Creating the Plan Implementation and Plan Aliases

This chapter provides an overview of plan implementation and plan aliases and discusses how to:

Complete a plan implementation.
Order plans.
Add miscellaneous plan specification information.

Understanding Plan Implementation and Plan Aliases

The final product of a calculation—a benefit amount in all its optional forms—depends on several components, such as service, final average earnings, vesting, and early and late retirement factors. The rules that you define for individual functions provide values for these components. These rules are interdependent. For example vesting may depend on service, and the benefit formula may depend on both vesting and service.

To ensure that results are available when needed, a calculation must process the benefit components in the proper order. For example, if vesting is dependent on service, then you need to know how much vesting service an employee has before starting the vesting calculation.

The final step of a plan implementation is to put all the function results that you create in a sequence to form the final calculation jobstream. The jobstream provides a high-level overview of a plan; it consists of the separate processes in the correct order.

You then place the plan in the system’s overall list of plans. Until you add the plan to this list, many fields on other pages that prompt against pension plans do not recognize the plan as a valid value. Because the pension plan list also establishes the plan order when a calculation encompasses multiple plans, the page where you maintain the list is the Order Plan page.

Finally, you need to define aliases to calculate a plan’s normal retirement date (NRD), early retirement date (ERD), and other specific plan information. Many of the functions have parameters that refer to this information, so you cannot run calculations until you create these definitions.

Creating a Plan Implementation

To create a plan implementation, use the Plan Implementation (PLAN_IMPLEMENT) component.

This section provides an overview of plan implementation, lists the page used to create a plan implementation, and discusses how to:

Add function results to a plan implementation.
Order processes.
Activate processes.

Understanding Plan Implementation

Just as you create function results to deploy the plan definitions, you create a plan implementation to deploy the function results. You use the Plan Implementation page to do this.

Page Used to Create a Plan Implementation

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Plan Implementation	PA_IMPLEMENT_PLAN	Set Up HRMS, Product Related, Pension, Pension Plan Implementation, Plan Implementation, Plan Implementation	Put the function results for a plan in the correct processing order.

Adding Function Results to a Plan Implementation

Access the Plan Implementation page.

Effective Date

When you run a calculation or periodic processing, the system looks at the rules date you specify (the as of date on the Calculation page) and fetches the appropriate components from the corresponding effective date on this page. After the system loads the jobstream into the Calculation page group, the person running the calculation can view the list, choose to run only certain processes from the list, or enter override for specific function results.

If the jobstream changes, enter a new effective date with the new information. Most plans have only a single plan implementation effective date. Plan changes are usually reflected in new effective dates within function results, not in the plan implementation. However, if you add or remove any function results, you need to create a new effective date for the plan implementation.

Note. Always add a new plan implementation effective date when you add or remove function results from a plan implementation.

Single Job Environment

Clear this check box to use the multiple jobs functionality.

Sel (select)

Select this check box to copy a module or to designate a location for pasting.

Description and Function Result

When you first enter a plan implementation effective date for a particular plan, all the function results that you have already set up automatically appear in the jobstream. Add all custom statements and user code modules manually. Function results appear in the system’s default order. You need to rearrange them.

Any function results that you create after the first time you save the Plan Implementation page are not automatically added to the jobstream. You must add the processes manually.

Check the order of the function results, both those automatically entered and manually entered.

The Function Result field displays the name of the function result, the custom statement name, or user code COBOL executable.

The Description field defaults to the description associated with the function result or custom statement page, but you can modify it. It’s very important to have clear descriptions, particularly for benefit formulas, because this is the text that identifies the calculation results on the calculation worksheet.

To add processes to the Plan Implementation page, and thus to the jobstream, insert a new row. Select the type of process that you’re entering.

If you enter a function result or custom statement, you can prompt for valid values in the Function Result field. If you’re adding user code, you have to type the name of your COBOL module.

Active

Although you can remove any process by deleting a row, PeopleSoft recommends that, instead, you deactivate the process by clearing the Active check box, and move the process to the end of the jobstream. This ensures that you still have a complete list of all the function results that exist for the plan.

Type

The jobstream can include three types of processes:

C (custom statement) and R (function result) are processes you build within Pension Administration.

U (user code) refers to custom code modules that you set up to handle processes beyond the scope of the system’s predefined functions. Unlike the predefined user code options within the parameter pages, which handle specific defined functions and are expected to return particular types of results, user code processes inserted into the Plan Implementation page are completely user defined.

