received - the record is automatically removed from the Errors tab.
A red notification badge on the Errors tab header shows the current count of unresolved records. This badge updates in real time as errors arrive and are resolved, and remains visible from the tab header regardless of which tab is currently active.
Pay run warnings
If a pay run includes a contribution for an employee whose verification status is Rejected, a warning is displayed in the pay run. The warning identifies the affected employee, includes the specific rejection reason from the verification response, and provides a link to the employee’s super fund setup screen where the issue can be resolved.
Contributions are not automatically blocked by a Rejected status - the warning is informational and the decision to proceed rests with the payroll administrator.
No warning is shown for employees with a Verified or MIGv3 Non-Compliant status, and no warning is shown for routine contributions to funds that have already been verified.
Improved error messages
Definitiv has been updated to reflect the SuperStream MIG v3 error code standard. Error messages returned by funds and the SuperStream clearing house now display specific, actionable detail - including dynamic values such as incorrect payment reference numbers - rather than generic placeholders. This applies to contribution response errors, verification rejection messages, and registration failure messages.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Does Definitiv send a verification for every pay run?
A. No, member verification is only triggered in first-time contribution scenarios as defined by ATO guidelines - when an employee’s fund details are first set up, when a fund is changed, or when a Successor Fund Transfer occurs. It is not triggered for routine ongoing contributions to a fund that has already been verified.
Q. What happens if the employee’s fund does not respond within 24 hours?
A. The verification status updates to Timed Out, fund details are unlocked, and a notification appears on the employee’s record. Contributions can still be submitted at your discretion - a timeout does not automatically prevent a contribution from proceeding.
Q. Why can’t I edit the employee’s fund details after saving?
A. Fund details are locked while a verification request is pending - after a successful submission, the fund has up to 24 hours to respond, and details cannot be changed during that window. If you need to update details urgently, you will need to wait for the verification to resolve or time out. If the save returned a validation failure rather than a pending status, the details were not forwarded to the fund and are not locked; you can edit and resubmit immediately.
Q. Can I resend a verification for the same fund?
A. Not within the same 24-hour window. Definitiv prevents duplicate verification requests for the same employee and fund within 24 hours, in line with the SuperStream standard. Once the original verification resolves or times out, a new request can be triggered by saving updated fund details.
Q. Will the employee’s pay be affected while verification is pending?
A. No, the verification process only affects the super fund details and contribution workflow. The employee’s pay, tax, and all other pay amounts are not affected.
Q. What is the difference between an MVR and an MRR?
A. A Member Verification Request (MVR) is used when an employee has chosen their own fund, including a stapled fund returned by the ATO. A Member Registration Request (MRR) is used when a contribution will be made to your organisation’s registered default fund. Definitiv determines which applies automatically based on the scenario.
Q. What does MIGv3 Non-Compliant mean?
A. This status means the nominated fund has not yet adopted SuperStream v3, and the verification request could not be processed as a result. It does not indicate a problem with the employee’s fund details. Contributions can still be submitted to the fund - the MIGv3 Non-Compliant status is informational only.