Key Pourato features
Expand the headings below to read more about the features of Pourato.
Pourato is available in both English and te reo Māori. Switch languages by clicking the person icon on the top right corner of any screen in Pourato.
You may see exceptions on requests when there is a difference between what has been requested and the funding that has been calculated by Pourato. This is like the errors have previously been listed on a funding notice.
Use the table below to understand what an exception means:
| Exception Name | Request Type | What it means |
| [Advance Days] MMM YYYY: <Advance Day Type> advance days exceed days possible | RS3, RS7 EC20 | The number of days claimed during the advance month exceeds the service’s eligibility. The advance days claimed for the month(s) has been auto-adjusted to maximum advance number days, e.g. if service claimed 30 days, and maximum advance days is 25, Pourato has auto-adjusted advance days funded to 25 days. |
| [Advance Days] MMM YYYY: Service not licensed to operate during this month | RS3 | Advance days for months prior to Effective Date of RS3 have been claimed. The funded advance days have been auto-adjusted to zero for the month(s) prior to the Effective Date on the RS3. |
| [Attestation] Attestation from the RS7 is used due to Missing attestation | EC20a | The Attestation is missing on the EC20 request. The Attestation for Certificated Teachers' Salaries has been updated to what was originally claimed on your RS7. |
| [Attestation] Lowest funding rate applied due to No Step attestation response | RS3, EC20a | No Step attestation option has been claimed for this service. This service has been funded at the lowest funding rate (0-24% Base Funding Rate). Contact ece.resourcing@education.govt.nz if changes are required. |
| [Attestation] Lowest funding rate applied due to Missing attestation or No Step attestation response | RS7 | No Step attestation option has been claimed for this service. This service has been funded at the lowest funding rate (0-24% Base Funding Rate). Contact ece.resourcing@education.govt.nz if changes are required. |
| [Child Max] DDD: Under 2 children claimed exceed <%>% of licensed Under 2 maximum | RS3 | The maximum a service is eligible to claim is 75% of the service’s licensed Under 2 maximum. The Funded Under 2 Child has been auto-adjusted to 75% of licence maximum for that day of week. |
| [Child Max] DDD: Total children claimed exceed <%>% of licensed child maximum | RS3 | The maximum a service is eligible to claim is 75% of the service’s licensed child maximum. The Funded Child Hours has been auto-adjusted to 75% of licence maximum for that day of week. |
| [FCH Max] DDD: Daily <FUNDING COMPONENT> FCH exceeds service maximum | RS3, EC20 | The daily FCH claimed for the funding component (Under 2, 2&Over, 20 Hours, Plus 10) exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. The funded value has been auto-adjusted to service’s maximum. |
| [FCH Max] DDD: Total daily ECE Subsidy FCH exceeds service maximum | RS3, EC20 | The maximum daily FCH for the ECE Subsidy (Under 2 FCH and 2&Over FCH) exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s maximum. |
| [FCH Max] DDD: Total daily FCH exceeds service maximum | RS3, EC20
| The maximum daily FCH for all funding components when summed together exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s maximum. |
| [FCH Max] MMM YYYY: Daily <FUNDING COMPONENT> FCH exceeds service maximum | RS7 | The daily FCH claimed for the funding component (Under 2, 2&Over, 20 Hours, Plus 10) exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. Total funding maximums are calculated using the operating or funded hours and licensed child maximum for the service. The funded value has been auto-adjusted to service’s maximum. |
| [FCH Max] MMM YYYY: Total daily ECE Subsidy FCH exceeds service maximum | RS7
| The maximum daily FCH for the ECE Subsidy (Under 2 FCH and 2&Over FCH) exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. Total funding maximums are calculated using the operating or funded hours and licensed child maximum for the service. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s maximum. |
| [FCH Max] MMM YYYY: Total daily FCH exceeds service maximum | RS7
| The maximum daily FCH for all funding components when summed together exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. Total funded maximum are calculated using the service’s operating or funded hours and licence child maximum for the service. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s maximum. |
| [FCH Max] MMM YYYY: Total weekly Under 2 FCH exceeds service maximum | RS7
