Lawson Insight Technical Documentation


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BN531

BN531 - Batch Benefit Enrollment

Run BN531 (Batch Benefit Enrollment) to load benefits from CSV (Comma
Separated Value) files.

BN531 adds benefits the same way benefits are added in BN31.1 (Speed Benefit
Entry). Before you run BN531, make sure all plans have been defined for the
benefits you are loading.

BN531 creates a report showing which benefits were loaded, the cost of each
benefit, and an error report of benefits not loaded.

Planning considerations
1. Plan the benefit records you will convert.

- Decide if you will convert all benefits records or only selected records.
For example, you might want to convert only current health benefits, but both
historical and current 401(k) benefits.

- You must have plans, coverage, contributions and waiting periods in effect
for the start date of the benefits. For example, if a 401(k) benefit is for
01/01/90, the plan waiting period and contribution must be in effect for that
date. If the benefit is a flex benefit, the employee must have flex dollars in
effect on benefit start date. Examine carefully the dates of the historical
records you will be converting, and be sure that dates were defined
appropriately.

- If you plan to convert payroll and benefits at the same time, the code
names you assign to benefits deductions in the Payroll conversion must differ
from the same benefits deductions in the Benefits system. For example, if you
name the health deduction HL for the Lawson Benefits program, use another
name, such as HLCV for the health deduction history.

When you run the payroll conversion program (PR511), it creates payroll
benefit deductions without sequence numbers or stop dates. When you define
plans in the LAWSON INSIGHT Benefits system, deductions are automatically
created in the same file with a sequence number.

Failure to set up different code names for the two deductions causes the
deduction to be taken twice. Verify that the benefit deduction codes you
defined for payroll history data are different from other benefit deduction
codes and that the codes for payroll history data have stop dates. In this
way, you avoid creating duplicate deductions and you create an audit trail of
both the converted deduction amounts and those created in the Benefits system.

If you already converted the Payroll system and are running live when you
convert the Benefits system, in addition to assigning unique names to the
benefit deductions from each system, put stop dates on benefits deductions in
the Payroll system for the day before the benefits deductions in the Benefits
system become effective.

2. Define test samples.
- If you have extensive benefits history, running a test sample through the
whole process helps to flush out errors and discrepancies before you are
encumbered by the volume of data.

- Decide the samples you will use.  You should have a sample for each plan
that requires different input values.  We recommend that, at a minimum, you
try a sample for each unique plan type.  For example, for life benefits, use a
different sample for flat amount, multiple of salary and supplemental life
plans.

- Perform all steps of the conversion process for each sample to verify that
you defined plans properly and that your data converted without errors.

- If you have a large volume of data, convert each plan type as a different
CSV file. If a problem occurs, you then have only one smaller file to correct.

Conversion prerequisites
1. Ensure employee records are valid,
Verify that the values the Benefits system uses are included in HR11.1
(Employees). The required values depend upon how you set up benefit plans,
such as how you defined criteria for eligibility or the values you use to
create benefit contributions. The following is a list of fields on the
employee record the Benefit system might use.
- Rate of pay or calculated annual salary
- Job Code
- Job Code Full Time Equivalent
- Birthdate
- Benefit Dates
- Benefit Salaries
- Hire Date
- Adjusted Hire Date
- Seniority Date
- Anniversary Date
- Smoker
- Pay Plan
- Address Postal Code
- Benefits Postal Code

Note: The Postal Code on the Benefit Dates form tab of HR11.1 is used to
override Postal codes on the Address folder.

2. Verify Employee Groups are updated.
The Benefits system uses employee groups for eligibility, coverage,
contributions, and general ledger overrides. Verify that you updated employee
groups before you convert benefit records.

Use HR155 (Employee Group Update) to update groups and HR255 (Employee Group
Listing) to inquire on employees within an Employee Group.

3. Verify that the Payroll features are defined (optional)
If you used prior or next pay periods, or prior or next work periods for
benefits eligibility on BN16 (Plan Waiting Periods), verify that this feature
is defined in the Payroll system. You must also verify that each employee is
associated with a pay plan. Use PR212 (Pay Plan Listing) to verify pay plans.

