The document outlines the process for managing open enrollment using the Sentric Workforce system, detailing tasks such as updating benefit plans, preparing the system, and conducting training for employees. It emphasizes the importance of testing the enrollment process and provides guidance on how employees can enter their choices and finalize their enrollments. Additionally, it addresses common issues that may arise during enrollment and offers solutions for handling them effectively.

1. SentricWorkforce
Open Enrollment
Taking the Stress Out
of Open Enrollment
Sentric, Inc.

2. • Josh Davis
• Sentric Product Support
Specialist
• Over 16 years working
with HRIS systems
Questions?
Hang on until the end,
we’ll have 15 minutes of
Q&A or email me at
jdavis@sentric.net
Introduction

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4. Agenda
Overall process with timing
Set-up or Update Benefit Plans and Options
Set-up
Open Enrollment Groups
Testing
Generate choices
Open the process to employees
Manage the process
Clean up

5. Poll
Last Open Enrollment Poll

6. OPEN ENROLLMENT PROCESS
Open Enrollment

7. Update Plans
Prepare
System
Determine
Groups
Test the
Process
Create Training
Train
Employees
Generate
Choices
Employees
Enter Choices
Create Benefit
Records
Clean up
Sentric Workforce Open Enrollment Process

8. PREPARE
Open Enrollment

9. Poll
Next Open Enrollment Poll

10. 1. Update Benefit Plans
2. Set messages and documents
3. Determine Enrollment Groups
Prepare

11. 1. Get the new rates as early as you can
2. Usually it is only necessary to update the
parameters tab
3. Make sure to copy the record and put in a Start
Date when the rates will be effective
4. Each plan option that changed should be
updated
5. Comments may help
Update Benefits Plans

12. Update Benefits Plans

13. Update Benefits Plans

14. Age based or
salary band
based plan rates
are updated on
the Range tab
Be sure to copy
the record
Update Benefits Plans

15. There are a number of places where you can
control the messages and documents your
employees will see as they complete their
open enrollment
Make sure you review and/or update these
messages and documents prior to your open
enrollment period
Set Messages and Documents

16. Configure Open/New/Life Event
Enrollment Parameters
• #1 – “Open/New/Life Enrollment
Availability” – is the text that will
display to employees if there is an
available Enrollment for them.
Set Messages and Documents

17. Configure Open/New/Life Event
Enrollment Parameters
• #2 – Open/New/Life Enrollment
Non Availability – is the text that
will display to employees if
there is not an available
Enrollment for them.
Set Messages and Documents

18. Configure Open/New/Life Event Enrollment
Parameters
• #3 – Text to display when the
employee has completed their
selections and can no longer make
changes – is the text that will
display when an employee enters
an open enrollment session they
have already completed.
Set Messages and Documents

19. On the Benefit Plan Code set up page
 #4 Plan Notes– add notes that
show up on the form where
employees enroll for the
plan/option
Set Messages and Documents

20. On the Benefit Plan Code set up page
 #5 Plan Documentation URL –
add the path to plan
documentation that can be
accessed by employees during
open enrollment
Set Messages and Documents

21. On the Create/Modify an
Open/New/Life Event Enrollment
Group set up page
 #6 - Text below Open
Enrollment Link in self
service
Set Messages and Documents

22. On the Create/Modify an
Open/New/Life Event Enrollment
Group set up page
 #7 - Message in Open
Enrollment on the top of
the page of all selections
Set Messages and Documents

23. OPEN ENROLLMENT GROUPS
Open Enrollment

24. 1. Add groups of people
2. Try to keep groups of 50 or less for best results
3. Group by
1. Location
2. Job
3. Benefit Group
4. First Initial of Last Name
Determine Open Enrollment Groups

25. TESTING
Open Enrollment

26. Testing is the key to success
1. Test at least 2-3 weeks before Open Enrollment
2. Use employees who will use all benefit plans
3. Use employees with different #’s of dependents
Testing

27. TRAINING
Open Enrollment

28. 1. Provide a bit of “how to” for your staff
2. Cut down on phone calls to HR
3. Step-by-step guides
Training

29. GENERATE CHOICES
Open Enrollment

30. 1. Use your determined groups generate choices
2. People > Benefits > Create/Modify an
Open/New/Life Event Enrollment Group
3. Select Benefit plans and options
4. Benefits for a group can be selected manually,
but if eligibility is correct the system will only
show eligible benefits
Generate Choices

31. Generate Choices
Choose plans on the Benefits Tab

32. Generate Choices
Chose employees on Employees Tab

33. Be sure to check the Generate… check box to
generate the choices
Generation of the choices may take some time
Generate Choices

34. EMPLOYEES ENTER CHOICES
Open Enrollment

35. Employees Enter Choices
Avoid problems during Open Enrollment by preparing
your system and employees ahead of time.

36. Employees Enter Choices
Basic employee process
Go to Benefits area of Employee Self Service and click
on Open Enrollment Link

37. Employees Enter Choices
Once in Open Enrollment employees will see plans
and see choices defaulted to current enrollments

38. Employees Enter Choices
To Enroll in plan they were not in before they can click
the Enroll in this plan link.

39. Employees Enter Choices
The employee is then taken to a screen to pick the
option they want and add dependents or
beneficiaries if necessary

40. Employees Enter Choices
To update an enrollment in a plan they were in before
they can click the Change My Enrollment link.

41. Employees Enter Choices
In the change Enrollment form it will show the current
enrollment and all choices

42. Employees Enter Choices
When done the employee presses the Finalize
Enrollment Button

43. Employees Enter Choices
If Electronic
Signature is turned
on the employee will
get this message

44. Employees Enter Choices
They will then get a
summary page that
they can print and
they also need to
Submit to HR to
complete the process

45. ISSUES AND HOW TO HANDLE
Open Enrollment

46. Issues that can come up and how to handle
Missing Dependents
Have the employee add the dependent and
regenerate their choices
Can be done in Employee Self Service if the employees
have rights to add dependents

47. Issues that can come up and how to handle
Submitted to HR but need to change
HR can Undo Last Action in the People > Benefits >
Open/New/Life Event Enrollment > Employee Selections
or Group Actions tasks
This will move them back a step in the process so they can
make selections again
Will not undo the Create Benefit History Records step –
once this is done it is done

48. Issues that can come up and how to handle
The employee thinks they are done but they are not
Often employees will not press the Submit to HR Link to
finish the process because they think they are done
This should be covered in training to minimize this
problem.
If this does happen remind employees to take the final
step in Open Enrollment

49. WRITE THE DATE TO THE DATABASE
Open Enrollment

50. Write the data to the database
Now that the employees are done it is time to
finish the process
First Approve the selections
Most easily done on the Group Actions task on
the People tab
May want to review an employee’s selections
on the Employee Selections tab first

51. Write the data to the database
Group Actions Task

52. Write the data to the database
Employee Selections Task

53. Write the data to the database
Now that the employees are done it is time to
finish the process
• Create the Benefit History Records
• Recommend doing this is small batches
• Most easily done in Group Actions task
• There is no undo for this step

54. CLEAN-UP
Open Enrollment

55. Clean Up
Once records have been written to the Benefit
History they can be deleted. We recommend:
• Run an Audit query prior to deletion (Sentric
can provide a basic query for this purpose)
• Wait until after the benefit records are current
• Do not set the system to delete choices
automatically
• Clear prior to next open enrollment

56. • Open Enrollment
Demonstration

57. Test
Test Your Knowledge

58. Questions
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59. Poll
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