Contents of the Configure Benefit Settings Screen

Use the fields and options to set up the Configure Benefit Settings screen.

Benefit Options

Use this group box to specify the types of FSA that are used by your company.

Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

Use this group box to determine whether you have a dependent care flexible spending account benefit and whether you will be reimbursing through Costpoint Payroll. If you select the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts check box, the Deduction field is required, and the Reimburse Through Payroll check box is enabled. If you select the Reimburse Through Payroll check box, both the Pay Type and Deduction fields are required.

Field Description
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

Select this check box if your company uses FSA for dependent care expenses. You will not be able to open the Manage Dependent Care FSA Plan Year, Manage Employee Dependent Care FSA Elections, and Manage Dependent Care History screens unless you select this check box, which also enables the Reimburse Through Payroll check box and the Deduction field.

Reimburse Through Payroll

Select this check box to have dependent care FSA reimbursements added to an employee's paycheck. This check box is enabled only if you selected the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts check box. Selecting this check box enables the Pay Type field. Select this check box only if you use Costpoint Payroll for reimbursement. Other payroll software packages are currently not supported. The Compute Payroll function examines this setting to determine whether any FSA processing must be done.

Pay Type

Enter, or click to select, the pay type code that applies to reimbursing dependent care payments. The pay type code is defined on the Manage Pay Types screen. The Pay Type field is enabled and required only if you selected the Reimburse Through Payroll check box.

If you are using Costpoint Payroll to reimburse dependent care, you must set up this pay type on the Manage Pay Types screen, with the Benefit Reimbursement check box selected, before you can complete the Configure Benefit Settings screen. You can only use this pay type for dependent care reimbursement. In addition, you should define Pay Type Taxability on the Configure Pay Type Taxability screen as exempt from federal and state tax withholding as applicable to your plan. You must establish a unique pay type for the Dependent Care FSA.

Note: You must not use Deduction Modify Codes for Dependent Care FSA pay types. These pay types are automatically programmed to calculate correctly when you select the Benefit Reimbursement check box on the Manage Pay Types screen.
Deduction

Enter, or click to select, a deduction code to be used for dependent care FSA deductions. This field is enabled and required when you select the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts check box. You must establish a deduction code on the Manage Deductions screen and select Dependent Care Benefit in the Deduction Type drop-down list before you can complete the Configure Benefit Settings screen.

Medical Care Flexible Spending Accounts

Use this group box to determine whether you have a medical care flexible spending account and whether you will be reimbursing through Costpoint Payroll. If you select the Medical Care Flexible Spending Accounts check box, the Deduction field is required, and the Reimburse Through Payroll check box is enabled.  If you select the Reimburse Through Payroll check box, both the Pay Type and Deduction fields are required.

Field Description
Medical Care Flexible Spending Accounts

Select this check box if your company uses FSA for medical care expenses. If you select this check box, you will be able to access the Manage Dependent Care FSA Plan Year, Manage Employee Dependent Care FSA Elections, and Manage Dependent Care History screens. Selecting this check box also enables the Reimburse Through Payroll check box and the Deduction field.

Reimburse Through Payroll

Select this check box to have medical care FSA reimbursements added to an employee's paycheck. This check box is enabled only if you have checked the Medical Care Flexible Spending Accounts check box. Selecting this check box enables the Pay Type field. Select this check box only if you use Costpoint Payroll for reimbursement. Other payroll software packages are currently not supported. The Compute Payroll function looks at this setting to determine whether any FSA processing needs to be done.

Pay Type

Enter, or click to select, the pay type code that applies to reimbursing medical care payments. The pay type code is defined on the Manage Pay Types screen. The Pay Type field is enabled and required only if you select the Reimburse Through Payroll check box.

If you are using Costpoint Payroll to reimburse dependent care, you must set up this pay type on the Manage Pay Types screen, with the Benefit Reimbursement check box checked, before you can complete the Configure Benefit Settings screen. You can use this pay type only for medical care reimbursement. In addition, you should define Pay Type Taxability on the Configure Pay Type Taxability screen as exempt from federal and state tax withholding as applicable to your plan. You must establish a unique pay type for the Medical Care FSA.

Note: Do not use Deduction Modify Codes for Medical Care FSA pay types. These pay types are automatically programmed to calculate correctly when you select the Benefit Reimbursement check box on the Manage Pay Types screen.
Deduction

Enter, or click to select, the deduction code that will be used for medical care FSA deductions. This field is enabled and required when you check the Medical Care Flexible Spending Accounts check box. You must establish a deduction code on the Manage Deductions screen and select Health Care Benefit in the Deduction Type drop-down list before you can complete the Configure Benefit Settings screen.

Deduction Calculation Method

Use this group box to define how premiums should be deducted from an employee's salary on either a weekly payroll or bi-weekly payroll basis. Because benefit premiums are usually monthly, this option will define the calculation needed to allocate the monthly premium by pay periods. The Update Employee Package Deductions screen will use the settings in this group box when it calculates deduction amounts for benefit elections.

Your selection in this group box does not apply to FSA, which use the pay cycle frequency to determine how premiums are deducted.

Biweekly

Use the selections in this group box to specify the calculation of deductions for a bi-weekly pay period.

Field Description
26 Weeks

If you select this option, the program divides the annual premium by 26.

24 Weeks

If you select this option, the program divides the annual premium by 24. If you use this method, you must manually turn off the deduction (using deduction schedules) two times a year. Normally, you will turn off the deduction for the last pay period of each of the two quarters of the year with seven pay periods.

Weekly

Use the selections in this group box to specify the calculation of deductions for a weekly pay period.

Field Description
52 Weeks

If you select this option, the program divides the annual premium by 52.

48 Weeks

If you select this option, the program divides the annual deduction by 48. If you use this method, you must manually turn off the deduction (using deduction schedules) four times a year. Normally, you will turn off the deduction for the last week of each of the four months of the year with five pay periods.

Enrollment Validation Method

Use this group box to control how the Manage Employee Benefit Elections screen is validated. The system checks enrollment rules for the benefit plan against employee records.

Field Description
Error

Select this option to prevent updating of the Manage Employee Benefit Elections screen when an employee does not meet benefit plan enrollment criteria.

Warning

Select this option if you want a warning message to be issued when an employee does not meet benefit plan enrollment criteria. This allows you to update the Manage Employee Benefit Elections screen.

None

Select this option if you do not want enrollment rules enforced. You can update the Manage Employee Benefit Elections screen and no warning message displays.

Benefit Posting Method

Use the selections in this group box to determine how benefits will be posted and computed in payroll.

Field Description
Lump Sum

Select this option to have benefits roll up for each employee and post at the benefit package level. A benefit package is identified by its deduction code. When this method is used, the Update Employee Package Deductions screen adds up all the coverage options for an employee into one total and inserts only one deduction for the employee. If you select this option, you will be required to enter a package deduction code on the Manage Benefit Packages screen when you set up benefit packages.

Itemize

Select this option to have benefits post at the individual deduction level. Each benefit will be assigned a deduction code. This is the recommended method and is the system default.

Number of Days that Employees are classified as new Enter the number of days that employees will be classified as new employees for benefit election purposes.

Benefit Pay Type Accounts

Use this table link pay types to accounts. The accounts will be used when posting FSA or Benefit cash out information to the General Ledger.

Field Description
Pay Type

Enter, or click to select, up to three alphanumeric characters to identify the pay type. This pay type will be used for posting Benefit cash outs or FSA to the General Ledger.

Description

This field displays the pay type description.

Account

Enter, or click to select, the account that will be used when posting the corresponding pay type to the general ledger.