Benefit Administration Summit Session Descriptions

Please note: Sessions are still being added to the Benefit Administration Summit 2011 Agenda. Check back for updates.

  • General Session Track : Information too important for anyone to miss. This track offers all attendees the opportunity to find out updates from SunGard, industry trends, legislative and regulatory changes as well as a special session on customer facing technologies. 
  • Executive Track : Learn more about operational efficiencies, assessment processes, and ways in which you can leverage SunGard services for best business practices within your company for both Omni and Relius solution customers. Choose to attend the entire track, or split your time between the business and technical tracks to best meet your needs.
  • Benefit Administration Track : These sessions are open to customers of both Omni and Relius solutions, and provide information on many of the partnered solutions regarding rollovers, 403(b) plan servicing, and participant education services.
  • Omni Technical Track : Particularly formulated with the user in mind, the Omni technical track offers information for anyone interested in system functions and enhancements for the Omni space.
  • Relius Technical Track : The Relius technical track offers information for anyone interested in the latest in Relius functionality. This track contains multiple sessions related to Relius Administration, Documents and Government Forms.
  • Omni User Group Track : Omni User Group members will have the opportunity to meet while at the Summit to discuss and vote on enhancements for the Omni suite of solutions. Standing committees and advisory panels are open for User Group members only. If you are interested in a User Group membership, please contact Brooklyn White at brooklyn.white@sungard.com, 205.437.7862.
  • Relius Support Lab : The Relius support lab is a popular feature of past Relius conferences, and it will continue to have the same structure for this conference, as well. Members of the competent Relius support team are available to guide you through the questions and training you need. Support representatives from the following groups will be present: Administration, Documents, Government Forms, Client Account Services and Technology.
  • Omni Roundtables : Omni customers should use these various times at the conference to see the product on screen, ask questions about that solution, and learn from other questions being asked of the Omni solutions’ expert.

General Session Track

Information too important for anyone to miss. This track offers all attendees the opportunity to find out updates from SunGard, industry trends, legislative and regulatory changes, as well as a special session on client facing technologies. 

  • Welcome and Opening Remarks: Welcome to SunGard’s first Benefit Administration Summit which combines the Omni and Relius solution suites into one conference. This opening session features Greg Clark, executive vice president and sector manager of SunGard’s Benefit Administration sector. Gain insight on SunGard’s commitment to the retirement and wealth management industry through our investment in solutions and services for 2011 and beyond.
  • Industry Trends Panel with SunGard Executives: This session highlights issues in financial services, specifically, benefit administration firms facing a multitude of growing demands ranging from providing a superior client experience and addressing compliance / regulatory mandates to attracting and retaining the best possible employees. This session explores how the use of technology for infrastructure modernization, system integration, cost continuity, regulatory compliance and process transparency can help meet these demands. The panelists also suggest modifications to today’s systems and practices that can help providers differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace.
  • Legislative and Regulatory Update: The Evolution of Private Retirement Systems: Over the next several years, the political and economic environment is expected to shift the pendulum in a manner that may threaten the survival of the private retirement system, particularly for small- to medium- retirement systems—particularly 401(k) plans. The federal deficit has caused economists and politicians to question virtually all aspects of the current tax code. In regards to qualified plans, some people are questioning whether the country is getting enough “bang-for-the-buck.” Still others are questioning whether qualified plans provide participants with “adequate” retirement security. Join this speculative discussion to understand how legislative impact can truly drive your business.
  • Client Facing Technologies: The Impact of Today’s Technologies on Client Behavior: Today’s TPAs are faced with unique opportunities and challenges resulting from the interactions of three or four generations working side by side. Rapid technological change combined with the need for sophisticated client interaction makes collaboration across these generations essential to a successful business model. Find out how the impact of social networking and utilization of mobile applications are driving client behavior.

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Executive Track

Learn more about operational efficiencies, assessment processes, and ways in which you can leverage SunGard services for best business practices within your company for both Omni and Relius solution customers. Choose to attend the entire track, or split your time between the business and technical tracks to best meet your needs.