| The maximum weekly FCH for the Under 2 FCHs exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. Under 2 weekly maximum is the smaller of 30 Hours per Under 2 child place or sum of Under 2 daily maximum. The Under 2 funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s weekly maximum. |
| [FCH Max] MMM YYYY: Total weekly ECE Subsidy FCH exceeds service maximum | RS7
| The maximum weekly FCH for the ECE Subsidy (Under 2 FCH and 2&Over FCH) exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. ECE Subsidy weekly maximum is the smaller of 30 Hours per child place or sum of child place maximum. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s weekly maximum. |
| [FCH Max] MMM YYYY: Total weekly FCH exceeds service maximum | RS7
| The maximum weekly FCH for all funding components summed together exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s licensed maximum. |
| [Funded Status] MMM YYYY: Service has claimed funding on ineligible days | RS7, EC20 | This service is not eligible to claim funding on ineligible days. The funded hours claimed have been auto-adjusted to zero for the ineligible days. Contact your Ministry of Education local office if the licence for your service requires changes. |
| [GST] The GST registration number for your service has not been provided, therefore GST has not been included in the funding | RS3 | GST funding is only provided if the service is GST registered. This service is not GST registered. Contact your Ministry of Education local office if the service is GST registered. You will need to complete an RS2 advising your GST number. |
| [Not Licensed] DDD: Service is not licensed for children Under 2 | RS3, EC20 | This service is not licenced for children Under 2. The Funded Child Hours claimed for Under 2s has been auto-adjusted to zero. |
| [Not Licensed] DDD: Service is not licensed to claim Under 2 FCH | EC20 | This service is not licensed for children Under 2. The Funded Child Hours claimed for Under 2s has been auto-adjusted to zero. |
| [Not Licensed] MMM YYYY: Service is not eligible to claim Under 2 FCH | RS7 | This service is not licenced for children Under 2. The Funded Child Hours claimed for Under 2s has been auto-adjusted to zero. |
| [Not Eligible] Service is not eligible to claim 20 Hours ECE for children on <Provision Type> days | RS3, EC20 | This service is not eligible for 20 Hours ECE funding. The Funded Child Hours (FCH) claimed for 20 Hours ECE and Plus 10 have been auto-adjusted to zero. Contact your Ministry of Education local office if your service is eligible to update your records. |
| [Not Eligible] Service is not eligible to claim 20 Hours ECE for children on <Provision Type> days | RS3, EC20 | This service is not eligible for 20 Hours ECE and Plus 10 funding. The Funded Child Hours claimed for 20 Hours ECE and Plus 10 have been auto-adjusted to zero. Contact your Ministry of Education local office to understand your service type. |
| [Prior Period] RS7 return is from a prior funding period | RS7 | This RS7 request is for a prior funding period. |
| [RS7] RS7 with no daily data | RS7 | No FCH have been claimed or funded for RS7. Contact your Ministry regional office if your service has ceased operating or has undergone a change of ownership. |
| [RS7] RS7 submitted on behalf | RS7 | The RS7 return for this service has been entered by the Ministry of Education. |
| [RS7] Service has closed during this funding period | RS7
| This service has closed during this funding period. Please send the final RS7 request(s) for the service closure period. |
| [SHC] Sessional Staff Hour Count not required for Kindergarten | RS3 | Sessional Kindergartens are not required to submit a Staff Hour Count. Funding Band defaults to 100% |
| [SHC] Staff Hour Count not required for <Service type> - <Quality Level> rate applied | RS3 | Home-based services and Playcentres are not required to submit a Staff Hour Count. The funding rate for these service types is determined using Quality Level. |
| [SHC] MMM YYYY: SHC claimed in error when FCH is zero | RS7 | This service has claimed Staff Hour Count (SHC) when no FCH have been claimed. The funded SHC has been auto-adjusted to zero for the affected day. The SHC will not be included when calculating the service's funding band. |
| [SHC] MMM YYYY: SHC claimed in error for <temporary closure type> | RS7
| This service has claimed SHC for a day where there was a temporary closure. The funded SHC has been auto-adjusted to zero for the affected day. The SHC for this day will not be included when calculating the service's funding band. |
| [SHC] MMM YYYY: SHC claimed for ineligible day | RS7 | This service has claimed SHC on an ineligible day. Ineligible days include:
