Netchex

Since our platform has an integration with your payroll provider, Vestwell can process your payroll files through automation.

Netchex offers a 360° level of integration.

This guide will help you set up your integration and understand your specific responsibilities for the proper administration of payroll files.

1. How Does My Integration Work?
2. Are There Any Reasons Why My Plan Might Not Be Eligible for an Integration?
3. How Do I Initiate My Integration Setup?
4. What Are My Responsibilities if My Plan Has an Active Payroll Integration?
5. What Does Vestwell Handle for Me if My Plan Has an Active Payroll Integration?
6. Will Netchex Charge Me Fees to Set up And/or Maintain My Payroll Integration?
7. How Do I Disconnect My Integration? 

How Does My Integration Work?

Your integration is a 360° automated integration. This is a two-way integration in which Vestwell will automatically receive certain information about your plan and participants from your payroll system, process saver and employer contributions to the plan, and automatically send your savers’ selected deferral elections from their Vestwell portal to your payroll provider.

Are There Any Reasons Why My Plan Might Not Be Eligible for an Integration?

There are some plan design features that currently prohibit the use of payroll integration, including:

• Plans that do not have an established recurring pay schedule setup in both Vestwell and the payroll system.
• Plans that do not use the same payroll provider for all pay group(s).
• Plans that have limitations preventing each pay group from being integrated. 
• Eligibility rules that exclude certain classes of employees, types of compensation, or certain types of hours worked.
• Plans with per pay period non-mandatory employer contributions.
• Plans that allow after-tax contributions (only available if your plan uses a third-party administrator). Note: After-tax and Roth contributions are not the same; please see our article "Participant Contribution Types: Differences between Pre-tax, Roth, and After-tax."

How Do I Initiate My Integration Setup?

Let your Vestwell Representative know that you'd like to integrate. From there, the Vestwell team will work with Netchex to set up your integration. There may be a few action items for you to complete along the way. Prompt completion of these action items is crucial to ensure a timely setup. 

Note: Until the integration is activated, contribution uploads into the Vestwell portal will be required until our team has notified you that the integration can begin.

What Are My Responsibilities if My Plan Has an Active Payroll Integration?

Our ability to successfully process your payroll files and administer your plan depends on you! It is your responsibility to manage:

• Loans
  • Set up and maintain retirement loans within your payroll system. Learn more about loans here.
• Discretionary and/or Profit-Sharing Contributions 
  • Set up and maintain non-mandatory employer contributions in your payroll system.
  • Submit non-mandatory employer contributions through your Vestwell portal using an off-cycle upload. Learn how to submit an off-cycle contribution here. 
• Mandatory Employer Contributions
  • Maintain & submit mandatory employer contributions that are on a frequency other than on a per-pay period basis using an off-cycle upload. Learn more about off-cycle contributions here.
• Pay Groups 
  • Make sure any pay groups in your payroll system are also set up at Vestwell and vice versa.
  • To edit a pay group name or set up new pay groups, please see "How Do I Change My Pay Group With An Enabled Integration?" before your first pay date.
  • If you are removing a pay group from your payroll system, please reach out to clientsuccess@vestwell.com.
  • The number of pay groups or companies in your payroll system may affect your plan’s integration eligibility.
• Saver Status Changes - Payroll System
  • Make updates in your payroll system when savers are hired, terminated, or re-hired. Include a specific date when making these status changes in your payroll system.
• Saver Personal Information
  • Maintain complete, accurate, and up-to-date personal information within your payroll system - including date of birth, social security number, and email address. 
• Pay Frequency/Schedule Changes
  • Report any pay frequency or pay schedule changes to your Vestwell representative to ensure there is no delay in processing your payroll files upon making this change in your payroll system.
• Negative Contributions/Corrections
  • Negative contributions or corrections are not able to be processed through the integration. For assistance with negative contributions or corrections, please contact our Employer Services team by emailing clientsuccess@vestwell.com.
• Review Payroll Data
  • We rely on you to provide us with correct, updated, and complete data about your savers regardless of whether we receive that data directly from you or your payroll provider. Regular audits and spot checks of the data provided will help you quickly identify and rectify any discrepancies. 
  • We recommend ensuring accuracy of the Plan Contact Info on your Vestwell employer portal as an email will be sent to notify you of any discrepancies. Visit "Updating your Company Information" to keep this up to date!

What Does Vestwell Handle for Me If My Plan Has an Active Payroll Integration? 

• Payroll Codes
  • Vestwell will work with your payroll provider, Netchex, to set up and maintain certain payroll codes within your payroll system. Because Netchex manages the codes, do not change this information.

• • • • Pre-Tax 401(k) 
      • Roth 401(k) 
      • Per pay-period fixed employer contribution

• Saver Deferrals - First Payroll
  • Four business days prior to your first pay date with Vestwell, we will use the saver deferral rates in the Vestwell portal to set saver elections in your payroll system. To guarantee saver deferral rates have been updated in your payroll system, do not run payroll before 4 business days before your scheduled pay date.
• Saver Deferral Updates
  • Ongoing deferral changes made in the Vestwell portal by eligible savers will be communicated to your payroll system. It may take a few pay periods for this to be reflected in Saver paychecks. 
  • If your plan has an auto-enrollment feature, the same guidelines above apply. Read more about auto-enrollment.
• Saver Status Changes - Vestwell Portal
  • When you add, rehire or terminate savers in your payroll system, the changes will be reflected in the Vestwell portal one business day after the next pay date. 
• Processing Contributions
  • Process saver deferrals and employer contributions, which are maintained by the integration shortly after you run payroll in your payroll system. 
  • If you process your payroll early, Vestwell will never process the contributions file before the pay date. 
  • Off-cycle contributions processed in your payroll system will come through the integration & reflect in your employer portal after the pay date.

Will Netchex Charge Me Fees to Set Up and/or Maintain My Payroll Integration?

Your payroll provider may charge fees in conjunction with the integration. Please check with your Netchex representative for more specific details. Vestwell will not charge you to facilitate this integration.

What if I Amend My Vestwell Plan or Change the Frequency of My Employer Contributions? 

If your plan has been amended or if you are considering an amendment to your original plan documents, please inform your Vestwell Representative to understand what actions on your part will be required to submit and process your payroll files correctly.

If you have changed the frequency of funding your employer contribution, the Vestwell team will work with your payroll provider to make any necessary updates. 

How Do I Disconnect My Integration?

If you change payroll providers, it is your responsibility to inform us so that we can disconnect your integration and assess whether integration with a different payroll provider is available. Please reach out to your Vestwell representative, and we will assist you.