The software allows you to select a package of reports and statements that you can send to your client; this section of the User Guide describes how to customize this package.
The steps in the process are as follows:
- Create one or more custom styles to use for all your reports and statements (or you can use one of the default styles).
- Add a default client letter that will be available for all your clients.
- Assign a style to each of your reports and statements - you do this plan by plan.
- Select which reports and statements to include in the client package - again this is done plan by plan.
- Print the package, plan by plan.
Select Reports
Click on the arrow next to Print Reports and press the “Select Reports” option to identify what reports to include in the client package.
The first box on the left “Edit Client Letter” is used for the cover letter that is included with the client package. You will see a link: “Update Default Letter” at the top of this box; clicking this link will populate the box with the text entered for the global client letter on the Edit/Create Custom Styles screen. You can now customize the letter for this particular client.
The first box on the right, “Prepared By” will feed to the cover page for the client package. You can add or modify your firm name in this box to determine how the name is displayed on the cover page, which appears after the cover letter and before the table of contents in the package. Note that first entry that you make to this box will populate globally, across all plans. Any changes you make subsequently will only be made on a plan by plan basis.
Next you can indicate which reports and statements you want to include in the client package by adding a number in the box on the right for each report you want to include; the number indicates the order that you want the reports to appear in the package. The cover letter will always be first followed by a Table of Contents. If you want the Eligibility Report to appear first, enter “01” next to it. Enter “11” next to the report you wish to appear second and so on. These numbers do not have to be consecutive; the software just looks at the value and orders the reports based on the relative value. Using numbers that are a few units apart allows you to more flexibility to change the order of the reports, or add additional reports to the package at a later date.
Please note that there are two alternate formats for participant statements. One is the Individual Participant Statement, a one page per participant summary of activity, and the second is the Custom Participant Statement which is typically is a two page statement and includes the following:
- An additional section showing a “Your account at a glance”.
- A second custom message option - all messages are added on the “Edit Print Styles” screen described above.
- Separate tables showing the breakdown of assets by investment and by source.
- Available in portrait format only.
Print Package
To print your reports package, after you have indicated which reports and statements to include, return to the main Tasks page and click the “Print Package” button. This will generate a document in Microsoft Word© containing all the reports and statements that you selected for the package. Note that it is still editable - you can make changes to the formatting if you wish. Once the package is as you want, you can print it, or send electronically to your client. To print in pdf format press the arrow button next to the “Print Package” button and select the pdf option.