  • Client Facing Technologies: The Impact of Today’s Technologies on Client Behavior in the SunGard Environment: Understanding what we learned about the previous Client Facing Technologies session and how these various generations want to be communicated to…what are some of your peers utilizing to address these behaviors? Hear how successful SunGard customers are using electronic media to remain competitive in an increasingly commoditized business. Learn how social networking tools can help you brand your firm, and discover how you can unleash the power of Generation Y to help you get to where you need to be.
  • Understanding and Leveraging Roadmap Assessments for Optimal Operational Efficiencies: Today, financial services, specifically benefits administration firms, are facing a multitude of growing demands ranging from providing a superior client experience and addressing compliance / regulatory mandates to attracting and retaining the best possible employees. At the same time, challenges such as infrastructure modernization, system integration, cost continuity, regulatory compliance and process transparency present an opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. SunGard’s strategic roadmap assessment, designed specifically for Omni customers, can help you understand how to increase operational performance and maximize infrastructure investment. This session features a panel of Omni customers who have chosen to take part in these assessments and discusses the advantages the assessment helped bring to their organizations.
  • Legislative and Regulatory Update: Fee Disclosures: The Department of Labor (DOL) issued regulations requiring disclosure both at the plan level (fee disclosure) and participant level (investment and fee information). In addition, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has a proposal to eliminate 12b-1 fees and replace them with 12b-2 fees to help distinguish sales fees from operational fees. Many retirement plan providers see the additional disclosure requirements as more work without additional compensation, however, others view the new requirements as an opportunity to distinguish their practice from their competition. The focus on fee disclosure will have the effect of commoditizing many of the services being provided to plans and will put pressure on profit margins, compliance and competition. Join us as we discuss the regulatory impact toward fee disclosures on the recordkeeper and how you could make sweet lemonade out of these sour lemons.
  • Accelerating Time to Market with Next Generation Participant and Sponsor Capabilities: Over 50% of the DC business is up for renewal in the next three years. The rules of the game are rapidly changing. You must invest in differentiating participant and sponsor capabilities to win. Learn more on how SunGard can help your firm stay competitive and accelerate time to market of next generation retirement services capabilities by leveraging SunGard's systems integration, custom development framework and domain expertise.
  • Understanding and Solving Complexities of Trading Operations: The financial climate challenges investment providers, plan sponsors and participants. Costs and efficiencies of traditional mutual funds, target date funds, ETFs and other alternative investments are being scrutinized from fiduciary and performance perspectives. Join the discussion on how decision makers are evaluating investment vehicles as they relate to trading.
  • Capitalize on Workflow, Content Management and Process Automation Services from SunGard: Review your approach for improving and automating operational processes spanning the front-, middle- and back-office. Learn about different ways you can leverage this SunGard service line beyond just getting rid of the stacks of paper in your office.

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Benefit Administration Track

These sessions are open to customers of both Omni and Relius solutions, and can provide information on many of the partnered solutions regarding rollovers, 403(b) plan servicing, and participant education services.

