If you have difficulty logging in to ESS, here are some other helpful hints to remember:

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1 Log in to ESS Go to It is very important that you have your own user name and password to submit information via ESS. If you do not have an ESS account, please contact your STRS Ohio employer advisor to set up your account today. Do not submit any information to STRS Ohio using anyone else s user name. If you have difficulty logging in to ESS, here are some other helpful hints to remember: 1. Be sure you are on the employer website not the member website. The Web address is 2. Passwords are case sensitive. Make sure your caps lock key is not on. 3. Your account will be automatically suspended (locked) if you have not accessed ESS in the last six months. 4. If you cannot remember your user name or password, please contact STRS Ohio toll-free at Updated Jan. 28, 2016

2 Making a Direct Debit Payment Employers have several options when making payments to STRS Ohio. You can pay via direct debit, check, ACH credit or wire transfer. The preferred method of payment is through direct debit via ESS. Before a direct debit payment can be scheduled, you must first set up bank account details in ESS and execute an Authorization Agreement for Direct Debit Payment Through ACH Debit. A. Bank Account Setup Only treasurers and main contacts have been granted access to set up account information. If you prefer payroll personnel enter this information, the district treasurer or CFO should send an requesting authorization to the direct debit system be granted to that individual. If you wish to set up a bank account for payment, click on Make a Payment under the Application Menu. Next, click on the Bank Info tab. 1

3 This will bring up the screen below. First, click Add to enter bank account details. In the Account Details section of the page, enter the following information: 1. Start Date This will be the date you wish to have the bank account active to make payments. STRS Ohio recommends using today s date. 2. Draw Limit Enter the maximum amount allowable for an individual payment. For example, if no payment should ever exceed $10,000, then you should set the draw limit to $10,000. The draw limit is set at the employer s discretion. Please note: The Stop Date will only be entered when you wish to cease using this particular account. 2

4 Once Account Details have been entered, begin entering Bank Account Details. Start by clicking Search next to Bank Name. Once the search field appears, enter your bank routing number and click Search. Bank Name and Bank Routing Number will automatically populate assuming you have entered a legitimate bank routing number. We do not recommend searching by name, as some financial institutions have multiple routing numbers. 3

5 Next, enter the bank account number and select Checking or Savings based on the account type. Remember to click Save when complete. 4

6 Once you click Save, the Agreement Confirmation page will appear. Please enter the name of the individual that will be certifying the Authorization Agreement for Direct Payment Through ACH Debit, as well as their title. This should be the treasurer, controller, CFO or other individual responsible for district financial information. Once complete, click Confirm. 5

7 The next screen that appears is a printable version of the authorization agreement. You must print this page, certify and return to STRS Ohio. Click Print and then Finish. Fax the completed authorization agreement to

8 Please note: Online payments cannot be scheduled until STRS Ohio receives the authorization agreement and receives bank approval for your direct debit process request. Generally, this process may take up to two to three business days from the time STRS Ohio receives your signed authorization agreement. Once the bank account has been approved, the school s main contact will receive an from STRS Ohio indicating approval to begin making direct debit payments on ESS. The Account Status on the Bank Info tab will change to Approved. 7

9 B. Making a Payment Once the bank account status shows as Approved, you can begin making payments by direct debit in ESS. To schedule a payment, in the Make a Payment section of ESS, click on the Schedule Payment tab. Begin by clicking on Schedule. 8

10 Next, Payment Schedule Details will appear. Please enter the following information and remember to click Save once all information is entered. 1. Start Date This will be the date you wish to make payment. Please allow up to two business days, from the start date indicated, for payment to be credited to your STRS Ohio account. 2. Description Enter a brief description of the payment. For example: payroll for 8/28/15 or backposting invoice payment. 3. Payment Amount This should be the total amount of payment you wish to make from this particular bank account. 4. Bank Account Select the bank account you wish to use for this payment. 9

11 After saving, you will notice a Details button will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of the Payment Schedule Details page. Click on Details to enter payment details similar to the cash remittance form. 10

12 After clicking Details, the following screen will appear. Click Add to populate detailed information. Please note the following choices in the drop-down menu, Payment Order Detail Type column: 1. Employee Contributions Enter pay date and employee contribution amount. 2. Employer Contributions Enter pay date and employer contribution amount. 3. ARP Contributions (for college and university employers only) Enter pay date and amount. 4. Payroll Deduction for Purchase Service Enter pay date and purchase service credit payment amount. 5. Payment for Invoice Enter invoice number and amount. 11

13 Choose the correct payment type(s) and enter all details. Once payment details are complete, click Ok. 12

14 The system will return the user back to the Payment Schedule Details screen. Click Save to submit your payment request to STRS Ohio. Notice the Payment Order Status changes to Submitted after you click Save. In addition to Initial and Submitted, the Payment Order Status column may reflect one of the following status descriptions: 1. Pending Your scheduled payment has been included in the file currently being transferred to STRS Ohio s bank for processing. 2. Complete STRS Ohio has received credit for your payment. 3. Canceled The payment process could not be completed with your bank and payment must be rescheduled or resent. For example, if a payment is rejected due to insufficient funds, the Payment Order Status will reflect Canceled. Please note, it is possible for Payment Order Status to show as Complete initially and later change to Canceled if payment is rejected by the employer s bank. 13