PensionPro is excited to announce its long-anticipated update to the Projects feature. Significant changes have been made behind the scenes, allowing us to better implement the enhancements most requested by our users. To ensure a smooth rollout, firms must currently choose to "opt in" to Projects 2.0. This article serves as a guide to the changes and new functionalities that firms using Projects 2.0 will encounter.
Article Contents:
Project Template Creation Tool
The method for adding and importing new Project Templates has been updated to use a multi-step tool. This offers the following benefits:
- Simplified process for adding Templates via the PensionPro interface, without using an Excel import.
- Library templates with sample workflows can be used as a starting point for new Projects.
- New mapping step to reduce import errors when values don't match the system.
For assistance using the Project Template Creation tool, select the appropriate set of instructions below based on whether a Project Template is being imported or added from scratch.
Add a new Template
To open the Project Template Creation tool and add a new Template:
- Navigate to Maintenance > Templates. The Project Templates grid opens in a new tab.
- Select Add
at the top-right of the grid. The Project Template Creation tool opens at Step 1.
Options
- If needed, set the I want to option to Create a Project Template.
- Choose a library template to use as a starting point, or leave the field blank to build a new Project Template from scratch.
- Enter the settings for the Project Template in the remaining fields.
- Select Next to continue to Step 2.
Mapping
The Mapping step may be required when using a library template. This step is used if PensionPro identifies a value in the library template that doesn't match any established system values, such as List Values. The following items are evaluated:
- Data Types
- Employee Plan Roles
- Events
- Project Fields
- Task Category
- Time Codes
- Worktrays
For example: If the Project Template contains a Task assigned to an Employee Plan Role named Reviewer, but this role does not exist, it will be noted in the Mapping step.
Any items indicated as missing in the Mapping step will need to be resolved by one of the following methods:
- The missing item can be replaced with a value that is already present in the system; or,
- The missing value can be added to the system at this time.
To replace the missing item with an existing value, select the desired value from the dropdown. Where possible, these dropdowns will also include a Create New option, which will add the missing item as a new value automatically when the tool is executed later on. An Automatically add all missing items option is also available, which acts like Create New but on a broader scale, applying to all items of a corresponding type.
In some cases, the Project Template Creation tool is unable to add new values directly. Instead, PensionPro will provide a link to the page where the item can be created. After adding the appropriate values, use the Refresh option at the top-right to remove any items that have been satisfied from the mapping list.
Once all missing items have been added to PensionPro or replaced with an existing value, use Next to move to the next step.
Review and Finish
The Review step displays the details of the Project Template that will be created, as well as the resolution for any items that required mapping. Ensure that the information shown is accurate, then select Execute to apply the changes and create the Template.
Once complete, the Finish step displays a summary of the changes. The Template Created field provides a link to the new Project Template, where the Project's workflow can be edited and any other revisions can be made.
Import an Excel Template
To open the Project Template Creation tool and import an Excel workbook template:
- Navigate to Maintenance > Templates. The Project Templates grid opens in a new tab.
- Select Add
- The More
> Project Template Import option is still available and can be used instead if preferred.
- The More
Options
- If needed, set the I want to option to Import a Project Template.
- Use the File Selection box to choose the workbook file.
- Select Next to continue to Step 2.
Mapping
The Mapping step may be required when importing an Excel workbook. This step is used if PensionPro identifies a value in the imported template that doesn't match any established system values, such as List Values. The following items are evaluated:
- Data Types
- Employee Plan Roles
- Events
- Project Fields
- Task Category
- Time Codes
- Worktrays
For example: If the Project Template contains a Task assigned the 5500 Filed Event, but this item does not exist in Event Configurations, it will be noted in the Mapping step.
Any items indicated as missing in the Mapping step will need to be resolved by one of the following methods:
- The missing item can be replaced with a value that is already present in the system; or,
- The missing value can be added at this time.
To replace the missing item with an existing value, select the desired value from the dropdown. Where possible, these dropdowns will also include a Create New option, which will add the missing item as a new value automatically when the tool is executed later on. An Automatically add all missing items option is also available, which acts like Create New but on a broader scale, applying to all items of a corresponding type.
In some cases, the Project Template Creation tool is unable to add new values directly. Instead, PensionPro will provide a link to the page where the item can be created. After adding the appropriate values, use the Refresh option at the top-right to remove any items that have been satisfied from the mapping list.
Once all missing items have been added to PensionPro or replaced with an existing value, use Next to move to the next step.
Review and Finish
The Review step displays the details of the Project Template that will be created, as well as the resolution for any items that required mapping. Ensure that the information shown is accurate, then select Execute to apply the changes and create the Template.
