System crash (again) when trying to delete a payroll

[bairdmw]

Anyone else sick of seeing the MYOB crash screen?  I'm trying to delete a payroll transaction that has not yet been put through to a bank file.  Stack trace below...

I'm absolutely amazed that a commercial product such as this can continually have simple coding errors such as a Null value not being handled correctly.  Clearly shows a lack of thorough regression testing on MYOB's behalf.

AccountRight Application Error Report
=====================================
Application Version: 2020.3.24.318
Application File Version: 2020.3.24.1678
Incident Id: 8b79487d-a7a3-49ea-bb67-dd3bc6fb83e7
Time: Monday, 23 November 2020 12:01:12 PM

Code:
System.ArgumentNullException

Message:
Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: format

Stack Trace
----------------------------------------
1 : System.ArgumentNullException
----------------------------------------
System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.
Parameter name: format
at mscorlib!0x0600572c!System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg) +0x27
at mscorlib!0x06005737!System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type) +0x1b3
at Huxley.Service.Gateway!0x06001880!MYOB.Huxley.Service.Gateway.API.IGatewayService.Dispatch(String name, Object[] arguments)
at Huxley.Service.Proxy!0x06000dc4!MYOB.Huxley.Service.Proxy.Services.ProxyPayEmployeeContainerService.GetStpPayRunStatus(Int32 employeePaymentEventId, String authToken) +0x0
at Huxley.UI.Decorators!0x06002b9b!MYOB.Huxley.UI.Decorators.Services.DecoratorServiceMYOBHuxleyApplicationServicesContainerAPIIPayEmployeeContainerService.MYOB.Huxley.ApplicationServices.Container.API.IPayEmployeeContainerService.GetStpPayRunStatus(Int32 employeePaymentEventId, String authToken) +0x52
at Huxley.UI.Model!0x06003743!MYOB.Huxley.UI.Model.Context.PayEmployeeContext.GetStpPayRunStatus(Int32 id, String authToken) +0x0
at Huxley.UI.Controllers!0x0600206f!MYOB.Huxley.UI.Controllers.Payroll.ProcessPayroll.PayEmployeeController.GetStpPayRunStatus(String authToken, Boolean checkExisting) +0x42
at Huxley.UI.Forms!0x060026d1!MYOB.Huxley.UI.Forms.Payroll.ProcessPayroll.PayEmployeeHelper.ValidateStpStatusForDelete() +0x4e
at Huxley.UI.Forms!0x06002714!MYOB.Huxley.UI.Forms.Payroll.ProcessPayroll.PayEmployee.DeleteOrReverseTransaction() +0xcb
at Huxley.UI.Forms!0x06002710!MYOB.Huxley.UI.Forms.Payroll.ProcessPayroll.PayEmployee.mnuReverseTransaction_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) +0x0
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003fda!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.RaiseEvent(Object key, EventArgs e) +0x0
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06004130!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripMenuItem.OnClick(EventArgs e) +0x17
at Huxley.UI.Controls!0x06000194!MYOB.Huxley.UI.Controls.Standard.StaToolStripItem.OnClick(EventArgs e) +0x128
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003f99!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.HandleClick(EventArgs e) +0x3b
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003fa2!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.HandleMouseUp(MouseEventArgs e) +0xc6
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003f8b!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.FireEventInteractive(EventArgs e, ToolStripItemEventType met) +0x46
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003f8a!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripItem.FireEvent(EventArgs e, ToolStripItemEventType met) +0xc9
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003ba9!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mea) +0x6f
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003dbc!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDown.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mea) +0x0
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06000efd!System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks) +0x184
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06000f0d!System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m) +0x62c
at System.Windows.Forms!0x0600347f!System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m) +0x34
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003bde!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStrip.WndProc(Message& m) +0xe7
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06003ddc!System.Windows.Forms.ToolStripDropDown.WndProc(Message& m) +0x71
at System.Windows.Forms!0x0600571b!System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m) +0x0
at System.Windows.Forms!0x0600571e!System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m) +0x8e
at System.Windows.Forms!0x06002deb!System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam) +0x25
==========
MODULE: Huxley.Service.Gateway => Huxley.Service.Gateway, Version=2020.3.24.318, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=947f70fecdd4159f; G:0e07724fbd6d49d1aff1a50f2ca6cb64; A:1
MODULE: Huxley.Service.Proxy => Huxley.Service.Proxy, Version=2020.3.24.318, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=947f70fecdd4159f; G:affd49fbb71a4bc69b5f89d532066468; A:1
MODULE: Huxley.UI.Controllers => Huxley.UI.Controllers, Version=2020.3.24.318, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=947f70fecdd4159f; G:a088d0c294f548b99b7dbaf81e7c3498; A:1
MODULE: Huxley.UI.Controls => Huxley.UI.Controls, Version=2020.3.24.318, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=947f70fecdd4159f; G:9259442684f3454aa494b4cc17072cc2; A:1
MODULE: Huxley.UI.Decorators => Huxley.UI.Decorators, Version=2020.3.24.318, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=947f70fecdd4159f; G:3179268800424c92938451bc93dd4e3a; A:1
MODULE: Huxley.UI.Forms => Huxley.UI.Forms, Version=2020.3.24.318, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=947f70fecdd4159f; G:3fd1a8442312472b80a6f5c520e84cda; A:1
MODULE: Huxley.UI.Model => Huxley.UI.Model, Version=2020.3.24.318, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=947f70fecdd4159f; G:b28e4a3100fe4c61aa61673d5472384d; A:1
MODULE: mscorlib => mscorlib, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; G:a141e0610f354a70aa70ea6234f9b005; A:2
MODULE: System.Windows.Forms => System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089; G:1508bdbb0b7e4b6ea43a0c7f61263e50; A:1

