Benefits Workflow

Open an enrollment window, approve benefit requests, and learn about the Vista steps required for completing benefit enrollment.

Open an enrollment window

An enrollment window may be requested via qualifying events, or a Benefits Admin can open a window manually via the Benefits Dashboard. Once a window is approved or opened, the employee receives an email indicating that a window has been opened and the start and end of that window. The email also provides a link to the Benefits page. For more bdetails, see Request a Qualifying Event, Open an Enrollment Window.

Open Enrollment

Employees with an open enrollment window must complete the following steps in order to submit their requests for approval. For more details, see Elect Your Benefits.

Step 1. Update your own personal information

  • This opens the Update My Personal Info page (Employee Tools > Update Info). Required fields are outlined in red. Once users have completed updates (or if they have no changes), they must select the Verify button to complete this step. All requested changes follow the normal workflow. Completing Step 4 on this page is not required in order to submit for approval.
  • For more information on Personal Info: Personal Information
Step 2. Update your dependent information
  • This opens the Update Dependents page (Employee Tools > Dependents) where users can add new dependents for approval. Dependents not yet approved can still be added to benefits in Step 3 on this page. Once users have finished adding or deleting dependents (or if they have no changes), they must select the Verify button to complete this step. All requested changes follow the normal workflow. Completing Step 4 on this page is not required in order to submit for approval.
  • For more information on setting up dependents: Dependents
Step 3. Review plan offerings and elections
  • This opens the Employee Benefits page where users can elect benefits. They will only see benefits attached to the Benefit Groups they are assigned to. Options include the following:
    • Keep Existing Plan: Allows users to keep the benefits assigned in their HR Resource Benefits with the new rates in HR Benefit Codes. All dependents currently associated with this plan will remain the same.
    • Confirm Selection: Allows users to update their dependents or beneficiaries and add attachments (depending on selections for this benefit type in the portal setting Input Settings Per Benefit Type).
    • Decline Coverage: Allows users to decline coverage, select a reason for declining, and add a note. The decline and reason will display in Benefit Approval. If a note is required based on portal settings, the user must add a note before they can continue.
Step 4. Finalize and Submit
  • After users complete steps 1, 2, and 3, they can select step 4. This opens a summary page showing the employee's new benefit elections and subtotals for their current and newly-requested benefits.
  • At the bottom of the page, users must select Finalize and Confirm. This requires them to sign (either with their finger or cursor) to indicate that they have read and understood the contents. After signing, users select Submit.
  • After an employee signs off on and submits new benefit elections, those changes are submitted to the Benefits Admin for approval.

Approving Benefit Requests

The Benefits Admin can review, approve, and reject all benefit requests on the Benefit Requests page. See Review Benefit Elections for details.
  • Review Benefit Elections: Before approving or rejecting a benefit election, the Personal Info Admin can select the Review button for an employee to see the requested plan, selected option, and associated dependents or beneficiaries.
  • Approve Benefits: To approve an election, select the checkbox to the left of the employee's number, and then select the Approve button above the grid. To approve all changes listed in the grid, select the checkbox in the same row as the column titles. All changes are made in the HR Resource Benefits. A history line is added to HR Resource Employment History under the History Code BENEFIT (if enabled).

Vista Workflow

Once all of the benefit elections have been made and pushed to Vista, the HR or PR Admins must complete the following tasks.

  • HR Update Benefit/Salary to PR: Run this process to update the new deductions and liabilities to Payroll. Make sure to use the same effective date used when electing the benefits in HR Management. This should be the same effective date for your new benefit rates. For details, see How Benefit Elections are Moved into Vista.
  • HR Benefit Export Report: Export this report to provide your carriers with the new benefit elections for your employees. For details, see HR Benefit Export Report.
Important: When using HR Management for benefit elections, do not run the HR Benefits Initialization process in Vista.