4.Verify that the Benefits Plans are defined.
Before converting benefit records, make sure that you defined all benefit
plans for which you are converting records.  See Lesson 11, Define Benefit
Plans of the LAWSON INSIGHT Human Resources Structure Training Manual.
Specifically, you must verify the following information:

- Verify that you set the initial start dates and premium dates for all plans
and the start dates for coverage and contributions so that they are effective
on the date of the benefit.

- Verify that the benefit entry rules for each plan establish initial waiting
rules. Waiting plans are defined using Plan Waiting Periods (BN16.1).

- If the benefit record is for a flex benefit, verify that the flex benefits
plan was defined and that employee flex dollars exist. Employee flex dollars
are created using Employee Flex Dollars (BN45) or Benefit Election Form
(BN145).

- If you used postal codes for eligibility, verify that you defined postal
code tables using Eligibility Postal Codes (BN11).

To verify that parameters were defined, use the following listings:

Values                 Listing Name
------                 ------------
Benefit Plan           BN125 (Plan Parameter Listing)
Waiting Periods        BN216 (Waiting Period Listing)
Employee Flex Dollars  BN145 (Benefit Election Form)
Flex Plan Dollars      BN206 (Flex Plan Listing)

Mapping considerations
Note: It is recommended that you create a unique CSV file for each plan type
or plan code and complete the entire conversion process for each CSV file
before beginning another.

Certain fields are required by all benefit plans, but each plan may require
one or more fields in addition.  Examine the file layout at the end of this
section to determine the fields you will need for a specific plan.

For example, for a health plan, you may need to load only the fields required
for all plans and the COV-OPTION field.  For an employee life plan which is a
multiple of salary, you may need to load only the MULTI-SALARY field in
addition to the required fields.  For a flat amount life plan paid foe by the
company, you may not need any additional fields.

The conversion updates the following files:
Database File Description                             Database File Name
-------------------------                             ------------------
Employee Benefit                                      BENEFIT
Benefit Comments (updated if comments are deleted)    BNCOMMENTS
Employee Deduction Master                             EMDEDMASTR
Employee Flex Dollars Remaining                       EMPFLEXREM
Employee Investments                                  EMPINVEST
Employee                                              EMPLOYEE
Dependent Benefits                                    HRDEPBEN
Standard Time Record                                  STANDTIME

Workfile name:
BNBATCH

To verify data:
- Run BN230 (Plan Participant Report)
- Run BN231 (Employee Benefit Report)
- Run PR214 (Employee Deduction Listing)

Updated Files

    BENEFIT    - The Employee Benefit file contains employee benefit records
                 for all benefit types.


    BNCOMMENTS - The Benefit Comments file is updated with comments.

    CKPOINT    - The Check Point file is used to allow recovery.

    EMDEDMASTR - The Employee Deduction file is updated.

    EMPFLEXDOL - The Employee Flex Dollars file is updated.

    EMPFLEXREM - The Employee Flex Period Dollars file is updated.

    EMPINVEST  - Employee Benefit Investment Distribution file is updated.

    EMPLOYEE   - The Employee file is updated with the last deduction sequence
                 number. The file also verifies that the employee exists.

    HRDEPBEN   - The Dependent Benefits file is updated.

    HRHISTORY  - The Garnishment Parameters file is accessed to verify that
                 garnishment information exists if the deduction is a
                 garnishment, and verify tax levy information.

    PRTAXGRP   - The Tax Group file is accessed by this program.

    STANDTIME  - The Payroll Standard Time Record is updated.


Referenced Files

    BENEFICRY  - The Beneficiary file is used to verify beneficiaries.

    BNACCOUNTS - The Benefit Accounts file validates general ledger override
                 account information.

    BNANNENR   -

    BNCOMPANY  - The Benefit Company Parameters file is used to verify company
                 information.

    BNCOVDFT   - The Benefit Coverage Defaults file verifies whether a coverage
                 option is needed and that coverage defaults exist.

    BNCOVERAGE - The Benefit Coverage file verifies that coverage exists for an
                 employee and date.

    BNCOVOPT   - The Benefit Coverage Options file is accessed to validate the
                 coverage option.

    BNFAMSTS   -

    BNNEWHIRE  -

    BNPLNENR   -

    BNPOSTCODE - The Benefits Postal Code file is updated with postal codes for
                 the company.

