While PensionPro provides the means to record document specifications for Plans, many TPAs already maintain specifications in the ftwilliam.com system. Rather than requiring a duplication of effort to make that data available in PensionPro, plan specifications can instead be imported from ftwilliam.com, saving time and ensuring that the information remains consistent between the two platforms.
Tier Availability: Team, Business
Article Contents
- Overview
- Creating an ftwilliam.com Template
- Direct Import
- Power Tool Import
- Frequently Asked Questions
Overview
Having a thorough understanding of PensionPro's Document Specifications feature is recommended prior to importing specifications from ftwilliam.com. Refer to the following articles:
The actual transfer of specifications can be accomplished via one of two methods, both of which are discussed in this article. What follows is a brief description of each method:
Direct Import: In this method, a plan document can be imported directly from ftwilliam.com. This option is simple and quick, but requires an ftwilliam.com integration to be established in PensionPro, and can only be performed for a single Plan at a time.
Power Tool Import: Instead of relying on a direct connection to ftwilliam.com via integration, checklists can be exported from ftwilliam.com and re-imported into PensionPro manually. While less direct, it has the advantage of allowing specifications to be imported for multiple Plans at once.
Creating an ftwilliam.com Template
Regardless of the method that will be used to perform the import, any appropriate Document Template(s) will need to be created to house the inbound data. These Templates are set up in a certain way to facilitate this process.
To create the Template(s), perform the steps outlined in the article Document Specifications Templates. The notes comprising the remainder of this section will help ensure that a Template is set up to properly facilitate an import from ftwilliam.com.
Prior to adding a Template:
- Ensure that at least one Document Provider exists with ftwilliam.com as its Vendor. Any Templates created for the purpose of importing ftwilliam.com specifications should use this Provider.
While adding a Template:
- Use Copy From Library Template as the Action.
- Select a Provider that uses ftwilliam.com as the Vendor.
- The Library Templates that are available will match the checklists provided by ftwilliam.com. PensionPro maintains these Library Templates. Templates will need to be created for each type of checklist that will be imported.
Using an ftwilliam.com Library Template will add the relevant Specifications to the Template, so they do not need to be added manually. If desired, unused Specifications may be removed from the Template after creation.
Direct Import
Security Rights Required: Add/Edit Plan Doc Specs
Directly importing a plan document from ftwilliam.com is the easiest and fastest option for making those specifications available in PensionPro. Some initial setup is necessary to utilize this feature.
Requirements
First, ftwilliam.com integration needs to be enabled for the firm. Follow the instructions provided in the article ftwilliam.com Integration - Setup & Preferences to enter ftwilliam.com API credentials into PensionPro. Ensure that the Enable the Import Specifications Button on Plan Document preference is set to Yes.
After the integration is established, the Plan in question will need to be linked to its counterpart in ftwilliam.com per the instructions in the article ftwilliam.com - Creating and Linking Records from PensionPro.
Importing Specifications
The direct import method functions by importing Specifications from ftwilliam.com into a matching PensionPro Plan Document. If necessary, perform the below steps to add this Document to the Plan in question; more information can be found in the Managing Specifications section of the article Document Specifications:
- Navigate to the Specifications view of the Plan tab.
- Select Add at the top-right. The Add Document window displays.
- For Action, select Copy From Existing Template.
- For Template, select a Document Template that uses an ftwilliam.com-based Document Provider and which matches the desired ftwilliam.com checklist.
- For more details, refer to the section Creating an ftwilliam.com Template.
- Set the Status and Effective Date as necessary, then select Save.
As long as the correct Document exists for the Plan, Specifications can be imported:
- Navigate to the Specifications view of the Plan tab.
- Double-click the appropriate Document within the grid to open it.
- Select More > Import Specifications.
- A confirmation dialog will display. Select I Understand to perform the import, or Cancel to return to the Plan tab.
Upon completion, the Specification values for the Document will match what was entered into ftwilliam.com. Performing an import in this way does not synchronize the Specifications between the two applications; if a change is made in ftwilliam.com, the import action can be re-performed to retrieve the updates.
Power Tool Import
Plan specifications can be exported from ftwilliam.com, transferred to an import sheet, and imported into PensionPro via Power Tools. This allows specifications to be imported for multiple Plans at once, and doesn't require any setup beyond creating an appropriate Document Template.
Each ftwilliam.com checklist type must be exported and imported separately.
Exporting from ftwilliam.com
To export plan specifications from ftwilliam.com:
- Log in to the ftwilliam.com application↗.
- Select the Wolters Kluwer button at the top-left to open the main menu.
- Navigate to Reports > Document Provisions by Checklist.
- Select the name of the desired checklist format to start the export.
- PensionPro accepts imports containing more than 255 columns; as such, it's not necessary to download a checklist in multiple parts.
The exported .csv file will include all plans using the chosen checklist.
Importing into PensionPro
Full instructions for using the Document Specifications Import Power Tool can be found in the Importing Document Specifications section of the article Document Specifications.
If importing from an exported ftwilliam.com file, it is generally not necessary to first transfer this information to a blank import template downloaded from Document Specifications Preferences, although doing so may be desirable. If this method is chosen, ensure that the chosen Document Template uses an ftwilliam.com-based Document Provider and matches the checklist that was exported from ftwilliam.com. The column names on the import sheet will match the specification tags on the ftwilliam.com export, so the desired plan data can simply be copied and pasted from one sheet to the other.
Common Errors
The following errors are commonly experienced when performing an import of specifications from ftwilliam.com:
Data Missing – Effective Date
Checklists exported from ftwilliam.com may contain both the EffectiveDate and OrigEffectiveDate tags to differentiate between the original effective date of a plan, and the effective date of a restatement. The Document Specifications Import Power Tool asks for a column to be mapped to determine which effective date should be used for the Document in PensionPro. If the chosen column is missing a date, this error is thrown.
To resolve, split the import into two sheets based on whether EffectiveDate or OrigEffectiveDate should be used. Alternately, transfer the information to a blank template downloaded from PensionPro, then use the Effective Date column (note that this is distinct from EffectiveDate) on the import sheet to specify which date should be used. Make sure to map this column when using the Power Tool.
Plan Does Not Exist In PensionPro
The Plan name on the import sheet must exactly match the Plan name as it exists in PensionPro. If the Plan name differs in ftwilliam.com, even slightly, it will need to be corrected on the import sheet prior to upload.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What should I do if I don’t see the Import Specifications option?
Lacking this menu option may indicate that there is an issue with the ftwilliam.com integration, or that the Client and Plan have not been linked correctly. Refer to the section Direct Import - Requirements for more details on properly establishing a connection. Additionally, Ensure that the Enable the Import Specifications Button on Plan Document preference is set to Yes in ftwilliam.com Integration Preferences. - If a plan is restated to a new document, do we need to add a new Document Version, or will the Import Specifications option update this for us?
The Import Specifications menu option does not alter the Plan Document in PensionPro to match the updated schema. Instead, close the current Document Version and add a new Document using an updated Template; then use the Import Specifications option to populate the restatement details.