  • Relius Compliance: Are You Sure You Are Compliant?: In this session, we demonstrate what the compliance system offers: from reporting and testing to HCEs and key employees.
  • Wealth Management University: There are more ways than ever to expand both your SunGard solution and wealth management industry knowledge. Whether it is live training, Webinars, or on-demand eLearning content for both new employees and seasoned veterans, SunGard provides many educational options through Wealth Management University. Come and learn how Wealth Management University can help you educate your staff, reduce training costs, and give you direct access to content from the people who know SunGard solutions best.
  • General Investment Trends Retirement Income Roundtable: Join us as we discuss solutions for plan sponsors and recordkeepers for easing operational support for retirement income offerings.  Whether you are a user of SunGard’s Omni or Relius benefit administration solutions, join the conversation as we learn about the approaches your peers are taking to address retirement income solution offerings. Also, learn how SunGard’s retirement income solutions are designed to seamlessly integrate with your defined contribution plans and help firms accommodate the unique features of retirement income funds confidently.
  • Rollover Solutions: Understand How to Simplify the Process for You and Your Constituents: Rollover demands will continue to be cumbersome due to the financial crisis. So will the trend for job hopping and teneed to support a growing population…not to mention ever-changing government regulations which could soon impact operations. See how SunGard’s new solution helps you efficiently manage this process.
  • 403(b) Processing for New Customers: The deadline to conform to the changing rules and regulations that govern 403(b) plans is no longer a distant worry; it is upon us now. Join us as we review how SunGard's solutions are uniquely positioned to help allow your firm to handle the recordkeeping and administration of these plans, including compliance processing, information sharing agreements, participant Web access with aggregated account information and much more.
  • Educate, Entertain and Engage with vWise: Make the most of advanced, interactive technology that uses video to better educate participants and differentiate your business. Learn how you can connect your eligible participants and get them engaged in their retirement plan in a more effective and efficient format.
  • SunGard’s WealthStation Fund Source: Combining Multi-sourced Data to Enhance Research for Pension Administrators: Investment advisors, consultants and third-party administrators (TPAs) in the retirement plan industry use SunGard’s WealthStation Fund Source to research, review and report investment data for plan sponsors to satisfy their fiduciary review responsibilities. The system is fully integrated with SunGard’s Relius Administration with an opportunity for custom integration with most Omni applications. Join us as we highlight the features of this new solution.
  • Form 5500: Filing Tips for 403(b) Plans: In this session we review which 403(b) plans are subject to 5500 filing, including an in depth discussion covering the following topics: ERISA plans vs. non-ERISA plans, safe harbor exemption, reasonable choice of investment options, discretionary determinations that compromise exemption, pre–2009 contracts, audit issues, schedules and attachments, reporting fees and expenses.

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Omni Technical Track

The Omni Technical Track, particularly formulated with the user in mind, offers information for anyone interested in system functions and enhancements for the Omni space. 

  • Paving the Way – Omni Solution Roadmap: Find out what’s new in Benefit Administration solutions with an overview of the technical changes and enhancements to the Omni suite of solutions provided by SunGard's Benefit Administration vice president of product marketing, Debby Hettler.
  • Understanding the Need to Streamline Architecture (ESF): SunGard’s Omni Enterprise Solution Framework (ESF) addresses the needs of the IT and business decision makers to be more efficient. Learn more about the business and technical benefits of a service-oriented architecture and how SunGard has leveraged this model to reshape retirement Web servicing.
  • Optimizing Omni Scripting Language: Omni Script has been the scripting language used to customize Omni’s recordkeeping platform to meet specific processing and reporting needs. SunGard’s new Omni Script Optimizer solution helps improve the performance of script code for the purpose of batch processing, real-time request packet execution and standalone script execution for multiple platforms.
  • Straight-through Processing and Self Service (DVW): Come see a live demonstration of the completely redesigned Data Validation Web. Our latest release of DVW features an entirely new user interface, architecture and business features. These improvements help maximize your operational efficiency and provide the features you have asked for to maintain a competitive advantage. We demonstrate how you can use DVW to implement straight-through processing of recurring contributions, loan repayments and compliance data.
  • Omni Web Solutions for Servicing Participants, Sponsors and CSRs: Join us for an overview of our first SunGard built Web solution for benefit administration in the Omni space. Not only are we reviewing the new functionality of this solution, but also looking at what’s coming in the product’s second release, as well.
  • What’s Going On In The World of Omni Payments and Disbursements?: Join us as we review the enhancements made in 2011 for Omni Payments, and discuss the coming attractions for 2012 and beyond, including an update on the disbursement solution for tax remittance services.

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Relius Technical Track

The Relius Technical Track offers information for anyone interested in the latest in Relius functionality. This track contains multiple sessions related to Relius Administration, Documents and Government Forms.

