Navigating PensionPro Implementation

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Section 1: Getting Started with PensionPro

Welcome to PensionPro! In this first section, we will cover the basics. Below you will find links to fundamental features and controls that will guide you through your first steps as a PensionPro user. As you are going through Section 1, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

 

 

Section 2: Data Conversion

Below you will find a list of Core Data needed for basic PensionPro functions, as well as Supplemental Data which is optional. In this stage of the implementation process, we will populate your PensionPro system with data by importing a series of import templates. PensionPro has many supplemental data fields. Although not all supplemental fields are required to successfully navigate the system, it is ideal to populate as much data as possible for import to avoid manually populating the missing data in the future.

 

Core Data needed for basic PensionPro functions such as CRM, projects, and blast email:

  • Clients and Plans - Clients and Plans serve as the foundation that all other imported data will link to. A Client is the Plan Sponsor which links to any applicable Plans. Clients can be linked to multiple Plans while a Plan can only be linked to a single Client record.
  • Contacts - Users can track contact information such as email, address, number, and referral information for Contacts in PensionPro by creating contact records in PensionPro. Contacts can later be assigned roles for Plans.
  • Employees - Employees are the members of your firm who use PensionPro. Each user needs to have an Employee record created, which will represent their PensionPro account.
  • Plan Contact Roles - Plan Contact Roles are plan contact assignments used in communications to clients and referral sources. A contact may fill several of the roles or even all. Examples might be “Investment Advisor,” “Payroll Contact”, “Accountant”, “Billing Contact” or “Main Contact.
  • Employee Plan Roles - Employee Plan Roles are the assignments Employees fill when servicing a plan. Examples may include “Administrator,” “Billing Specialist,” or “Distribution Processor.” Employee Plan Roles can be found on the Employee Roles view of a Plan.

 

Supplemental Data:

  • Investment Provider Data - Users can track Investment information for Plans such as Provider, Direction, Contract Numbers, Investment Model, and 1099 Responsibility. The Investment Provider Import template allows users to import this information, so it appears on the Investments tab of a Plan Record. Plans can have multiple Investment Provider records.
  • Employer Data - Employer Data tracks firm and ownership information for the Client such as EIN, Fiscal Year End, Payroll Frequency, Principals, Family Relationships, and Ownership information. Employer Data records are typically created for each plan year for the Client.
  • Prior Year Census Data - Users can import prior year census information into initial Annual Administration projects against multiple period end dates. Once the data is imported, the census information will roll forward when a new Annual Administration Web Collection project is created for the following plan year.
  • Document Specifications - PensionPro provides users the ability to import and maintain Plan Document Specifications for any Plan maintained in the system that is not indicated as an Internal Plan. Users can create customized templates to only track the Plan Document items that are important to them. For information regarding ftwilliam.com integration please see Integrating Document Specifications with ftwilliam.com.
  • Services Provided - Users can track all the services they provide for their plans on the Services Provided tab on Plan Details. The Services Provided Import Power Tool allows the population of multiple Services Provided for multiple plans at the same time.
  • Client Notes and Plan Notes - Should users need to import historical notes for multiple Client and/or Plan records, the Notes imports allows users to import multiple notes for multiple Clients and or Plans at a single time to make that process fast and easy.
  • Plan Cycles - Plan Cycles in PensionPro are used to store annual recurring plan information such as plan assets, participant count information, Form 5500 filing information and compliance test results. Plan Cycle fields may appear different in the Track and Team product tiers.

 

For ftwilliam.com users and/or users with smaller amounts of data, the following imports are available:

  • Express Import - The Express Import is available for users that have a smaller amount of data to convert. This import takes the place of the Required Data imports as well as parts of the Investment Provider and Employer Data import templates. Please note that the Express Import template does not import to the level of detail of the separate import templates.
  • ftwilliam.com Import Power Tool - The ftwilliam.com Import Power Tool allows users to import Clients, Plans, and Contacts from ftwilliam.com using their FTW API Key. Please note that the FTW import power tool does not import to the level of detail of the separate import templates.

 

Section 3: PlanSponsorLink

This section will provide a general understanding of navigating PlanSponsorLink.com. The articles below document the login process, content of the site, and the available functionality, including Data Collection.

 

 

Section 4: Project Template Development

Projects give you the ability to manage workflow while each member of your firm can easily see tasks they need to work on. Project templates are customized to capture your firm’s specific processes. The articles below provide information on building different project types and launching those projects.

 

 

Section 5: Reporting

PensionPro Reports make it easy to report on various data sources throughout the system. If a standard PensionPro report does not exist for what you are looking to report on, Fetch, our custom querying tool, can be used to develop a customized query including all of the information you need in one report.

 

 

Section 6: Using Blast Email and Secure File Exchange

Blast Email and Secure File Exchange are PensionPro’s communication tools. Blast Email is a great tool to use when you need to reach multiple contacts at once while maintaining the feel of a personal email. Secure File Exchange is a great tool for sending sensitive information safely and securely.

 

 

Section 7: Establish System Preferences

Creating PensionPro Preferences establishes the basic system preferences that are routinely used throughout the system.

 

 

Section 8: Beyond the Basics

When it comes to PensionPro functionality, we focus on the basics first and then we branch out to other areas of the system that are of interest to your firm. Once the initial data is imported, preferences are established, and basic project templates are created, it is time to take it to the next level. This includes items like pulling in document specifications, creating distribution processes, building out fee schedules and so much more. This step is where we can take you to the next level with process optimization!

 

 

Section 9: System Add-ons

PensionPro’s intuitive sales dashboard tracks prospects and proposals in real-time. Track phone calls, emails, create targeted email blasts, and more. Know who is influencing your business and empower your sales team. SalesPitch connects seamlessly with PensionPro via the one-step conversion tool to turn a proposal into a plan.

 

 

We are committed to helping our clients achieve optimum utilization of PensionPro and becoming more efficient TPAs. We have developed a robust catalog of interactive training sessions. These training sessions cover a range of topics and user proficiency levels so there is something for each member of your firm. Free On-Demand sessions are designed for new users to learn the basic functionality of PensionPro features. In our PROPASS sessions, we focus on advanced topics, troubleshooting, best practices and system optimization.