Function results must be in the jobstream in order to be processed. The fact that another process references a function result does not mean that the system gets the result on demand. If the first function result is not in the jobstream, any other processes that reference the result generate errors.

Custom statements can go directly into the jobstream, but they do not have to if another process references them. If a custom statement is not in the jobstream, the first process within the jobstream that references that custom statement initiates a subprocess to resolve the custom statement.

Ordering Processes

Plan eligibility should always be the first process you run. This enables both periodic processes and calculations to filter out ineligible employees immediately. This also builds the timeline of eligible and ineligible periods so that the system can determine which group, and therefore which definition, an employee falls into at any time.

After plan eligibility, the order of the other functions depends on the dependencies within your plan. For example, if you require a completed service calculation before calculating vesting, you must run vesting service before running vesting.

Be sure the consolidation function results are also appropriately ordered. For example, put consolidated hours before any service function result that uses those hours.

Using the Default Processing Order

When you first access the Plan Implementation page, the function results that you have set up appear by default in the following order:

Plan eligibility
Consolidated earnings
Consolidated hours
Consolidated contributions
Participation
Service
Vesting
Plan eligibility (retirement types)
Final average earnings
Cash balance accounts
Employee accounts
Social security
Covered compensation
Early and late retirement factors
Death coverage factors
Benefit formula
Employee paid benefit
Optional forms of payment
415 limits

Reordering Processes

Sort

You can use the Sort button to move inactive processes to the end of the jobstream. It does not rearrange any other processes.

To rearrange other processes, select a row, copy it, paste it into the right position, then delete the original.

Sel (select)

Select the Sel check box to select the associated module.

Copy

To copy a module, click the Copy button, which then becomes a Paste button. If you decide not to paste, click the Reset button (available only after a copy action) to change Paste back to Copy.

To paste the module into the right position, insert a blank row where you want to put the module, select that row by selecting the Sel check box, then click the Paste button. If you select a row that already has data, the system does not overwrite what’s there; instead, it asks if you would like to insert a blank row after that row and paste into the blank row.

Remember to go back and delete the original row after pasting.

Activating Processes

Select the Active check box for each process that you want included in either periodic processing or calculations. This means that consolidations and the calculation functions must be active. If you clear this check box for a process, both periodic processing and calculations bypass the process.

The Active check box thus enables you to remove processes from the jobstream without deleting them from your list.

Ordering Plans

To set up the plan order, use the Plan Order (ORDERPLANS) component.

This section provides an overview of the Order Plans page, lists the page used to order plans, and discusses how to set the order of plans.

Understanding the Order Plans Page

When you run a calculation for multiple plans, the system processes plans in the order that you specify.

You specify the order on the Order Plans page.

Page Used to Order Plans

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Order Plans	PA_PLAN_ORDER	Set Up HRMS, Product Related, Pension, Pension Plan Implementation, Plan Order, Order Plans	Set the order for processing plans.

Setting the Order of Plans

Placing a plan in the Order Plans page is the final step necessary for establishing a plan in the system.

Until you add a plan to the Order Plans page, many fields that prompt against pension plans do not recognize the plan as a valid value. This is therefore a critical step even if you only have one plan.

Access the Order Plans page.

Benefit Plan

Insert a row for each benefit plan.

Order

Specify the order for each benefit plan.

Note. PeopleSoft suggests that you leave gaps between the order numbers so that you can later add rows between the existing rows.

Sort

Updates the page to show plans in the order you assign.

When you enter a plan, the system displays its description and pension type (qualified or nonqualified).

Always run the qualified plans first and then the nonqualified plans. This is important for correct processing of 415 limits, which apply to all qualified plans.

Under certain circumstances, you set up a special 415 “dummy” plan to house the 415 rules. This plan belongs in a fixed spot in the plan order, after the last qualified plan and before the first nonqualified plan. It does not run if there are any nonqualified plans before it.

Set your plans up in the following order:

All qualified plans
The 415 dummy plan
All nonqualified plans

Another reason to run nonqualified plans last is so that results from your qualified plans are available for any nonqualified limit plans that make up the difference between limited and unlimited benefits from qualified plans.

Adding Miscellaneous Plan Specification Information

To add miscellaneous plan specification information, use the Plan Aliases (PLAN_ALIASES) component.

This section provides an overview of miscellaneous plan specification information, lists the page used to add miscellaneous plan specification information, and discusses how to add plan alias parameters.

Understanding Miscellaneous Plan Specification Information

Some of the information that you add may be needed for a calculation. Other information is used for retirement counseling and to track repayment of employee contributions.

