PlanSponsorLink Branding & Styling

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One of PlanSponsorLink's primary functions is allowing Contacts to upload files and submit sensitive information so that this data can be used by the TPA. Due to the sensitive nature of this data, Plan Sponsors want to ensure that the information they submit is going to the intended recipient. For this reason, PensionPro provides firms with control over the look and feel of PlanSponsorLink, giving Plan Sponsors the confidence of knowing that this application belongs to their trusted TPA partner. This article, intended for new firms, examines some of the preferences available to customize PlanSponsorLink to match their existing branding and language guidelines.

 

Note: Some items may not be available in all tiers.

 

Tier Availability: Track, Team, Business, Enterprise

 

Article Contents

 

 

 

Overview of PSL Subdomains and Branding

 

Requires Security Rights: Maintenance

 

By default, all firms using PensionPro will have two PSL sites, known more formally as subdomains: a primary subdomain that Contacts will use, and a testing subdomain to try out styles and preferences. A list of these subdomains can by found by navigating to Maintenance > PlanSponsorLink Subdomains.

 

The PlanSponsorLink Subdomains grid lists all subdomains available to the firm. Each subdomain maintains its own preferences and properties.

 

  • To edit a subdomain (including its URL and banner image) and toggle whether it is active, hover over the subdomain in the grid and select Editedit.png on the right-hand side.
  • To view and manage a subdomain's styling and language preferences, double-click on the subdomain in the grid.

 

For more information, refer to the articles PlanSponsorLink Subdomains and PlanSponsorLink Preferences.

 

Note: PensionPro recommends editing preferences under the testing subdomain, then copying the settings to the primary subdomain when satisfied.

 

 

PSL Style Refresh

 

PlanSponsorLink was recently updated to offer a refreshed interface with a cleaner design, improved accessibility considerations, and simpler branding settings. At this time, firms may choose which version they prefer to use for each subdomain. To try the new PSL style, use the Enable the New PlanSponsorLink Interface option in PlanSponsorLink Preferences.

 

 

Editing Basic PSL Subdomain Settings

 

Requires Security Rights: Maintenance

 

First impressions are everything. A Contact is likely to notice the following two items before they sign in to PlanSponsorLink for the first time:

 

  • The URL to the PlanSponsorLink site
  • The company logo that greets them on the sign-in page

 

To customize these items:

 

  1. From the PlanSponsorLink Subdomains grid, hover over the desired subdomain and select Editedit.png on the right-hand side. The corresponding window will display.
  2. Use the File Selection box to select a logo.
    • The logo must be a .gif, .jpg, or .png image file; the image's dimensions cannot exceed 400 pixels in width or 200 pixels in height.
  3. Edit the Subdomain Name.
    • The name entered into this field will become part of the URL for the new subdomain; for example, https://subdomain.plansponsorlink.com.
    • The Subdomain Name can only contain alphanumeric characters and hyphens. This name must be unique, and cannot already be in use.
  4. Select Save.

 

 

Customizing the PSL Sign-In Screen

 

Requires Security Rights: Maintenance

 

Aside from the URL and company logo, there are a number of smaller settings to tweak what a user sees when arriving at the PlanSponsorLink sign-in page. This includes the text displayed and the colors used.

 

What if I want to temporarily prevent users from being able to sign in?

In the subdomain's Preferences view, set the Website Operation preference to No, and set an Access Denied Message to inform users that PlanSponsorLink is temporarily unavailable.

Note that even with Website Operation disabled, PlanSponsorLink will still be available as normal if the Access Denied Message is left blank.

 

To get started customizing the sign-in screen:

 

  1. Double-click on a subdomain in the PlanSponsorLink Subdomains grid to open it.
  2. Adjust the appropriate settings in the Preferences and Style views. These settings are outlined in the tabs below.

 

Preferences
Login Screen Message This text appears directly below the Username/Password section of the sign-in screen. This can be a good place to provide contact information for users who are having trouble signing in to PSL. Simple HTML formatting can be applied.
Secondary Login Screen Message This text appears below the primary Login Screen Message, and also accepts simple HTML formatting.
Show Login Screen Message Setting this to No will hide both the primary and secondary Login Screen Messages from the sign-in page.
Style
Note: These preferences only apply to the old PSL style. The new style no longer uses these preferences.
Login Background Sets the page color behind the sign-in area.
Login Secondary Content Area Text Sets the color of the text in the secondary Login Screen Message.
Login Secondary Content Area Text Size Sets the font size of the text in the secondary Login Screen Message.
Login Secondary Content Area Width Sets the width in pixels of the secondary Login Screen Message.

 

 

Customizing PlanSponsorLink Style

 

Requires Security Rights: Maintenance

 

The settings outlined in this section are used to define the colors used by PlanSponsorLink and customize the user experience. Generally, colors will align with the firm's own branding and style.

 

The process use is markedly different depending on whether the firm wishes to use the old or new PSL style:

 

  • The old style provides a greater level of control with the ability to customize many elements.
  • The new style offers a more modern feel. The firm has limited control of colors, but setup is simpler and creates a consistent, accessible experience with both light and dark options.