  • What’s New with Fidelity Directed Trustee Services?: You asked, we delivered. Join us as we demonstrate recently-made enhancements that were requested by customers to improve Fidelity's Directed Trustee Services offering.
  • What's Coming with Fidelity Directed Trustee Services?: See what's on the horizon with future operational efficiencies that will help eliminate cumbersome manual tasks, further reducing errors.
  • Relius Administration: Help With Advanced Support Issues: Relius Pension Analysts help users resolve many support incidents every day. In this session, we review and discuss some of the most common ones that can help smooth your workflow. In addition, learn about new tools that can assist you with support issues and learn new processes that can be easily incorporated into your firm’s operational procedures.
  • Relius Government Forms 5500 Web Client – Tips and Tricks: In this session, we review Web Client workflows, messaging (via the tickler system) and Web site customization options. Come learn how to import from and export to third-party solutions and IFILE, and to discuss the scenarios in which this interaction applies. If time permits, we will also discuss reporting using Web Client.
  • Relius Administration: Maximizing DVC & STP: Learn how to set up DVC rules and formulas customized to your needs. Also, learn how to enhance and customize the straight-through-processing (STP) task group to incorporate posting and multiple reports.
  • Relius Documents ASP – Demo for Prospective Customers: How can I efficiently create and maintain my plans using the Relius Documents ASP system? What are the differences between the PC and ASP systems? Should I switch from the PC system? See a demonstration of the Relius Documents ASP system to understand the features and the efficiencies it offers.
  • Access Control Advantage Demo: Access Control Advantage (ACA) offers a complete participant loan outsourcing solution for recordkeepers and plan sponsors. ACA’s patented solution helps reduce borrowing, enable faster loan repayment, and allow participants to continue loan repayment beyond separation from employment. Learn how partnering with ACA can provide your firm with a better participant loan offering. (Note: Relius Administration version 16.0 has an enhancement scheduled to integrate directly with ACA).
  • Relius Administration Efficiencies: This session explores many tools, options, default settings and other efficiencies that you can use to help make your work more efficient and more productive as we look at plan specs, census transactions, reports and other functions.
  • Relius Government Forms 5500 – Where Are We Now with EFAST2?: In this session, we look back at the last year, recap what we experienced, what we learned, discuss where we are now and what can be expected as we move forward. We also take a look at the impact of the 8955-SSA.
  • Relius Technology General Update: This session centers on various technical topics impacting all Relius products, such as: current and future hardware changes, installation changes, enhancements, Microsoft Vista frequently asked questions, plans for support of Microsoft Windows 7, migrating the VRU to Windows 2003 and Edify 10, updates on support and installation plans for 64-bit environments, and plans regarding Windows Server 2008.
  • Relius 5500 Update: Amendments, Late Filings and Short Plan Years: Procedures for amending EFAST2: amending Forms 5500 - SF and 5500-EZ; what forms and schedules to use; correct your schedules; public disclosure issues; short 2011 plan year filings; deadlines for amending plans with status of filing errors and filing stopped; amnesty program (DFVC); reasonable cause option; electronic vs. paper DFVC; DOL enforcement actions; dealing with IRS penality letters.
  • Relius Government Forms 5500 – Training for Web Client Users: Learn how to utilize Relius Web Client to collaborate and deliver Form 5500 to Plan Sponsors over the Web. In this session, we focus on the plan sponsors workflow for electronic filing. Instruction topics also include attachment, credentials / signing ceremony, filing statuses, and amendments within the context of Web Client.
  • Relius Documents ASP User Group Meeting: Join the user group discussion for an overview of recent and forthcoming updates to the Relius documents software products. Get up-to-date and important system related news and see previews of upcoming enhancements. This session provides an excellent opportunity to offer feedback, ask questions and submit your ideas for future enhancements.
  • Relius Administration: Advanced Compliance Issues: Review and discuss some of the most common and complicated compliance related support issues encountered by our experienced staff.
  • Relius Administration – Reporting Best Practices: With well over 200 different report versions available, and many ways to generate them, Relius Administration can produce results however we might wish. In this session, we look at many of the options, efficiencies and choices that you might not even know are available with Relius Reports to not only show results to your sponsors or participants, but also “show them off.”
