excel and census requests

[Guest CAM223]

We are on 8.3. Although we have the DCM, we have clients who do not wish to use a disk but would like us to e-mail them a census request in an excel format.

We would appreciate any comments, hints, etc. from anyone who has experience in exporting an excel census request and/or importing it back into relius.

Thanks.

[Archimage]

I am assuming this is for daily plans. This can be quite a headache. Relius can't just export YTD deferrals, salary, etc. You would have to write a crystal report that did this for you and export the report to an Excel file. I will see if I have one and post it if I can find it.

[Archimage]

Hmmm...I tried to attach the file but I get an error saying that I cannot upload this type of file. Anyone know a way around this?

[Fredman]

Archimage:

What kind of file is it? If you send Dave an email, I'm sure he will add it to the list of acceptable file types. Be sure to give him the file extension (the three letters after the period in the file name).

CAM223:

I can't comment on how Relius is with importing/exporting, but I wouldn't send any important/sensitive documents through email. I'm far from a security expert, but I wouldn't want my SSN or compensation floating through email systems. At the very least password protect the Excel file with a long alpha-numeric password and make the client call you for the password.

Alternatively, you could also provide for a file exchange on a secure web server or via diskette/cd and snail mail.

Maybe the above has already been thought out, but wanted to throw those ideas out anyway.

[Guest Tom Makeever]

CAM223:

Your interest in sending/receiving and ultimately importing data into Relius has many issues: Relius doesn't import .xls files, security as mentioned, and others.

As a solution, SunGard Corbel has developed Relius Web Retriever for the express purpose of sending sensitive data to clients via a secure channel, giving them an easy means to update data (comp, hours, status, etc.) and then downloading from our secure server directly into your Relius system. You can develop any number of questionnaires requesting any type of data (whether for import to Relius or other data you track in other systems). You might have one for PS/MP balance forward plans, another for DB and yet another for daily K plans. Additionally, Web Retriever provides the ability to send these "questionnaires" to multiple clients in one e-mail alert telling the client there is a questionnaire for them to complete and provides a hyperlink to their online questionnaire. It even alerts you when they are completed so you know when to log-on and download the completed data.

Since you were looking from help here, we won't push another product on you. However, if you want more information, call (800) 326-7235 ext. 1100 and ask for the Web Retriever Sales Rep for your state to call you.

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Tom Makeever, VP Sales

SunGard Corbel

[Archimage]

I believe the Web Retriever is incapable of doing multiple pay periods. For example, if you needed a client to upload comp for each half of the year, Web Retriever would not be able to do this. Tom, let me know if I am mistaken.

[Guest Tom Makeever]

A DER export is run to populate the Web Retriever questionnaire. DERs, whether import or export, must be run against a single payroll period. Likewise a single .dat file created by a DER export populates a single Web Retriever questionnaire. As a result of this, yes, you're correct.

If you wanted, for example, to update comp/payroll and/or census for the period ending 6/30 and 12/31, you would need to run the DER export twice (once for each period) which would populate two separate Web Retriever questionnaires. If you were doing this in one "batch" at year end, it is not quite ideal. If alternatively, you gather this data at each period end, it would be an excellent solution.

I hope this helps.