    BNPRMOPT   - The Benefit Premium Options file is accessed to validate
                 contributions.

    BNWAIT     - The Benefit Plan Waiting Period file contains waiting period
                 data.

    CODA       - The Cash Or Deferred Account History file contains employee
                 account balances for defined contribution and defined benefit
                 plans.

    COMPHIST   - The Employee Compensation History file contains employee
                 compensation history data.

    CONTRDETL  - The Contribution Schedule Detail file is used to verify
                 contribution schedule detail.

    DEDCODE    - The Deduction file is used to verify benefit deductions.

    DEDFREQTBL - The Frequency Table file is used to verify deduction cycles
                 for deductions created.

    EMDEPEND   - The Employee Dependent file is used to access employee
                 dependent files.

    EMTAMASTR  - The Employee Time Accrual Master file is accessed by this
                 program.

    FLEXDOLLAR - The Flex Dollars file is used to verify flex dollar records.

    FLEXPLAN   - The Flex Benefit Plan file is used to verify flex plans.

    GLINTCO    -

    HRHISTORY  - The Garnishment Parameters file is accessed to verify that
                 garnishment information exists if the deduction is a
                 garnishment, and verify tax levy information.

    HRSECLEV   - The Employee Security Level file is accessed by this program.

    JOBCODE    - The Job Code Parameters file is used to verify job code annual
                 hours.

    NAVIGATE   - The Benefit Entry Navigation file contains navigation records.

    ONETMDED   - The Payroll One-time Deduction file is accessed by this
                 program.

    PADICT     -

    PAEMPLOYEE - The Employee PA Information file is used to verify employees.

    PARTBEN    - The COBRA Participant Benefit file is accessed to retrieve the
                 coverage option and benefit coverage information for COBRA
                 participants and retirees.

    PASCRTY    - The Data Item Attribute Parameters file is used to determine
                 whether a field should be logged in the logfile.

    PAYDEDUCTN - The Employee Payment Deductions file is accessed to ensure
                 benefits are not deleted if payments exist.

    PAYMASTR   -

    PGEMPLOYEE - The Employee Group Employees file is used to verify employees
                 in an employee group.

    PGSELECT   - The Employee Group Selection Criteria file is accessed to
                 retrieve the selection criteria for the employee group.

    PLAN       - The Benefit Plan file is used to verify health plans.

    PREMDEDHST - The Employee Deduction History file is accessed by this
                 program.

    PREMIUM    - The Benefit Plan Premium file is used to verify premium
                 amounts.

    PROTPAYPRD - The Overtime Pay Periods file is accessed to retrieve the pay
                 period start and end dates for entry verification.

    PROTWRKPRD - The Overtime Work Periods file is accessed to retrieve the
                 work period start and stop dates for entry verification.

    PROVERTIME - The Overtime Pay Plan file is accessed to verify that the pay
                 plan exists.

    PRRATEHIST - The Employee Rate History file is accessed to retrieve the
                 salary for the "as of" date.

    PRSAGDTL   - The Step and Grade Schedule Detail file is accessed to
                 retrieve the salary if there is a pay step.

    PRSAGHEAD  - The Step and Pay Schedule Header file is accessed to retrieve
                 the salary for an employee with a pay step.

    PRSYSTEM   - The HR Company and Process Levels file is used when payroll
                 run flags are updated for mid-year or mid-cycle flex changes.

    PRTAXGRP   - The Tax Group file is accessed by this program.

    PRTAXLEVY  - The Payroll Tax Levy file is accessed by this program.

    PRTIME     - The Employee Pay/Hours History file is accessed to calculate
                 the waiting period.

    PSGRELATE  - The Pay Class/Pay Summary Group Relation file is accessed to
                 determine if hours should be added or subtracted.

    RATETBLDTL - The Rate Table Detail file is accessed by this program.

    RATETBLHDR - The Rate Table Header file is used to verify rate table codes.

    RESTRANS   - The Spending Account Transactions file is accessed by this
                 program.

    SPHIST     - The Stock Purchase Plan History file is accessed to retrieve
                 the total cost of the stock an employee has.


INVOKED Programs

    HRFN
    HRHI
    HRLO
    IFAC
    ACAC
    IFCR
    IFSG
    IFCU
    IFAU
    SLSE
    SLSU
    IFOB