----------------------------------------

[Tracey_H]

Hi @bairdmw 

Thanks for your post and for providing that error log. The first thing I'd like to check is if you are able to reverse that pay. I can see that you have upgraded to 2020.3 and, as such, would not be able to delete a pay which has the status accepted or sent in the Payroll Reporting Centre.

If you are getting the same error when trying to reverse that pay then it looks like you are being impacted by a known issue for Server Edition users. This issue is currently being investigated by our developers. In the meantime, you can process a negative pay to achieve the same result. 

I understand this workaround is not ideal and appreciate your patience while our developers investigate this issue. We do apologise for the inconvenience caused.

Please let me know if you need further help.

[bairdmw]

Hi Tracey, Thanks for replying. We are using server edition (our data file is not online) with a network library.

The pay has been recorded but has not been included in any bank file, so is still available to be edited / deleted.  When the pay was first put through, I did not log in to MYOB online so the single-touch payroll data was not forwarded to the ATO with the original pay run.  I have since done another (correct) pay for the same employee and am trying to delete the incorrect pay.  I have no choice other than to log in to MYOB online to delete the pay, but when i do log in, the system crashes.  Presumably, the null value is because the pay was not sent to the ATO in the first place, but it is crazy that your product does not recognise this.

I can do a negative pay to offset the incorrect pay but I wonder what sort of mess this is going to create with ATO reporting for STP.

First time I've had to use MYOB for 6 months and I'm quickly being reminded of everything I loved about this product (:sarcasm:!)

[Tracey_H · Accepted solution]

Hi @bairdmw 

Thanks for detailed information. So it appears that you are being affected by that known issue I mentioned previously. This issue is impacting users of the Server Edition whose file is offline, regardless of whether the pay has been declared through STP or not. The cause of this is being investigated by our developers, however, some users have been able to delete or reverse a pay by stopping services on the server:

To stop services on Windows

1. Simultaneously press the Windows  and R key on your keyboard (the Windows  key is between the Ctrl and Alt keys). The Run window appears.

2. In the Open field, type services.msc then click OK.

3. In the list of services, look for all services starting with MYOB

4. Right-click on each of the services and choose Stop.

5. The service will now no longer show "Started"

Once the pay has been deleted or reversed you will need to restart the services:

To start services on Windows

1. Simultaneously press the Windows and R key on your keyboard (the Windows key is between the Ctrl and Alt keys). The Run window appears.

2. In the Open field, type services.msc then click OK.

3.In the list of services, look for all services starting with MYOB

Note that you  may  have  different services  starting  with  MYOB  depending on  the  versions you have installed.

4. Right-click on each of the services and choose Start.

5. The service will now show "Started" 

Changes were made in 2020.3 in the way that pays can be corrected. If a pay has the status accepted or sent in the Payroll Reporting Centre it will need to be reversed, regardless of whether it has been included in a bank file or not. 

If you choose to process a negative pay, you can then process a $0 pay with payment date as today to update the YTD amounts in STP.  As long as the YTD amounts are correct, there's no mess created with the ATO as a negative pay is just a manual reversal. 

And I just want to clarify another point, your company file does not need to be online to report your payroll through STP. You just need a subscription and an internet connection. 

Please do let me know if you need further help.

If my response has answered your enquiry please click "Accept as Solution" to assist other users find this information.

[bairdmw]

Thanks Tracey.

That did the trick!

[Tracey_H]

That's great to hear @bairdmw , thanks for letting me know.

Please don't hesitate to post again if you need help in the future.