Hi there, @Ann Newman.
I can share with you some information about setting up a workplace pension in QuickBooks Online.
I've tried here on my end, and I'm able to set the provider reference with the provided format without any problem. With this, I'd suggest doing primary troubleshooting steps to isolate the problem. Sometimes, a browser full of cache and temp files can cause unexpected behaviors.
To start, let's log in to your QBO account via incognito to confine the concern.
Here are the shortcut keys:
- Ctrl + Shift + N (Google Chrome)
- Ctrl + Shift + P (Firefox)
- Control + Option + P (Safari)
- Ctrl + Shift + P (Microsoft Edge)
Once you've logged in, re-input the provider reference to check if it's already functioning well. For more details about setting up a pension, you may refer to this article: Workplace pensions in QuickBooks Online Standard Payroll.
If that works, please clear the cache of your regular browser. Using other supported browsers is a great alternative too.
If the issue persists, I'd recommend contacting Nest support to double-check the number and investigate the root cause of the issue.
For your second question, Yes, you'll need to manually transfer the money from your business account to the personal account. The reason is QuickBooks Online Payroll United Kingdom version does not have a direct deposit.
For the last one, you'll need to correct first the allowances and other tax information of your employees. To make sure that taxes will calculate correctly. You can visit this article for more guidance: Add, update an employee record in QuickBooks Online.
You can always access the NEST contribution, membership, and Pension summary reports by going to the Reports button. Then under Workplace Pension, select Run and customize it to show the specific aspects. For more details, check out this article: Workplace Pension reports.
I've also added these topics below about Nest requirements, troubleshooting the error message, imagining employees, and other related topics.
Know that I'll be right here to help if you have any other questions. Have a good one!