The funded SHC has been auto-adjusted to zero for the affected day. The SHC for this day will not be used when calculating a service's funding band. |
| [Split Submission] Change of service provider during wash-up period | RS7 | Pourato has detected there was a service provider change in FIRST during the RS7's entitlement period. |
| [Split Submission] Change of SMS between RS7 submissions | RS7 | Pourato has detected there was a change in SMS provider in ELI during the RS7's entitlement period. |
| [Temporary closure] MMM YYYY: FCH claimed for <temporary closure type> | RS7 | This service was closed temporarily: If closure is due to an emergency closure (EC), you must contact your Ministry regional office for temporary closure approval. If an emergency closure day has not been approved, the temporary closure type is changed to Not Funded (NF). For emergency closures, funding hours may be claimed for the hours children have a permanent enrolment subject to the funding maximums of the ECE Subsidy and 20 Hours ECE. If service open - Holiday Period but no children attended (SO)
In both scenarios, Staff Hours are auto adjusted to zero for emergency closure day(s). For temporary closure types (University Holiday; Not Funded; Not Meeting Person Responsible Requirement; Anniversary Day; Statutory Holiday; Service Closed; Holiday Period; Teacher Only Day) Funded Hours and Staff Hours cannot be claimed as the service was not operating. For more information, see 7-5 Emergency closure - Ministry of Education |
| [Week FCH Max] Total weekly Under 2 FCH exceeds service maximum | RS3, EC20
| The maximum weekly FCH for the Under 2 FCHs exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. The Under 2 funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s weekly maximum. |
| [Week FCH Max] Total weekly ECE Subsidy FCH exceeds service maximum | RS3, EC20
| The maximum weekly FCH for the ECE Subsidy (Under 2 FCH & 2&Over FCH) exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s weekly maximum. |
| [Week FCH Max] Total weekly FCH exceeds service maximum | RS3, EC20
| The maximum weekly FCH for all funding components summed together exceeds the service’s licensed maximum. The funded values have been auto-adjusted to the service’s licenced maximum. |
| [20 Hours] MMM YYYY: Service is not eligible to claim Plus 10 / 20 Hours ECE for children on <Provision Type> days | RS7
| This service is not eligible for 20 Hours ECE / Plus 10 funding. The funded values for 20 Hours ECE / Plus 10 have been auto-adjusted to the service’s maximum. Contact your Ministry of Education local office to understand your service type. |
Scroll to the bottom of any screen in Pourato for quick links to funding forms and how to get help.
There is no change to funding payment dates throughout the year.
Pourato is designed to align with standard business and accounting practice and will show the GST-exclusive amount, the GST amount and the GST-inclusive amount. If a service is not GST-registered, the GST component will not be calculated and will not be part of any payment.
Funding information in Pourato is available from the July 2025 funding period onwards. Any funding information you may require for previous funding periods should be downloaded from the Secure Data Portal. Information older than six months can be requested by email to ece.resourcing@education.govt.nz
Information remains accessible in Pourato and does not expire in six months like the notices published in the Secure Data Portal.
Notification emails are sent to your funding contact when an RS7 return is received and when funding is published and available to view in Pourato.
To update your funding contact, submit an EC8 form to the Ministry of Education. Changing your early learning service details - Ministry of Education
Rates in Pourato are GST exclusive. For the latest funding rates, refer to the ECE Funding Handbook Appendix 1 - Ministry of Education
During the transition from GST inclusive to GST exclusive rates, Pourato will round funding rates to six decimal places rather than two, to ensure the most accurate calculation of funding. Future rates will be rounded to two decimal places.
Pourato is a read-only system, meaning users cannot edit or change information on the screen and can explore the system without worrying about accidentally editing anything. Continue to provide information to the Ministry of Education as you normally do, by submitting returns and other forms.
Pourato allows early learning service providers to track their requests and view funding data. There is no change to how service providers submit returns or provide funding data to the Ministry of Education.