A pension plan typically has a standard normal retirement date (NRD) and early retirement date (ERD). Several of the system’s core functions reference these dates, for example, the cash balance accounts function produces the balance at NRD, and the employee paid benefit function projects the employee account balance to NRD. You can also reference these dates on the calculation page, when you specify an assumed benefit commencement date.

Another significant date for a plan participant is the date of first vesting. Although this date is not directly referenced in a calculation, it is relevant for retirement counseling.

Page Used to Add Miscellaneous Plan Specification Information

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Plan Aliases	PA_PLAN_ALIASES	Set Up HRMS, Product Related, Pension, Pension Plan Implementation, Plan Aliases, Plan Aliases	Add miscellaneous plan specification information.

Adding Plan Alias Parameters

Access the Plan Aliases page.

Plan Alias Parameters

ERD Alias Name and NRD Alias Name

Enter date aliases to specify the plan’s ERD and NRD.

Vesting Date Alias Name

Periodic processing resolves this alias during each run. You can then look up this date on the Plan Information page (under Pension, Pension Information, Review Plan History).

You cannot use the vesting function to determine the vesting date; you have to set up an independent date alias that figures out the vesting date. For example, if you use five year cliff vesting, you could set up a date alias that adds five years to the date of hire. However, this does not account for leaves of absence or other interruptions in service.

Employee Contribution Account

Enter the name of the employee contribution account that provides final balance information for the payment summary record. This is an employee accounts function result.

Service Calculator

Duration Options

Specify the duration option for the service calculator to use.

Surviving Spouse Eligibility

Enter the name of the eligibility statement.

Note. If you have set up an automatic benefit, you must specify a surviving spouse eligibility statement. If there are no eligibility conditions other than being married, set up a statement that is always true for married participants—for example: if marital status = married.

Effective Date	When you run a calculation or periodic processing, the system looks at the rules date you specify (the as of date on the Calculation page) and fetches the appropriate components from the corresponding effective date on this page. After the system loads the jobstream into the Calculation page group, the person running the calculation can view the list, choose to run only certain processes from the list, or enter override for specific function results. If the jobstream changes, enter a new effective date with the new information. Most plans have only a single plan implementation effective date. Plan changes are usually reflected in new effective dates within function results, not in the plan implementation. However, if you add or remove any function results, you need to create a new effective date for the plan implementation. Note. Always add a new plan implementation effective date when you add or remove function results from a plan implementation.
Single Job Environment	Clear this check box to use the multiple jobs functionality.
Sel (select)	Select this check box to copy a module or to designate a location for pasting.
Description and Function Result	When you first enter a plan implementation effective date for a particular plan, all the function results that you have already set up automatically appear in the jobstream. Add all custom statements and user code modules manually. Function results appear in the system’s default order. You need to rearrange them. Any function results that you create after the first time you save the Plan Implementation page are not automatically added to the jobstream. You must add the processes manually. Check the order of the function results, both those automatically entered and manually entered. The Function Result field displays the name of the function result, the custom statement name, or user code COBOL executable. The Description field defaults to the description associated with the function result or custom statement page, but you can modify it. It’s very important to have clear descriptions, particularly for benefit formulas, because this is the text that identifies the calculation results on the calculation worksheet. To add processes to the Plan Implementation page, and thus to the jobstream, insert a new row. Select the type of process that you’re entering. If you enter a function result or custom statement, you can prompt for valid values in the Function Result field. If you’re adding user code, you have to type the name of your COBOL module.
Active	Although you can remove any process by deleting a row, PeopleSoft recommends that, instead, you deactivate the process by clearing the Active check box, and move the process to the end of the jobstream. This ensures that you still have a complete list of all the function results that exist for the plan.
Type	The jobstream can include three types of processes: C (custom statement) and R (function result) are processes you build within Pension Administration. U (user code) refers to custom code modules that you set up to handle processes beyond the scope of the system’s predefined functions. Unlike the predefined user code options within the parameter pages, which handle specific defined functions and are expected to return particular types of results, user code processes inserted into the Plan Implementation page are completely user defined. Function results must be in the jobstream in order to be processed. The fact that another process references a function result does not mean that the system gets the result on demand. If the first function result is not in the jobstream, any other processes that reference the result generate errors. Custom statements can go directly into the jobstream, but they do not have to if another process references them. If a custom statement is not in the jobstream, the first process within the jobstream that references that custom statement initiates a subprocess to resolve the custom statement.