Benefit Self Service - Multiple Biweekly, Pay Cycles

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Kelly H
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    We’re looking for some direction from someone who uses BSS and pays on a bi-weekly cycle with more than one cycle but takes benefit deductions on a semi-monthly schedule. 

    We have the BS01.1 (Benefits Enrollment Rules) set with a Semi Monthly cost divisor so that we can show the per pay costs but have the BS06.1 (Benefits Cycle Rules) set as bi-weekly to accommodate mid-year FSA plan and HSA account changes…which is needed to determine the number of pays remaining based on the pay plan.

    When we try to enroll someone in the HSA or FSA plan we get an message stating it can't find the cycle because the system is looking for a semi-monthly cycle which doesn't exist based on our set up.

    Have you been able to get around this message?  

    Bob Canham
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      We have a similar situation. The way we got the BS06 to work was to create both a biweekly rule as well as a semi-monthly rule. This way it matched up with the employee's pay frequency as well as the cost divisor on the BS01.
      tn
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        Hi Bob~
        Thanks for posting. Do you pay all your employees on the same bi-weekly pay cycle? Or do you run multiple bi-weekly payroll runs?
        Would you mind sending us a screen print of your BS06.1 set-up? Do you include the pay plan in the set-up?
        Bob Canham
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          Hi.  We do use a single bi-weekly cycle now, so we do not have the pay plan specified in the BS06.1.  However, it should hopefully work the same way if you specify the pay plan since you have multiple pay cycles.  I've attached sample screens of our BS06 setup.
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          tn
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            Thanks Bob! Is your BS01 set-up for pay frequency or semi-monthly cost divisor?
            Bob Canham
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              Our BS01 is set up for Semi-Monthly cost divisor.
              TRACY
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                Bob, I am reviewing your screen prints for BS06. We have always just modified the cycles.htm file, however, I am trying to figure out how to use BS06 for this year. You did not have to type in all these dates did you, I was under the impression when you ran the PR299 at end of the year, it automatically put the dates in this form. If you happen to have done this for 2013, could you send me screen shots? Also, what biweekly dates is your company on? For instance we will be paid this Friday, Sept 21st and I was trying to figure out if our companies are on the same Friday or different payweeks by what you had entered for 2012. Thanks very much.
                Bob Canham
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                  Tracy, I do not think that the PR299 automatically updates the BS06 dates. However, I'm not 100% on that because our HR department manages that screen now. As for the first fill, there is a load special function that will create it automatically based on your pay plan so you don't have to type them. you just need to go back and tweak the cycles if you only do deductions twice a month.

                  As for the pay period dates, we are also having a pay date this Friday (9/21/12) for the pay period ending Saturday 9/15/12.

                  TRACY
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                    Bob, I am wondering if you would take a look at my BS06 that was created for the biweekly.  I see yours starts with 24, however mine starts with 26.  Do I need to manually now change these numbers and dates for the 2 extra pay periods for 2013?  Thanks, I have uploaded my screen shot.
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                    Bob Canham
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                      I did take a look at your BS06 screen. You're correct that you have to manually change the remaining cycle counts. Lawson is calculating based on the pay frequency, so Bi-Weekly = 26. If you only do 24, then you have to adjust the remaining cycles. For the two extra pay periods, you would just not lower the remaining cycles so it would be the same count two pay periods in a row.
                      TRACY
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                        Thanks so much for your help, I did get this yesterday as that is what we always had to do with cycles.htm file also when we manually manipulated it!!