  • Relius Documents ASP – Amendment Processing Module: In this session, we demonstrate the ability to create and track discretionary (employer requested) or regulatory amendments. Other new features we review are the preview function during checklist entry; the ability to set when, where changes are applied to plan checklists; and the ability to change response in a checklist. We will also walk through producing an amendment package which includes: cover letter, amendment, Adopting Resolution, SMM, Adoption Agreement and Summary Plan Description.
  • Relius Technology Roundtable Discussion: Free form interactive user-to-user discussion regarding technology and environment related topics. Solicit input and advice from attendees, discuss technology experiences with other users, and present ideas and needs for future technology planning. We also discuss reigniting a technology User Group and establishing regular online meetings and discussions.
  • EFAST2: Troubleshooting: This session covers filing procedures for obtaining credentials, correcting inactivated credentials, and how to deal with unprocessable filings. We discuss the causes of different filing statuses, including filing errors and filing stopped, how to correct filings errors, filing deadlines, filing time zone, resolving attachment and plan audit issues, as well as encryption issues.
  • Relius Administration Web: Join us for an overview of new features released at version 16.0 and 16.1 and a discussion about development projects slated for 16.1. We also help you understand the built-in-tools available to help you customize your Web presence.
  • Relius Administration – Defined Benefit: How? Why? When?: An open forum to discuss issues and / or ask questions about the defined benefit administration system. 
  • Relius Administration – Defined Benefit – What's New?: This session will cover changes made to the system since the last conference, changes with Version 16.0 and what the ultimate vision for the system is. Users will be able to ask questions and get resolutions to existing issues.
  • Relius Administration-Processing 403(b) Plans: Join us to better understand system functionality and to discuss the future as we look at the new regulations surrounding 403(b) plans.
  • Form 5500 – What’s The Latest with Schedule C?: Gain a better understanding of the recent changes to Schedule C, including the following: revenue sharing, bundled vs. unbundled providers, direct vs. indirect compensation, and eligible indirect compensation. Plus, we review sample completed Schedules C.
  • Relius Government Forms SAR: Relius Government Forms Summary Annual Report integrates Annual Funding Notice for both Form 5500 and 5500-SF, as well as the ability to save a PDF. Learn how to use Relius Government Forms SAR to prepare your Summary Annual Reports. If time permits, we will discuss e-delivery of your SAR via Relius Web Client.
  • Relius Technology – Advanced Topics: This session centers on various technical topics pertaining to all Relius products. We discuss support questions, and advantages of operating in a virtual environment, third-party data center, and / or hosted facility. Specific to Relius Administration, we discuss the distributed universal Relius Oracle database and client patching media, the patching process, procedures and database utility enhancements.
  • Relius Connect - Web Tools for Automation and Integration: Come discover how Web services can help you gain efficiencies by automating the flow of data between your firm's applications and Relius Documents of Administration software. See examples of Web services in action, get ideas for your own customized solutions and gain insight into the future of Relius' integration plan.
  • What’s New in Relius Administration, 16.0, 16.1 and 17.0: During this session, we review Relius Administration versions 16.0, 16.1, and what’s coming for 17.0.  Maybe an enhancement request you entered previously is on the horizon.
  • Government Forms – 5500 Classically Under-used Features: Learn about time-saving features built into Relius Government Forms 5500 software and streamline for the preparation of your annual reports.
  • Relius Documents – Preparing for PPA Restatements: Join us for an interactive, roundtable discussion of what to expect for PPA restatements. We have a panel of experts from several departments, including: software design and developers, language consultants, support, custom plans, document management services (outsourcing), and sales to discuss items, such as PPA document options, document outsourcing, differences between prototype and volume submitter plans, and future system enhancements. Attendee participation (i.e., questions and comments) is encouraged.
  • Relius ASP – Tips on a Productive Environment: ASP users operate in a slightly different environment than installed users. Join us as we discuss proper logout procedures, printing, file transfer options, resetting passwords and users, and database maintenance. This session is recommended for all Relius Administration ASP customers.
  • Relius Government Forms – 5500 Training for Desktop Users: Learn how to file your own 5500 from Relius Government Forms 5500 desktop using the Electronic, Filing Assistant. Instruction topics focus on the workflow for electronic filing and also include attachments, credentials / signing ceremony, filing statuses and amendments within the context of the desktop software.