 

For more information on customizing a PSL style, select the appropriate tab below.

 

Old Style

The old PSL style has a number of preferences for fine-tuning the colors used on PlanSponsorLink. To access these settings:

 

  1. Double-click on a subdomain in the PlanSponsorLink Subdomains grid to open it.
  2. Select the Style view.

 

For the sake of brevity, the below preferences are grouped into categories based on their respective user interface elements.

 

Background Sets the background color of the page.
Button - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors of most buttons.
Download Button - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors of buttons used to download files.
Navigation Tab, Hover, & Selected - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors for tabs in their normal state, the tab that the user is hovering over, and the currently active (selected) tab. These settings do not apply to the My Active Tasks tab.
Active Tasks Tab, Hover, & Selected - Background & Text Same as the Navigation Tab settings, but specifically for the My Active Tasks tab, allowing attention to be drawn to it if desired.
Main Title - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors of the title bar directly below the navigation tabs.
Bottom Border Sets the color of the decorative bar above the footer at the bottom of the page.
Collapse Panel, Sub-Collapse - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors of the collapsible header bars that group items by plan name, as well as the sub-headers used in some locations (such as the Documents tab). Only applicable to the Grouped display preference.
Grid Header & Sorted - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors for grid headers in their normal state, as well as the highlight colors that indicate when a column header is being used for sorting.
Grid, Hover, & Alt-Row - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors for grid rows in their normal state and the row that the user is hovering over. Separate styling can be applied to alternating grid rows for visual clarity.
Secure File Exchange Tab, Active Tab, & Hover - Background & Text Sets the background and text colors for the Inbox and Sent tabs in Secure File Exchange, with additional stylings for the currently-active tab and the tab that the user is hovering over.
New Style

The new PSL style uses a built-in wizard to select appropriate colors from the firm's company logo or other image. To get started:

 

  1. Double-click on a subdomain in the PlanSponsorLink Subdomains grid to open it.
  2. Select the Style (New) view.

 

The new style includes four customization options: primary and accent colors for both Light and Dark mode.

 

  • The primary color is used on key action buttons, highlights the active text field, and indicates completed Data Collection steps and previous Project/Distribution states.
  • The accent color is used on document download buttons and progress bars for Projects/Distributions. It also indicates the current Project/Distribution state on the Overview page when details are expanded.

 

Primary and accent colors cannot be chosen directly. To manage these colors, use the style wizard by selecting the link in the banner above the grid (or Moremore_options.png > Style Wizard). The wizard opens in a new tab; by default, it chooses a primary and accent color based off of the logo used for the subdomain.

 

  • A different image can used by clearing the entry from the selection field and choosing another file. This image will only be used for color selection and will not be saved as the new logo.
  • Primary and accent colors can be chosen manually using the color picker, or by using the controls to enter a hexadecimal or RGB value.

 

Select Next to preview how the chosen colors will appear on PlanSponsorLink. Select Next again to apply the changes.

 

Note: The final colors applied to PlanSponsorLink may differ somewhat from those chosen in Step 1 of the wizard. This is done where needed to ensure that colors meet accessibility guidelines for users with low vision.

 

Use Moremore_options.png > Reset Styles at the top-right of the Subdomain Styles (New) grid to reset the colors to their default state.

 

 

Customizing the PSL Navigation Tabs

 

Requires Security Rights: Maintenance

 

PlanSponsorLink features a tabbed browsing interface. Upon signing in, users are directed to the My Active Tasks tab, which contains any open Data Collection items or unread documents. Other areas of PlanSponsorLink, such as Secure File Exchange and Bulletins, are accessed via tabs at the top of the page. The text of these tabs can be customized, and in some cases, tabs can be hidden if they won't be used.

 

To access these settings:

 

  1. Double-click on a subdomain in the PlanSponsorLink Subdomains grid to open it.
  2. Select the Preferences view.

 

Contacts Title Sets the text of the Contacts tab, which allows designated Plan Contacts to request changes to Plan Contact Roles.
Data Collection Title Sets the text of the Data Collection tab, which allows designated Plan Contacts to review past Data Collections.
Distribution Title Sets the text of the Distributions tab, which allows designated Plan Contacts to review the status of Distributions.
Document Title Sets the text of the Documents tab, which allows designated Plan Contacts to upload and download Files & Documents.
Industry Bulletins Title Sets the text of the Bulletins tab, which allows users to view posted Bulletins.
Project Title Sets the text of the Projects tab, which allows designated Plan Contacts to review the status of Projects.
Secure File Exchange Title Sets the text of the Secure File Exchange tab, which allows users to send and receive files via Secure File Exchange.
Show Bulletins Tab Shows or hides the Bulletins tab.
Show Contacts Tab Shows or hides the Contacts tab.
Show Distributions Tab Shows or hides the Distributions tab.
Show Documents Tab Shows or hides the Documents tab.
Show Projects Tab Shows or hides the Projects tab.
Show Secure File Exchange Tab Shows or hides the Secure File Exchange tab.