Payroll data is a key input for collecting accurate census information from plan sponsors. Making sure payroll is connected and syncing correctly is essential to receiving complete data on time. This guide walks through the payroll statuses you’ll see in CX, what each status means, the action required, and how to contact plan sponsors when something needs attention.
How Payroll Works
Payroll syncing in CX happens in two stages:
Plan sponsor connects payroll through Finch.
The plan sponsor starts the connection from the Finch embedded workflow in the client portal. This opens a connection window where they select and authorize their payroll provider.Payroll data flows into CX.
After the connection is approved, payroll data begins syncing into Finch from the provider. For automated connections, this usually completes within one to two days. Once Finch has the data, CX pulls it through a sync into your account. After the data appears in CX, the Stax.ai team maps pay codes to compensation definitions based on the plan’s provisions.
Connection Types:
Payroll integrations can look very different across providers, so Stax.ai supports two main connection options:
Automated Connections:
Automated connections run directly through a provider’s API and are the fastest way to sync payroll. If a payroll company supports an API, the plan sponsor simply grants permission to connect. Finch then pulls payroll data automatically and sends it into CX with no manual steps required.
Assisted Connections:
Assisted connections are used for smaller or boutique payroll providers, or for systems without an open API. In these cases, the plan sponsor invites Finch into their payroll platform. Once access is granted, the Finch team logs in, exports the needed payroll data, and securely syncs it into CX. This process ensures payroll data can be delivered to CX regardless of provider. After the invite is sent, payroll is typically synced and processed within about two weeks.
When creating a user for an assisted connection, ensure the user is created with the following:
User: staxai
Email: [email protected]
Statuses
Status | Description | Required Actions |
Active | The connection is active and data is syncing in normally. | Nothing |
Error | There was an error in syncing in the payroll data from Finch. | Reach out to [email protected] and provide the company name. |
Syncing | Payroll data is being synced into the CX system. | No action required, typically this will resolve once the pay data is pulled in from the provider. Depending on the size of the employer, this can vary. |
Assisted | The plan sponsor needs to invite Finch to their payroll provider. Please see the details below this table. | The plan sponsor must invite Finch to their payroll provider. If the plan sponsor has completed this already, the status will remain Assisted until payroll is synced in from Finch to CX. |
Awaiting Client | This means the plan sponsor has begun connecting their payroll but has not yet finished the connection. | Plan sponsor needs to log into the client portal and connect their payroll. |
Awaiting Mapping | This means that payroll data has been synced into the platform however the reports have not been mapped to the definitions of compensation from plan provisions. | The Stax.ai team will map these payrolls based on the plan provisions. No action is needed. If you required expedited mapping of a particular payroll connection, please reach out to our team at [email protected]. |
Re-Auth Required | The authentication to the payroll provider has failed. This is likely due to the plan sponsor updating their password or changing account permissions. | The plan sponsor must log back into the client portal and re-authorize their payroll connection. |
Viewing Payroll Instructions for Assisted Connections:
To view provider-specific instructions for connecting payroll and to see a full list of the payroll connections that CX supports, you can visit the Payrolls Page.
This page will show you the type of payroll connection (automated or assisted) as well as if the payroll connection is in a Beta mode. This is typically used for new payroll connections as we test their functionality and get feedback.
For assisted connections, to view connection instructions, you can select the ? icon on the payroll card and the instructions will open in a new tab.