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Sharon, Interesting. So, if one wanted to know about "Flexible Spending Accounts", or "FSA", how would it occur to them to do a search on "HCSA"? This is why I prefer to have a central "one size fits all" phone number to call for things like this, I am too much a simpleton to navigate these mazes on my own :). Thanks, -- dkm At 11/11/2011 10:30 AM Friday, Byers, Sharon wrote: >I searched the hr site for "hcsa enrollment". >The third result is FSA Open Enrollment Guide, a pdf. >In that brochure is the process (13 steps) to access and complete the >signup. >But I think the link/instructions for HCSA should also be on this page: >http://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/fsa/index.htm > > >-----Original Message----- >From: David McFarlane [mailto:[log in to unmask]] >Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011 10:12 AM >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [MSUNAG] EBS and Flexible Spensing Accounts > >Laurence, > >Thanks for documenting this! I have a general >strategy in life, whenever people stick me with a >system that gives me problems, I make it someone >else's problem. In the case of EBS, I just call >EBS Support at 884-3000 at the drop of a hat and >let them personally guide me through >step-by-step, and if I have trouble finding that >number, then I just start with the general ATS >Help Desk at 432-6200 and let them guide me to the next step. > >I have no shame about this. If enough people >make it a problem to the folks who instigated >EBS, then those folks will find some way to fix >the problem; conversely, if no one makes it a >problem to them, then they have no incentive to >change anything. To their credit, the folks at >ATS and EBS Support have always been friendly and helpful when I call. > >Just my $.02, >-- dkm, Professional Faultfinder > > >At 11/10/2011 06:28 PM Thursday, Laurence Bates wrote: > >I have tried to be somewhat generous about the > >EBS system, recognizing that a new system takes > >some time to implement and will inevitably have > >the occasional glitch upon roll-out. That said, > >my experience in trying to reenroll for FSA has > >lead me to the conclusion that something is > >fundamentally wrong with the organization > >principle behind the current EBS system. The > >steps from the human resources web site to the > >enrollment screens are not just poorly designed, > >they are unintelligible. As far as I can tell, the steps are: > > > >1) Search the MSU site for "FSA" > >2) Click on > ><http://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/fsa/>http://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/fsa >/ > >3) Locate and click on the Quicklink "FSA Enrollment" > >4) Click on "Enroll Online (EBS Portal)" > >5) Login using MSUnet credentials > >6) Arrive at a screen that has no relevance > >to FSA enrollment and contains few clues to the correct path forward. > >7) Establish that the "MSU Human Resources" > >link points back to <http://www.hr.msu.edu/>http://www.hr.msu.edu/ > >8) Try the "Finance System" tab and > >determine that none of the 78 web links on a > >single page relate to FSA enrollment. > >9) Try the "ESS Faculty" tab, having no idea what "ESS Faculty" >are. > >10) Click on the "Benefits" link. > >11) Click on the "Enrollment Services" link. > >12) Click on "FSA Open Enrollment" link. > >13) Search the MSU web site to determine what "DCSA" and "HCSA" relate >to. > >14) Click the selection box under "HCSA" > >15) Click on the "Flexible Spending Accounts" > >link and arrive back at > ><http://www.hr.msu.edu/benefits/fsa/index.htm>http://www.hr.msu.edu/ben >efits/fsa/index.htm > >16) Double Check that the Quicklink "FSA Enrollment" leads back to step >#4 > >17) Back Track to step #14 and click "Add Plan" > >18) Success at last - a single form field labeled "Contribution Amount" > >19) Try to recall what last year's Contribution amount was. > >20) Click on the "Show PlanTypeofTodayView" link > >21) Enter the same amount for the new plan and > >click "Add Plan to Selection" button. > >22) Click the "Log off" button > >23) Wonder about the pop-up message "You have > >unsaved data. Are you sure you want to log off?" > >24) Click on the "Review Enrollment" button. > >25) Click on the "Save" button > >26) Click the "Log off" button > >27) Wonder about the pop-up message "Are you sure you want to log off?" > >28) Click "Yes" > >29) Look for the Asprin. > > > >Does this process really need to be so obtuse? > > > > > >Laurence A. Bates > >College of Education > >Michigan State University > >217E Erickson Hall > >East Lansing > >MI 48824 > >517-355-2178 > ><mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask] > > > >An exuberant rationalist... (most of the time)