Create Benefit Package: Step 1 - Configure Package Properties

• Click Create Package from the Actions drop-down menu.

  

• Name - Give your package a name to differentiate the package from any previous packages.

  

  • Common names include "20XX Benefits" or "20XX-20XX Employee Benefits." The name given is strictly for assigning and processing benefits so that administrators are not confused on which benefits employees are given from particular packages. Feel free to come up with a unique name for your package as long as it differs from others within your system.
  • You have the option to archive your package within the "Configure Package Properties" step. This would be used to hide benefit information within a package from reports and active views after employees have access. You may not want employees to have access to a package from two or even three years prior. This may confuse the employee or admin when data from so long ago is available through benefit statements or reports.
• Start & End Date - Select the start and end date of the package you are configuring. This will determine imports and the duration of the package. This should be a length of 1 year. There should be no overlap in your package dates so that benefits are able to run for 365 days. Even with off-cycle benefits that run before or after our package dates, we would still configure the package to run for 365 days.

  

• Eligibility Rule -  The eligibility rule at this level takes precedence over rules configured at the Benefit and/or Plan level. For more information about eligibility rules, you can refer to the following article.

  

• DOB Effective Date - The DOB effective date will be used when calculating employee or dependent ages for any age-banded benefit premiums, age reductions and dependent age rules. In most cases this will match the start date of your benefits package. You are determining when the system is looking at the age of the employee for benefit calculations.

  

• Cost Display - Cost Display needs to be chosen for all employees and benefits within this package. Your options are Per Pay Period or Annual. By selecting per pay period, you are telling the system to show their contribution for benefits on a per pay period basis. Although the annual cost display is rarely selected, it can be used if pay periods are not efficient for you.

  

  • You can enable automatic detection of this package by selecting the check box available to you. This will only be necessary if previous packages are configured and available to employees through past events.
• Default Mapping - Default mapping can be used if rollover mapping has been created. The rollover mappings you have created will be available in the drop-down menu after mappings have been saved. These are located in Settings > Benefits Management > Rollover Mappings. For more information about Rollover Mappings, you can refer to the following article. 

  

After all edits/package alterations have been completed on the "Configure Package Properties" tab, click Save near the top.