I cannot save a pay item: fields that do not combine

Symptom

In Payroll › Configure › Pay items, the version window closes without a problem, but when you save the pay item the Validation Error or Invalid Operation window opens. Or the version window does not close and a field is in red.

The version window's button does not save yet

Save & Close only puts the version in the pay item's list. The field combinations are checked when you save the pay item. Until the refusal is resolved, the pay item and the version remain unsaved.

Message

The messages below were triggered on screen with the Payroll Administrator profile, on a test pay item in the category “Vencimento / Retribuição base”. In the messages, the pay item appears by its code, not its name.

Required fields. On the pay item, the Name and the Code. In the version window, Valid from and Category. On a new pay item, fill in the Name and the Code and save the pay item before pressing Add a line: otherwise, the version window opens with the Item field empty and in red, and Save & Close does not close. With the source “Duodécimo de um subsídio”, also Twelfth of. With the source “Holidays on termination”, also Parcel of the termination. The missing field is shown in red and, when you save the empty pay item, you get the notice:

“Some required fields are empty. Fill in the fields marked in red to be able to save.”

Repeated code, when saving the pay item:

“The code “TEDUP” is already used by rule “Rubrica de ensaio E”. Choose another code.”

The legal reference is missing. This is the first refusal on a new pay item, because Source type comes filled in with “Legal rule”:

“A legal or collective-agreement version needs its reference. Fill in “Legal reference” (diploma/article or agreement and publication).”

Two versions at the same time:

“Rule “TDPJZO” already has a Company rule version in force in that period (from 01/01/2026). Versions of the same source cannot overlap: close the previous one (“Valid until”) and start the new one the day after.”

Changing a version that has already started (Invalid Operation window):

“The version(s) of “TDPJZO” already started (from 2026-01-01) and cannot be edited: history is never rewritten. Close the current one with “Valid until” and create a new version starting the day after.”

Dates swapped:

“The end of validity cannot be earlier than its start. Correct “Valid until”.”

Fixed amount and percentage at the same time:

“A version has a fixed amount OR a percentage, not both. Clear one of them.”

Assiduity premium. Without Fixed amount:

“An assiduity premium needs the full monthly amount in “Fixed amount” and has no percentage. How to fix it: fill in the full premium and clear “Percentage”.”

With a tolerance of –1 days or a loss of 150 % per day:

“An assiduity premium needs a tolerance of zero or more days and a share lost per day above 0 and up to 100 %. How to fix it: correct “Days of absence tolerated” and “Premium lost per day (%)”.”

Fields left over from another source. After filling in the fields of one source and choosing another, the fields are no longer shown, but the value stays there:

““Days of absence tolerated” and “Premium lost per day” only apply to the quantity source “Assiduity premium”. How to fix it: clear them or change the quantity source.”

“The rule “TDHW6N” has a parcel of the termination but is not a rule of holidays on termination. How to fix it: clear the parcel or choose “Holidays on termination”.”

Source “Valor ligado ao recibo (payroll_w2e)”:

“A rule linked to the payslip needs to say which value it takes. How to fix it: fill in “Linked value”.”

Own IRS withholding on a pay item that cannot have it:

“Pay item “TD9HNN” cannot have its own IRS withholding. What happened: autonomous withholding (Personal Income Tax Code (CIRS) art. 99.º-C) only exists for overtime, for holiday and Christmas allowances and for remuneration of earlier years, and the category “Vencimento / Retribuição base” is none of them. How to fix it: choose “As the category says” in “IRS withholding regime”, or put the pay item in the category of overtime, holiday or Christmas allowance, or remuneration of earlier years.”

Wrong account on the posting template (Payroll › Configure › Posting templates). The same account on debit and credit:

“The debit and the credit account of the template for “PAY_ACCR_HOLIDAYS” are the same (631 Remunerações dos órgãos sociais). What happened: an entry that debits and credits the same account has no effect. How to fix it: choose two different accounts.”

A bank account on the credit side:

“The template for “PAY_ACCR_HOLIDAYS” credits the bank or cash account 12 Depósitos à ordem. What happened: the payroll entry only records what is owed; a credit to the bank without a payment would show money that never left the account and the payslips would look paid. How to fix it: credit the account of amounts payable (for net pay, a sub-account of 231 “Remunerações a pagar” different from the one debited); the payment settles it and is reconciled with the bank statement.”