Once complete, the Finish step displays a summary of the changes. The Template Created field provides a link to the new Project Template, where the Project's workflow can be edited and any other revisions can be made, if needed.
Customizing Data Collection
One of the major goals for Projects 2.0 was allowing greater flexibility when it came to using Data Collection via PlanSponsorLink. To this end, a number of options are now available to add, remove, and rearrange Data Collection steps, dictate when Data Collection is performed in the Project workflow, and make it easier to manage questionnaires.
Mixing & Matching Data Collection Steps
Previously, Annual Administration and General Web Collection Projects utilized different Data Collection steps. While this made both types of Data Collection distinct, there were occasions when neither was a perfect solution for a particular problem. Now, Data Collection steps are no longer tied to a specific Project Type; for example, Annual Administration can make use of Collection Items & Deliverables, and General Web Collection can include the Employee Census step.
Firm-level management of these steps has also been simplified. Formerly, the Web Steps category of PlanSponsorLink Preferences—which allowed the instructions for each step to be edited—split out steps for both Annual Administration and General Web Collection. Now, all steps are combined under a single view, Data Collection Steps. As steps are no longer limited to just their Project Type, editing a step's details here will update it on all Projects where that step is in use.
An additional change on the Data Collection Steps view: one of the items that can be customized for each step is the Step Label. This is the text that appears below each icon in the list of steps the Plan Sponsor can refer to at the top of the screen as they perform Data Collection.
Configuring Data Collection in Workflow
Most of the new customization functionality is found in the Workflow view of the Project Template. The below list summarizes all the changes that have been made to Data Collection Tasks:
- Data Collection can now be located anywhere in the Project. Any number of Tasks can occur before and after Data Collection begins and ends.
- A Project is still limited to one uninterrupted Data Collection.
- All Data Collection Tasks must still be contained within the same Task Grouping, although this Grouping may now include other Tasks before and after Data Collection.
- A new Data Collection Step field is available when adding/editing a Task. This determines what step will correspond with that Task.
- This field allows the selection of any Data Collection step, not just those previously associated with the chosen Project Type.
- A Project Template spreadsheet must include this column in order to be valid for import. It occupies column C of the Task level, with Time Code and all other items on row 4 shifted one column to the right. A spreadsheet Template exported from PensionPro will include this column.
- In most cases, Data Collection Tasks can be freely added, rearranged, and deleted.
- Data Collection must still begin with the Request step and end with the Approval step.
- If the Family step is used, it must come after the Principals step.
- General Web Collection Projects can have an unlimited number of Questionnaire steps. Annual Administration Projects still use the Plan and 5500 Questionnaires, although these steps are now optional.
- When adding/editing a Task, if it is designated as a Questionnaire step, a new Questionnaire field will be made available; refer to the next section for details.
Managing Questionnaires
To help make creating and maintaining questionnaire items easier across different Project Types, a new Questionnaires entry has been added to the Maintenance menu.
Instead of adding and editing Task Items for questions on a per-Project basis, they can now be managed as Questionnaire templates. Each item in a Questionnaire is added and edited similarly to Task Items in Project Templates; they can be rearranged as needed and marked as required if necessary, and they use all of the firm's existing Data Type dropdowns.
When a Task in the Project Template is tagged as a Questionnaire step in Data Collection, an additional field in the Add/Edit Task window will ask the user to select one of the available Questionnaire templates. When the Task is saved, its Task Items will be copied from those in the Questionnaire template, so they won't need to be configured by hand.
Census Enhancements
The employee census process has been enhanced with greater functionality; refer to the following sections for more information on these changes.
Notes for Census Warnings
When Census Scrubbing is enabled in PlanSponsorLink Preferences, the Plan Sponsor will receive error and warning messages if some aspect of their census data is invalid or warrants additional attention. While errors require resolution before the census can be submitted, the Plan Sponsor isn't required to address warnings since the flagged data may actually be legitimate. This, however, may not be immediately apparent to the TPA.
To ensure TPAs have the information they need, firms can now enable the Require Response to Employee-Specific Census Warnings option in PlanSponsorLink Preferences. When enabled, Plan Sponsors will still receive errors and warnings like usual. However, when there is a warning specific to an employee, the Issues window will display a column for the Plan Sponsor to enter a note, giving them the opportunity to provide additional information or clarification. They will not be able to submit the census until notes have been entered for all warnings.
To view these notes in PensionPro, use the Errors option at the top-right of the census grid in the Employees Data Collection view.