CalSTRS sets July 1, 2027 deadline for New File Format, offers year-long testing starting July 1, 2026

Nicole Snyder and Dan Demaglie told employers that CalSTRS will implement a mandatory New File Format for reporting member data on July 1, 2027, and begin a testing and validation period on July 1, 2026.

"The first New File Format file will be the July file," Dan said, explaining that employers will use the Employer Readiness Environment (ERE) for a full year of production-like testing and will be asked to upload monthly test files. He said CalSTRS will host two kickoff webinars in early June, meet with vendors between June and July, and provide virtual report‑source visits as requested.

Why it matters: staff said the NFF is intended to modernize reporting, reduce manual errors, enforce standardized business-rule validation, and mitigate audit findings. Job aids, a contribution-file crosswalk and the file specification are already posted on the Employer Support Portal.

Implementation details and employer support
CalSTRS staff said the ERE will be regularly refreshed so employers can validate their workflows and that vendor-facing outreach will run in parallel. Dan advised that employers switch at the employer (county) level; once switched, prior fiscal-year corrections should be submitted in NFF.

On transitional reporting: employers will submit June 2026 reporting on legacy formats (F496). Dan confirmed the July 2026 submission will be the first to use NFF for those employers who have been switched internally to the new format, and CalSTRS will work case‑by‑case where employers need to add lines or correct prior months.

Training and materials
Kitty Gacic said self-guided computer‑based trainings and refreshed job aids aligned with AB 1997 will be published in October 2026; instructor‑led training incorporating AB 1997 and NFF content will begin January 1, 2027. CalSTRS will publish a training circular with exact dates in early July and said recordings of kickoff webinars will be posted on the Employer Support Portal.

Open questions and next steps
Staff asked employers to engage in testing "early and often." They committed to posting timelines, job aids and the NFF file specification and to coordinate virtual visits on request. The meeting transcript does not specify a date for individual employer cutovers; employers were advised CalSTRS will provide coordination and a switch schedule.