An accrual pay item credited to 231:

“The accrual “PAY_ACCR_HOLIDAYS” cannot be credited to account 2311 Aos órgãos sociais. What happened: holidays and allowances not yet processed are accrued expenses (account 2722) and 231 is only used when the remuneration is processed. How to fix it: choose account 2722 “Credores por acréscimos de gastos”.”

Verified causes

• The Source type was left at “Legal rule”. A company's own pay item has no legal text to cite, and the refusal only goes away with the reference or with another source type.
• There is already a version of the same source in that period. Two versions from the same source cannot coincide in time.
• The version has already started. A version with Valid from in the past does not change its values: it can only be closed.
• The fields of the previous source stayed filled in after changing the Quantity source. They are not shown, but they count.
• The source “Valor ligado ao recibo (payroll_w2e)” cannot be used in this window. The message asks for the Linked value field, which does not appear on the form.

• The posting template's accounts are locked for this profile. With only the Payroll Administrator, Debit account and Credit account are read-only and required, so the template cannot be saved. With the same profile plus read access to accounting, the fields open and the three account refusals appear.
• The account chosen does not suit that pay item, as the messages say. Pending validation by a certified accountant: the right account for each pay item and the treatment of accruals in 2722.

What to check

1. Whether the error window appeared when saving the pay item or the template: that is where the message names the field.
2. The version's Source type, Legal reference, Valid from and Valid until.
3. The Quantity source and whether another one was ever chosen on this version.
4. The versions the pay item already has in the list, with the dates and source type of each.
5. The version's IRS withholding regime and Category. The regime options are “As the category says (default)”, “Own withholding, never added to the monthly remuneration (CIRS art. 99.º-C/5)”, “Only on the worker's request (CIRS art. 99.º-C/3)” and “Exclusively variable income (CIRS art. 100.º)”.

How to fix it

What you can do yourself, with the Payroll Administrator profile:

1. Legal reference. If the pay item is the company's own, choose Source type › “Company rule”: the version saves without a reference. If the pay item comes from the law or a collective instrument, fill in the Legal reference.
2. Overlapping versions or a version already started. Open the version in force in the list, fill in Valid until (in the example, 31/12/2026) and press Save. Save the pay item. Then, in Add a line, create the new version with Valid from the day after (01/01/2027) and save the pay item again.
3. Dates and amounts. Correct Valid until. Keep only the Fixed amount or only the Percentage. For the assiduity premium, enter the full amount in Fixed amount, leave Percentage empty, the tolerance at zero or more days and the loss per day above 0 and up to 100 %.
4. Assiduity premium fields after changing the source. Choose “Assiduity premium” again, set Days of absence tolerated and Premium lost per day (%) to 0, choose the right source and save.
5. Termination parcel after changing the source. The list only has the four parcels, with no empty option. Press Discard all changes, the icon next to the pay item's name, and create the version again, already with the right source.
6. Value linked to the payslip. Do not use this source: discard the changes in the same way and choose another. If you really need it, contact support.
7. Own IRS withholding. Choose “As the category says (default)” in IRS withholding regime (the message calls it “As the category says”), or change the Category. Pending validation by a certified accountant: which pay items the autonomous withholding of CIRS art. 99.º-C applies to.

What you ask someone else for:

• The posting template's accounts: ask the certified accountant for the right accounts, and whoever administers the software for a user with access to both areas (payroll and at least read access to accounting).

For what each field of the pay item does, follow How to create and configure a pay item.

Expected result

• The pay item saves without an error window and the version stays in the list, with the dates, the source type, the type and the category (in the example, 01/01/2026 to 31/12/2026, “Company rule”, “Earning (allowance)”, “Vencimento / Retribuição base”, and the next one from 01/01/2027).
• The posting template saves with different accounts (in the example, credit to 2722 “Credores por acréscimos de gastos”).
• If the pay item saves but the payslip is refused, follow Payroll processing is blocked.

When to contact support

• You need a pay item with the source “Valor ligado ao recibo (payroll_w2e)”.
• The same message continues after correcting the field it names.
• A version closed with Valid until still gives the overlapping versions message.

Information to send

• The name and code of the pay item, or the pay item of the posting template.
• The version's Source type, Quantity source, dates and category.
• The full text of the message, copied from the screen.
• The profile you logged in with.