Toast Payroll: Plan Your Open Enrollment Period

Last updated: Apr 8, 2026, 10:21 AM

Question

If I use the Classic Benefits module in Toast Payroll, how can I plan ahead for open enrollment?

Answer

This article only applies to customers who are using Toast Payroll's Classic Benefits module. This does not apply to SimplyInsured customers through Toast Payroll Pro or customers who use the deductions-only method.

 

The Toast Payroll Classic Benefit's module is not a benefit administration service. Employers are responsible for maintaining their benefit offerings and managing their participants, enrollment, and plans. This first phase below takes a minimum of 10 business days, so please plan accordingly.

     

    • Plan Year Renewal: The effective date on which your company's insurance plan is renewed (often with new monthly premium rates).
    • Open Enrollment: The yearly period when all benefit eligible employees can enroll in their health insurance plan for the next calendar year.
       

    Phase

    Steps to Take

    Phase 1: Open Enrollment Setup
    Toast requires 10 business days to set up Open Enrollment in the Classic Benefits module.
    1. Complete the intake form. Once this form has been submitted, a Toast representative will contact you to get started on the next step of the open enrollment setup process.
    2. Complete the applicable specification forms provided for each benefit you plan to administer through Toast Payroll open enrollment.
    3. Once step 2 has been completed, review your active employees and ensure eligible employees are marked as such in Toast Payroll (a review of how to offer benefits in Toast Payroll can be found in Toast Payroll: Get Started With Classic Benefits).
    4. Once you've been notified that your new benefit plan has been set up in Toast Payroll, review the Benefit Plans tab to ensure all information is accurate for open enrollment.

    Phase 2: Open Enrollment Live
    You're live with open enrollment in the Toast Payroll Classic Benefits module!
    1. Monitor the Pending Enrollments tab to check your employee's progress during open enrollment.
    2. Review your employee's elections on the Enrollment Results tab of the Classic Benefits dashboard.
    3. You'll notice that once an employee makes their elections, new deductions will automatically populate on their profiles with the effective date of your plan year start.
    4. Communicate your open enrollment results with your carrier or create a profile in Toast Payroll for your broker to log in and view the results themselves.

    Phase 3: After Open Enrollment
    Tools to maintain employee benefits year-round in Toast Payroll.
    1. Update Elections and Qualifying Life Events: How to make manual changes to an employee's benefit elections when they are outside of their open enrollment or new hire enrollment windows.
    2. Dependents and Beneficiaries: How to add and edit an employee's dependents or beneficiaries in the Classic Benefits module.
    3. ACA Reporting Guide: Need help determining which of your employees are eligible for benefits? If you're set up with the Toast ACA module, these reports may help.


    This content is for informational purposes and is not intended as legal, tax, HR, or any other professional advice. Please contact an attorney or other professional for advice.
     

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