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Omni User Group Track

Omni User Group Members have the opportunity to meet while at the Summit to discuss and vote on enhancements for the Omni suite of solutions. Standing committees and advisory panels are open for User Group members only. If you are interested in a User Group membership, please contact Brooklyn White at brooklyn.white@sungard.com, 205.437.7862.

  • Steering Committee – The SunGard Omni User Group Steering Committee was established in collaboration of Omni User Group and SunGard efforts to aide in the strategic analysis of solution development around industry and legislative trends. This committee is closed and is by invitation only.
  • ASP Advisory Panel – The SunGard Omni User Group ASP Advisory Panel is open to all User Group members who administer their recordkeeping through an Application Service Provider (ASP) environment.
  • Client Services Advisory Panel – The SunGard Omni User Group Client Services Advisory Panel is open to all User Group members who would like to learn more, or discuss the process of JIRA and client services support to the Omni customer base.
  • DC Standing Committee –– The SunGard Omni DC User Group Standing Committee is a User Group facilitated committee of Omni DC (OmniPlus) users who work together to help prioritize various enhancements for the Omni DC platform.
  • Trade Standing Committee – The SunGard Omni Trade User Group Standing Committee is a User Group facilitated committee of Omni Trade and Reconciliation users who work together to help prioritize various enhancements for the Omni trading platform. 
  • Payments Standing Committee – The SunGard Omni Payments User Group Standing Committee is a User Group facilitated committee of Omni Payments users who work together to help prioritize various enhancements for the Omni Payments and Disbursements platform.
  • General Session – This general session allows the chairman of the User Group, Pat Skelly of ICMA-RC the opportunity to address User Group members with a board update.
  • Technology Standing Committee – The SunGard Omni Technology User Group Standing Committee is a User Group facilitated committee of Omni users who work together to help prioritize various enhancements for the Omni suite of solutions.
  • Web Standing Committee – The SunGard Omni Web User Group Standing Committee is a User Group facilitated committee of Omni Web users who work together to help prioritize various enhancements for the Omni Web solution.
  • IVR Standing Committee – The SunGard Omni IVR User Group Standing Committee is a User Group facilitated committee of Omni IVR users who work together to help prioritize various enhancements for the Omni IVR platform.
  • Board Meeting – This closed meeting is for appointed SunGard employees and User Group Board Members.

For more information on how you can become a member of the SunGard Omni User Group, please contact Brooklyn White at brooklyn.white@sungard.com or call 205.437.7862.

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Relius Support Labs

  • Relius Administration, Government Forms, Documents and Client Account Services – The Relius Support Labs are a popular feature of past Relius conferences, and they continue to have the same structure for this conference, as well. Members of the competent Relius support teams are available to guide you through the questions and training you need.

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Omni Solution Roundtable Sessions

SunGard Omni solution roundtable sessions are available with the product on screen and experts available to answer any questions you might have regarding the latest releases or other high-level support items. The solutions featured in these labs include:

  • Omni Defined Contribution (OmniPlus)
  • Omni Payments
  • Omni Trade and Reconciliation
  • Omni Administrator Web
  • Omni Web Solution

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Please check the registration site for times and session leaders.