Blogs

Connect & Simplify: Client Discovery –

We ask a lot of questions when we interview a prospective new Connect & Simplify™ payroll client. I selected the word interview because we want to make sure our Connect & Simplify™ HCM (Human Capital Management) platform is the right solution for both the client and Bene-Chex™-The Benefit Companies.

Why, you might be thinking? The answer is two-fold. Sometimes the prospective client will request our Bene-Chex payroll team to do things that don’t align with the best practices we follow from the IRS, APA (American Payroll Association), NACHA (National Automated Clearing House Association), Human Resources, or DOL (Department of Labor).

Sometimes, the prospect will request our software do some unusual must-have function(s) that it is not designed to do.

Connect & Simplify: Implementation Kickoff –

Once we (the prospect and our team) decide to move forward with Connect & Simplify™, we establish an Implementation Kick-off Call where our setup teams will dive into the weeds of each line of coverage we will be implementing.
This call becomes the “meat and potatoes” of implementation. Together with the new client, we establish a realistic timeline of demographic, historical, reporting and plan document information we need for each module/component’s setup process.

We also get “go-live” dates set up and priorities for each module the client is purchasing, and assign due dates for the information. This call ensures we have accurate information from the beginning and helps to ensure compliance going forward.

This call is very important to the new client and our team. We want to make sure implementation goes as smoothly as possible without overwhelming the client at the same time.

Connect & Simplify: Payroll is the Hub – Ensures Compliance and Streamlines Administration

Payroll is the hub of Connect & Simplify™. It’s where the bulk of the information is stored to ensure compliance in many other areas.

As a C&S payroll client, here are the areas we help with:

401(k) Plans:

• New Hire 401(k) eligibility
• 401(k) plan contributions (including match), are submitted by our team automatically and electronically after each payroll – no re-keying errors to worry about
• 401(k) loan repayments
• 401(k) contribution limits and catch-up contributions
• With our TLM (time labor management), we also monitor hours worked for hourly and salaried employees (required for 401(k) plans)
• We provide annual 401(k) Plan census data when needed

ACA (Affordable Care Act):

• Payroll and STLM track much of the needed info for Affordable Care Act reports
• TLM keeps track of hours worked by FTEs 

Benefits:

• Benefit eligibility
• Terminated employee Cobra notices
• H.S.A contributions
• We provide census data for plan renewal

Time Labor Management:

• We track hours worked, schedules and time-off requests in real-time no more import/export before payroll

Workers Compensation:

• Our payroll monitors Workers' Compensation Class Codes and hours worked in each class
• Your WC carrier receives the number of employees paid and the WC premium for each after each payroll
• Yearly WC audits are simplified since our payroll has submitted real-time data after every payroll – No more unexpected premium due or waiting for a premium refund of your money held by the WC carrier.

Connect & Simplify saves you time and money. What would you do with it?

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About The Author —

Barb Schnoll is a Subject Matter Consultant in Payroll, Time Labor Management, HR, and HCM systems. Her prior history also includes many years of business-to-business consulting, sales, implementation, and training in technology. She has seen payroll evolve from writing checks, paying taxes, and producing W2s to a full-fledged, cloud-based HCM system offering mobile access from smartphones to employees and new hires.

In her spare time, she loves traveling, motorcycling, and new this summer, discovering the endless trails of UTVs.

She has represented The Benefit Companies for 20 years.

Connect & Simplify™ partners with UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group) to offer best-in-class Payroll Software for Small Businesses, Kronos Time Clocks, HR, and HCM solutions.